Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Game 1: Central Methodist 10, Evangel 0 | Box Score
Game 2: Central Methodist 6, Evangel 5 | Box Score
Records: Evangel (29-14, 18-13); Central Methodist (46-5, 32-4)
Location: Cox Softball Complex
FAYETTE, Mo. – Despite rallying to erase a two-run, seventh-inning deficit against the nation's fifth-ranked squad, the Evangel softball team came out on the short end of a hard-fought, 6-5, 11-inning decision Saturday at Central Methodist.
After claiming a 10-0 victory in game one, the Eagles completed the Heart of America Athletic Conference series sweep of EU by scoring the game-winning run on Morgan Willis' one-out single in the bottom of the 11th, under the provisions of the international tie-breaker.
Game 1 – Central Methodist 10, Evangel 0
CMU wasted no time in gaining control of game one, striking for three runs in the home half of the first, before breaking the contest wide open with a seven-run second.
Kelli Gorman sparked both rallies with home runs, belting a two-run shot in the opening frame, before plating the first four runs of the second with a grand slam.
Willis added a solo shot to complete CMU's first-inning scoring, before a walk and back-to-back singles by Kelena Oots and Montana Stangel set the stage for Gorman's blast to left that staked her club to a 7-0 advantage.
A pair of Evangel errors and another walk extended the inning, before RBI singles by Katelyn Kiser and Jordan Jenkins added to the lead.
Given the sizable lead, CMU's Keighlan Cronin needed little help in finishing off the victory, limiting Evangel to one hit—a Kami Holt double to open the fourth—while striking out nine and walking just one in the complete-game effort.
Game 2 – Central Methodist 6, Evangel 5 (11 inn.)
Evangel wiped out CMU leads of 3-0 and 5-3 to give the No. 5 Eagles all they could handle in game two.
CMU scored a pair of runs in the first on back-to-back doubles by Gorman and Willis, then extended its lead to three runs in the second when Micaela Harcrow added a run-scoring single that scored Jenkins.
But, thanks in large part to Holt's four-hit performance, Evangel chipped away at the Eagles' lead. Still trailing by three runs in the fourth, Holt singled to open the inning, then stole second before eventually scoring on a Josie Allcock ground ball. A CMU defensive miscue allowed a second EU tally that trimmed the deficit to one run.
Holt single-handedly sparked another EU scoring opportunity in the sixth, singling, stealing second and moving to third on an Eagle throwing error. Marissa Lokey tied the score with a base hit to left, and Allcock followed with a single to set up a potential go-ahead threat.
But CMU's Madison Love promptly extinguished the rally by retiring the next three hitters to escape the inning.
CMU responded by plated a pair of runs in the home half on a Harcrow double coupled with an Evangel error to take a 5-3 lead into the seventh.
EU answered in the seventh, tying the score with the help of another critical hit from Holt. With one out and runners on second and third, the Republic, Mo., native doubled home a run, before a passed ball allowed Sydney Hill to trot home from third with the equalizing run.
From that point, Cronin and EU's Abby Jo Emmitt engaged in a back-and-forth show of wills to keep the opposition off the board. The duo would combine on 9.2 scoreless innings before CMU finally broke through with the game-ending run on Willis' one-out single in the 11th.
Emmitt sustained the loss despite fanning eight Eagles and allowing just one run on three hits in her 5.0 innings.
Cronin picked up the victory with 4.2 hitless innings, striking out four while walking just one batter.
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–
