Game 1: Park 10, Evangel 4 | Box Score
Game 2: Park 11, Evangel 10 | Box Score
Records: Evangel (15-24, 8-19); Park (13-26, 10-19)
Location: Comfort Field

PARKVILLE, Mo. – Park erased four-run deficits against Evangel in both ends of the two clubs' Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader at Comfort Field, rallying for 10 unanswered runs in a 10-4, opening-game win, before earning an 11-10 walk-off-victory in the nightcap to complete the sweep.

Jason Jarrell led Evangel at the plate, finishing the day 5-for-8 with three RBIs, as EU totaled 21 hits in the twin bill.

Game 1 – Park 10, Evangel 4
After EU took a four-run lead into the home half of the fifth, Park erupted for 10 runs over its final two turns at bat to pull away for a 10-4 victory. Sam Derks' go-ahead grand slam highlighted a seven-run sixth inning for the Pirates, who saw their first seven batters of the inning reach base to ignite the late rally.

Evangel relied on the pitching of Levi Loughridge and a first-inning Jordan Yates homer to establish its early advantage. Loughridge kept the Pirates off the scoreboard through four innings, allowing just four hits and striking out five hitters.

But Angel Colon-Aviles led off the fifth with a home run, as four of the first six Park batters recorded a hit to help propel a three-run outburst. Casey Mareschal delivered key blow with a two-run single through the left side of the EU infield to trim the margin to a single run.

The Pirates broke through with seven runs in the sixth to gain control of the contest, taking advantage of three consecutive walks to open the inning. Derks then belted an 0-1 pitch from Kale Hynes over the left-field wall for a back-breaking grand slam and a 7-4 Park lead.

Bryce Dye added an RBI-single, and Dylan Govin brought in two more Pirate baserunners with his one-out base hit to left that extended the Park cushion to six runs.

In all, five different Park batters recorded two-hit games, led by Derks' four-RBI effort. Masson Sipes earned the win after combining with Bryce Perdieu on 2.0 scoreless innings of relief.

Nathan Lamb logged three hits in his four trips to the plate for EU, while Grant Kosanke added a 2-for-4 effort.

Game 2 – Park 11, Evangel 10
Despite scoring four first-inning runs and mounting a 13-hit barrage against Park pitching, Evangel came out on the short end of a one-run decision to the Pirates in the nightcap. Zackary Keller's one-out double in the bottom of the seventh brought in the game-winning run, capping another strong offensive performance by Park.

After Patrick Gaul sparked the Evangel offense with a leadoff double and Yates drew a walk, Jarrell's two-run single opened the scoring in the first. Mason Hansen plated a third EU run with his double to left, and Dalton Cook stretched the lead to 4-0  with a two-out triple to right-center.

The Pirates overcame EU's early rally by scoring three runs of their own in the home half of the first and nine total runs over the first three innings to seize command. Derks hit his second home run of the afternoon—a two-run shot in the second inning that handed Park a 7-4 advantage. He added a two-run single in the third and finished the day 4-for-7 with eight RBIs.

Evangel battled back with a three-run fourth, as Kosanke and Gaul each went deep to spark the EU offense. Noah Suiter drew a walk and stole second to keep the rally alive, and Jarrell came through with his third RBI of the game on a two-out hit to left that sliced the Park lead to 9-8.

Park added a run in the fifth, but EU responded with two of its own in the top of the sixth to even the score at 10-10. Hansen's sac fly brought in the first run of the inning after a Suiter single and a Jarrell double initiated the threat. Cook then delivered another key extra-base hit, plating Aidan Satterfield with the equalizing run on a double to right-center.

Hunter Hancock worked out of a two-on, one-out jam in the bottom of the sixth, getting Davisai Pizarro to chase a third strike and retiring Mareschal on a grounder to third to end the inning.

But Trevor Guzzo's leadoff single opened the seventh, before Colon-Aviles sacrificed the Park baserunner into scoring position. Keller followed with a liner to right that landed for the game's deciding hit.

Jarrell led Evangel with a 4-for-4 day at the plate, while Hansen went 2-for-2 with three RBIs. Suiter, Cook and Gaul each added two-hit performances for EU as well.

Up Next
Evangel will close out its season by hosting a three-game Heart Conference series against Grand View this weekend, beginning with a nine-inning contest Friday (April 30) at 3 p.m.

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–