Game 1: Evangel 9, Bacone 1 | Box Score
Game 2: Evangel 8, Bacone 0 | Box Score
Records: Evangel (5-1); Bacone (0-6)
Location: Crusader Field

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Evangel built sizable leads in each of its two games with Bacone Friday afternoon, using the combination of timely hitting and strong pitching to post a doubleheader sweep of the Warriors at Crusader Field.

The duo of Samantha Romano and Abby Jo Emmitt held Bacone to three combined hits in the twinbill, while the EU offense pounded out 23 hits in the sweep.

Kristyn Stocks led the Crusaders at the plate, finishing the day 4-for-5 with two RBIs and three steals, while Annslee Leeviraphan also registered four hits. Additionally, Ashlie Marshall and Kami Holt each contributed three hits for Evangel.

Game 1 – Evangel 9, Bacone 1 (5 inn.)
The Crusaders jumped on top with a three-run first inning, then busted the game wide open by scoring six times in the second to build a 9-0 lead.

Evangel puts its running game into high gear, stealing a season-high seven bases and pounding out all 11 of its hits in the first two innings. Marshall led the Crusader attack with a pair of hits and three runs batted-in, while Stocks went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and two steals.

In the circle, Romano (2-0) kept the Warriors in check throughout the game. The freshman right-hander held Bacone hitless through three innings and allowed just a Jessica Hobbs solo shot in the fourth in the complete-game effort.

EU jumped on top via a Stocks run-scoring single in the first after Holt singled and stole second and third. Marshall plated two more runs with a two-out single to left that gave the Crusaders a 3-0 lead.

The Crusaders would send 11 batters to the plate in their six-run second. Anah Noble and Leeviraphan started things off with back-to-back singles, before Josie Allcock's one-out double chased home the first run of the rally. With two out, Stocks delivered the first of five-straight EU hits that would ultimately stretch the cushion to 9-0.

In addition to two-hit efforts by Stocks and Marshall, Noble went 2-for-2 with an RBI and a steal. Romano picked up the win after striking out six and allowing just three baserunners in her 5.0 innings.

Game 2 – Evangel 8, Bacone 0 (5 inn.)
Evangel rode the pitching of Emmitt to another big win, as the junior right-hander held the Warriors hitless until the fifth inning and fanned a season-high nine batters to earn her first victory of 2021.

Holt powered the Crusader offense, tripling home the first run of the game in the third, before scoring on Allcock's towering two-run homer that gave EU a 3-0 edge.

Marshall sparked another rally in the fourth with a leadoff single, and Holt brought her home with the fourth EU run of the game with her one-out single.

The Crusaders put the game away with a four-run fifth after Sparks singled and swiped second to start the inning. Hailey Lange drove in a run with a base hit, and Leevirahphan brought in two more with a single to left.

Leeviraphan logged three hits in as many at-bats, while Holt finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs.

Up Next
The Crusaders and Warriors conclude their four-game series Saturday (March 6) with a Noon doubleheader 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—