The Basics
Final: Evangel 4, Grand View 3
Records: Evangel (16-24, 9-19); Grand View (12-26, 8-21)
Location: University Field

Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Bret Hoffman tossed 8.0 solid innings and Tyler Coffelt's two-run single highlighted a big eighth-inning rally that lifted Evangel to a 4-3 victory over Grand View in the opening game of the two clubs' final Heart of America Athletic Conference series of the season Friday afternoon at University Field.

Mason Hansen sparked the game's decisive rally with his two-out double to left-center, and Stephen Belcher and Grant Kosanke drew walks to load the bases. Coffelt then lined a single to center to chase home the tying and go-ahead runs.

Coffelt, who homered off Grand View starting pitcher Jonathan Horn (1-6) to put EU on the board in the third, finished the day 2-for-3 with a walk and three RBIs to help make a winner of Hoffman (5-5). EU's senior right-hander scattered seven hits and struck out four, allowing only single runs in the second and third frames.

GVU's Peyton Krugler finished 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles, including a ninth-inning gap shot that drove in the third Viking run of the game and put the potential tying run in scoring position with two out.

But Levi Loughridge slammed the door shut on the visitors, coaxing a game-ending fly ball to center off the bat of Eric Swenson to lock up his first save of the season.

Krugler also doubled to lead off the second before coming home on a two-out, bases-loaded walk to Colten Parkins. Swenson drove in Krugler with another two-out hit the following inning to stake Horn to a 2-0 lead.

But Hoffman settled into a groove, retiring 11 of the next 13 hitters over parts of five innings.

Horn cruised through seven innings, permitting just two hits—Coffelt's homer in the third and a two-out, Patrick Gaul double in the seventh. The freshman lefty struggled with his command, issuing a total of nine walks, including back-to-back free passes in the eighth following Hansen's double.

Reliever Jacob Craven took over with the bases loaded and surrendered the go-ahead single by Coffelt, before a pair of GVU errors on one Shiloh Thompson ground ball allowed the fourth EU run of the game to cross the plate.

Up Next
Evangel and Grand View will conclude their seasons with a Noon doubleheader Saturday (May 1) 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–