Game 1: No. 7 Central Methodist 3, Evangel 0 | Box Score
Game 2: No. 7 Central Methodist 9, Evangel 3 | Box Score
Records: Evangel (11-5, 0-4); Central Methodist (20-1, 6-0)
Location: Thompson Field

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – No. 7 Central Methodist rode a complete-game shutout from Keighlan Cronin in the opening contest of its Heart Conference doubleheader with Evangel, before completing the sweep behind a six-run, third-inning outburst in the nightcap Wednesday afternoon at Thompson Field.
 
Cronin improved to 10-0 on the season after striking out 10 Crusaders and scattering four singles over 7.0 innings in the 3-0, game-one victory. Morgan Willis drove in the go-ahead run for the Eagles with her bases-loaded walk in the second inning, then registered a four-hit performance in the second contest to help power a 12-hit CMU attack.
 
Kami Holt led the Crusaders, going 4-for-6 in the twinbill, while Bridget Rippe tossed 6 1/3 strong innings in the opener, allowing three runs on four CMU hits.

Game 1 – Central Methodist 3, Evangel 0
Cronin (10-0) fanned 10 Crusaders overall and retired 14 of 16 EU hitters over the first five frames to give the Eagles' offense time to push home the game's deciding run.

Willis finished the game 1-for-3 with a run scored and the key second-inning RBI, coaxing a two-out free pass from Rippe (3-2) after Kelena Oots singled to extend the inning and load the bases.

After allowing a one-out single to Holt in the bottom of the first, Cronin retired the next eight EU hitters, including five via strikeouts. After Holt and Ali Raley delivered back-to-back singles to start the fourth, Cronin responded to get the next six Crusaders in order. She then worked around a hit batsman and a walk to open the sixth, as left fielder Kelli Gorman threw out the potential tying run at the plate on Raley's fly ball to left, thwarting the Crusaders' best scoring opportunity of the game.

Hannah Criswell extended the Eagles' lead to 3-0 with a two-run double down the left-field line, as five-straight CMU hitters reached base safely with one out in the top of the seventh.

Holt finished 2-for-2 with a walk and a steal to lead EU at the plate.

Game 2 – Central Methodist 9, Evangel 3
CMU broke up a scoreless duel with a six-run rally in the third inning, with Adalia Sewell's three-run triple highlighting the inning.

Sewell went 2-for-5 with four RBIs in the victory, while Willis finished 4-for-4 after opening the scoring with an RBI triple to ignite the third-inning surge.

Madison Love added a run-scoring single, before Jordan Jenkins' sac fly brought in a sixth run to cap the Eagles' big inning. Love (9-1), who finished 2-for-4 at the plate, was equally as effective for CMU in the circle, fanning six and allowing just two earned runs on nine hits in a complete-game effort.

After CMU struck for three more runs in the sixth to build a nine-run cushion, EU broke through with two runs in the home half of the inning on a Marissa Lokey RBI single and a two-out wild pitch.

EU scored a third run in the seventh, taking advantage of a CMU defensive miscue after Annslee Leeviraphan and Ashlie Marshall registered infield singles to start the inning.

Holt logged her second two-hit performance of the day, while both Lokey and Leeviraphan added 2-for-3 efforts for EU.

Up Next
The Crusaders open a busy home weekend Friday (March 26) with a 2 p.m., doubleheader with Mount Mercy at Crusader Field. EU will also host Clarke Saturday (March 27) at Noon for another Heart Conference twinbill.

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—