Game 1: Evangel 9, Ottawa 2 (7) | Box Score
Game 2: Evangel 2, Ottawa 1 (8) | Box Score
Records: Evangel (2-0); Ottawa (0-2)
Location: Springfield, Mo. | Crusader Field

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The Evangel baseball team opened its 2021 campaign in style Wednesday afternoon, rallying with strong finishes in each of its games against Ottawa to post a doubleheader sweep of the Braves at Crusader Field.

Patrick Gaul logged a pair of two-hit games and homered in the night cap to erase a 1-0 deficit, while Noah Suiter went 3-for-7 with three RBIs in the twin bill.

The Crusaders pitching staff turned in a promising opening day effort as well, allowing just three runs over 15.0 innings while striking out 13 hitters.

Game 1
Evangel overcame a 2-0 deficit by scoring nine unanswered runs over its final two turns at bat to post a 9-2 victory. Suiter's two-out, two-run double in the fifth knotted the score at 2-2, and the junior outfielder plated a third RBI as part of a seven-run EU sixth.

Gaul added two hits as well, doubling ahead of Suiter in the fifth to keep the Crusaders' game-tying rally alive, before scoring as part of EU's decisive outburst in the sixth.

On the mound, Bret Hoffman (1-0) turned in 6.0 solid frames, scattering seven hits and striking out five Braves to earn the victory. The senior right-hander allowed a second-inning tally on Benjamin Koler's two-out single and a Holland Boan home run to open the fourth before fanning three of the final five hitters he faced.

OU starter Stephen Norrell appeared to be in control in the fifth, working his way to within one strike of escaping the inning with his two-run cushion intact. But Gaul lofted a two-out double to left, befor Suiter's long fly eluded Senituli Tuafahema in center, chasing home a pair of EU baserunners to tie the game.

EU was just getting warmed up, as a walk to Jason Jarrell and a Dalton Cook single ignited the Crusaders offense in the sixth. After an interference call on a Tyler Coffelt sacrifice attempt that would have produced the go-ahead run, Stephen Belcher bunted for a hit to load the bases, and pinch runner Mason Hansen sprinted home on a Braves throwing error.

Grant Kosanke and Nathan Lamb followed with back-to-back singles to make it a 5-2 game, before Gaul's fielder's choice grounder (and another OU error) and RBI singles by Suiter and Jarrell capped the seven-run rally.

Game 2
After falling behind for the second-straight game, Gaul's one-out solo blast in the home half of the fifth and an eighth-inning tally would be all the Crusaders needed to pull out a 2-1 victory in the second contest. Coffelt's fielder's choice chopper with one out in the eighth chased home Gaul from third with the winning run, punctuating another comeback win for EU.

The trio of Austin Dill, Zach Johnston and Eli King kept the Braves off balance most of the contest, with the lone Ottawa run coming in the third after three-straight singles opened the inning. Rylan Cratsenberg's base hit to left-center brought in Kyle Banister from second for a 1-0 Braves lead.

Dill worked around five OU hits and four walks to get the ball to Johnston, who fanned four and allowed just one single in his 2 1/3 innings. Johnston combined with King (1-0) on 4.0 shutout innings of relief to give the EU offense enough breathing room to scratch out the go-ahead run.

With the score knotted at 1-1 in the eighth, Gaul led off the inning with a base hit, before Suiter and Jordan Yates coaxed back-to-back walks from Austin Warfel to load the bases. Following a strikeout, Coffelt bounced a slow chopper to Boan at third, then beat the relay to first on a double-play attempt, allowing Gaul to trot home with the game-winner.

Up Next
Evangel and Ottawa are slated to square off in another doubleheader Saturday (Feb. 6), with game one set to begin at Noon at Crusader Field.

For the latest information on Evangel Athletics, follow the Crusaders on Facebook at Facebook.com/EUAthletics, Twitter (@EUAthletics), or visit EvangelAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on the team by downloading the new Evangel Crusaders GamedayApp through Google Play. 

—EvangelAthletics.com—