Game 1: Evangel 6, Mount Mercy 5 | Box Score
Game 2: Mount Mercy 4, Evangel 1 | Box Score
Records: Evangel (12-6, 1-5); Mount Mercy (11-7, 4-6)
Location: Crusader Field

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Evangel picked up its first Heart of America Athletic Conference victory of the season, rallying from a two-run, seventh-inning deficit for a 6-5 game-one victory over Mount Mercy, before falling by a 4-1 score in the nightcap.

Megan Stone led EU with three hits and four runs scored in the twin bill, while Abby Jo Emmitt tossed 8.0 combined innings, including two hitless frames in game one to earn the victory.

Mount Mercy rode a big day from Payton Bruner to earn the split. The senior homered twice in game one, then singled and stole a base to ignite the go-ahead rally in the second contest.

Game 1 – Evangel 6, Mount Mercy 5
Kristyn Stocks capped a 2-for-3 performance at the plate with a walk-off, RBI double to complete EU's rally from a 5-3, seventh-inning deficit.

Evangel recorded three run-scoring doubles in the decisive seventh inning, as Stone plated the first run of the rally with her two-bagger to left-center, before Marissa Lokey followed suit with a double down the left-field line to tie the score.

Stocks then delivered the game-winner off Jayna Witzany (6-3), lacing a double to left-center to chase home Josie Allcock with the deciding tally.

EU's late rally negated the Mustang's four-run, sixth-inning outburst that saw the visitors turn a 3-1 deficit into a two-run advantage. Bruner, who went 3-for-4 and homered to lead off the game, belted her second round-tripper of the day with a runner aboard to tie the contest, before Mount Mercy added a pair of unearned runs to take control of a 5-3 cushion.

The home club battled back from Bruner's early home run to score three unanswered runs, getting a run-scoring double from Lokey in the home half of the first, before Stocks put EU on top with a two-base hit to highlight a two-run third.

Emmitt (3-4) took over for Bridget Rippe in the sixth, tossing 2.0 innings of hitless relief to give EU a chance to rally for the victory.

Game 2 – Mount Mercy 4, Evangel 1
Mount Mercy rebounded to gain the split behind the shutdown pitching of Emily Oler, who allowed just one EU run on three hits in a complete-game victory.

Oler (1-0) allowed the lone Evangel run via a two-out rally in the third, as Stone came through with a double to left-center, before Kami Holt singled her home to give EU a 1-0 lead.

Mount Mercy evened the score in the fourth, taking advantage of a leadoff walk and a two-out Audrey Grove bunt single to pull even with EU.

Bruner tormented EU once again in the fifth, singling to open the inning before stealing second and coming around with the go-ahead run on Jade Sharp's base hit.

The Mustangs tacked on single tallies in the sixth and seventh innings to extent their lead to three runs. Two bunt singles and a Bruner sacrifice fly gave Mount Mercy its sixth-inning run, and Oler helped her own cause by singling and scoring on Grove's fielder's choice in the seventh.

In the circle, Oler was in control throughout the late stages of the contest, holding EU hitless from the third inning on. She allowed just two baserunners after the third—one coming on a sixth-innint hit-by-pitch to Stone and another via a walk to Allcock in the seventh. In all, she permitted just three hits and struck out three EU hitters in her first victory of the season.

Up Next
Evangel hosts its third Heart Conference series of the week on Saturday (March 27), welcoming Clarke to Crusader Field for an 11 a.m., doubleheader.

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—