Game 1: Central Methodist 5, Evangel 4 | Box Score
Game 2: Central Methodist 8, Evangel 1 | Box Score
Records: Evangel (7-7, 0-2); Central Methodist (15-2, 2-0)
Location: Estes Field

FAYETTE, Mo. – Central Methodist built big leads over Evangel in each of the two clubs Thursday  afternoon contests, holding on for a 5-4 victory in the Heart Conference opener for both teams, before running away with an 8-1 win in the second game to complete a doubleheader sweep of the Crusaders at Estes Field.

CMU, ranked No. 10 in the 2021 NAIA Baseball Coaches' Preseason Poll, received a pair of shutdown pitching performances, as Kenny Otero allowed just three unearned EU runs over 6.0 innings to earn the game one victory, before Dylan Brister permitted just one run on one hit in his 5.0 frames in the second contest.

At the plate, Mason Schwellenbach delivered one of two key two-run singles in the first game, then added a 2-for-4 performance in the nightcap.

Patrick Gaul paced Evangel with three hits in six at-bats, including a seventh-inning homer and two RBIs in game one.

Game 1 – Central Methodist 5, Evangel 4
The Eagles used a pair of two-run singles and a steal of home over the first four innings to establish a 5-0 lead, then withstood a late charge that saw the Crusaders score four runs of their own and put the tying run on base in the bottom of the seventh.

Grant Victor opened the scoring in the top of the second with a two-out base hit to right, putting CMU in front, 2-0. Schwellenbach followed suit the following inning, plating two more runs after singles by Otero and Logan Haring set the table to start the rally.

Deshawn Cole helped the Eagles manufacture a fourth-inning score as well, singling to start the inning before stealing third and home to extend the margin to five runs.

EU got on the board in the fifth, taking advantage of two CMU errors to slice the deficit to 5-3. Truett Gardner led off the inning with a single left, before Grant Kosanke came through with one of his two hits in the game. Next, Nathan Lamb reached on a muffed catch, coupled with a throwing error to allow the first EU run of the day.

Gaul and Noah Suiter followed with RBI singles to bring the Crusaders to within two runs.

Otero avoided further damage by inducing a force out at second, before striking out Mason Hansen and picking off a Crusader baserunner to end the threat.

The Crusaders threatened again in the seventh after Gaul unloaded on the first pitch he saw for a solo shot that pulled Evangel to within one run.

Hansen coaxed a two-out walk to keep EU's hopes alive, but Nino Puckett fanned Dalton Cook on a 2-2 pitch to preserve the victory and record the save.

Bret Hoffman (2-2) dropped the decision for the Crusaders, scattering five runs on nine hits in the complete-game effort.

Game 2 – Central Methodist 8, Evangel 1
The Eagles once again built an early lead in the second game, scoring single runs in each of the first three innings to take control. After Evangel put its lone run of the contest on the board in the fourth, CMU put the game on ice with two-runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth.

Sergio Macias delivered a 3-for-5 performance that included a home run, four RBIs and two runs scored, while Brister held Evangel hitless through three innings, allowing just a Suiter double in the fourth. The senior right-hander handed the ball off to his bullpen, and the duo of Puckett and Beau Atkins allowed just one EU hit over the final two innings.

Macias put CMU on top with his RBI single in the first, after Haring doubled to spark a two-out rally. Davon Garcia's two-out double, along with a Crusader throwing error, led to a second Eagle run in the second.

A second Evangel error allowed the Eagles to extend their lead to 3-0 in the third, as Schwellenbach plated a run with a double to left field.

EU pushed home a run in the home half of the fourth, capitalizing on Suiter's leadoff double to left-center. Yates moved the baserunner to third with a ground ball back to the mound, before Hansen's bouncer to short brought Suiter home to make it a 3-1 game.

But CMU went right back to work, getting a leadoff walk to Haring and a Macias double to set up Jeff Vance's infield single that brought in the fourth Eagle run. Victor's sacrifice pop-up produced a second run, handing CMU a 5-1 advantage.

Macias eliminated any doubts about the outcome with a three-run homer in the top of the sixth.

Austin Dill (3-1) sustained his first mound setback of the season after allowing five runs (three earned) on 12 hits in his 5.2 innings.

Up Next
Evangel will look to bounce back with in the third and fourth games of the series, currently slated as part of a 1 p.m., doubleheader on Saturday (March 13) at Estes 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—