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Box Score 2 Game 1: Evangel 2, Baker 1 | Box Score
Game 2: Evangel 3, Baker 1 | Box Score
Records: Evangel (13-20, 6-15); Baker (15-23, 8-14)
Location: University Field
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Behind a pair of shutdown pitching performances, Evangel swept a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader from Baker Saturday afternoon, earning a come-from-behind, 2-1 walkoff-victory in game one, before claiming a 3-1 decision in the nightcap.
EU received quality starts from Bret Hoffman and Austin Dill, who combined to strike out 13 Wildcats while allowing just two runs over 15.0 total innings.
Game 1 – Evangel 2, Baker 1 (10 inn.)
Trailing 1-0 and down to its last strike, Evangel used a two-out Grant Kosanke single to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh, then scratched out the game-winning tally on a bases-loaded walk in the 10th to halt a nine-game losing streak.
After a Jason Jarrell leadoff single started the seventh, Kosanke lined a two-out single to center on a 1-2 pitch from Hunter Gudde to bring in Jeremy Vickers from third with the equalizing run.
EU then took advantage of a pair of walks and a hit batsman in the 10th to spark its game-clinching rally. Stephen Belcher started the inning by drawing a free pass from Zach Reeder (1-3), before Kosanke moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt.
Next, BU elected to intentionally walk Tyler Coffelt, and Reeder struck Nathan Lamb with a pitch to load the bases. Reeder rebounded to strike out Patrick Gaul, but Yates coaxed ball four from the right-hander to force home Belcher from third with the decisive run.
Evangel's late rally was made possible by the pitching of Hoffman, who scattered seven hits and struck out seven hitters over his 8.0 innings. He was matched by Gudde, who came within one strike of securing a complete-game shutout. The right-hander allowed all nine EU hits and struck out three without issuing a walk.
Baker plated its lone run of the game in similar fashion, using a Gudde second-inning single as a springboard to the afternoon's first scoring rally. Jacob Sula followed by drawing a walk, before Hoffman plunked Daniel Bryant with a pitch to load the bases. Brian Wircenske then drew a free pass to bring in the Wildcat run.
Gudde made the lead stand through 6 2/3 frames, working out of a two-on, one-out jam in the fifth by inducing a double-play grounder to short, then squashing an Evangel threat in the sixth as well with a 3-6-1 twin-killing.
Pattin and Bivens led Baker with two-hit games, while Coffelt and Belcher each finished 2-for-3 to pace Evangel's offense.
Kale Hynes (1-0) faced the minimum in his 2.0 scoreless innings of relief to earn the victory.
Game 2 – Evangel 3, Baker 1
After working around an error and a walk to escape a first-inning jam, Dill (5-4) was in control throughout his complete-game performance. The junior kept the Wildcats hitless through three innings, then closed out the victory by stranding the potential tying run on base in the seventh.
In all, Dill fanned six and scattered four hits, allowing just a fifth-inning BU run on John Raybourn's two-out infield chopper.
That rally answered EU's initial scoring opportunity in the home half of the fourth, when a pair of walks, a Mason Hansen single and a bases-loaded walk to Kosanke produced the game's first run.
After the Wildcats evened the score in the fifth, Evangel went back to work immediately in the bottom half of the inning. Four consecutive hits by EU set up the biggest rally of the day by either club. Lamb started the inning with a single, followed by hits from Gaul and Yates to load the bases.
Noah Suiter put EU on top to stay with his base hit to left that scored Lamb, and Jarrell drove a sac fly to deep center to bring home Gaul to make it a 3-1 game.
Suiter led Evangel at the plate, finishing 2-for-3 with the key RBI in the contest, capping a three-hit day by the junior outfielder.
Up Next
Evangel and Baker will conclude their four-game series Monday (April 19) with a 1 p.m. doubleheader at University Field.
For the latest information on Evangel Athletics, visit Facebook at Facebook.com/EUAthletics, Twitter (@EUAthletics), or EvangelAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on their favorite EU teams by downloading the new Evangel Athletics Gameday App through Google Play.
–EvangelAthletics.com–
