The Basics

Game 1: Evangel 9, Southwestern 3 | Box Score

Game 2: Evangel 10, Southwestern 5 | Box Score

Record: Evangel (2-0), Southwestern (0-2)

Location: Springfield, Mo. (University Field)

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – On a cold, windy Saturday in Springfield, Evangel Baseball opened their 2023 campaign with a weekend doubleheader against Southwestern College, future KCAC opponent in the 2024 season. The Valor offense fired on all cylinders and was boosted by solid starting pitching for Evangel, leading to a day one sweep of the Moundbuilders, 9-3 and 10-5.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Eli Cook had a great day at the plate, going 5-7 with a triple, double, home run, and two singles through both games.

• Austin Dill claimed the win in game one, holding Southwestern to just one earned run in the 9-3 victory.

• Isaac Daley fanned 12 batters in his Valor debut in game two, earning the 10-5 victory against Southwestern.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Evangel's first inning against Southwestern in game one set the tone for the Valor. Brennan Espy walked, stole second, and scored on a Nathan Lamb single to center field.

• Athanie Leeviraphan was hit by a pitch quickly after and Arly Miller reached first on an error, scoring Lamb.

• Jeremy Vickers entered the game to courtesy run for the catcher (Miller) and stole second. A Brooks Espy three run blast scored both Leeviraphan and Vickers, giving EU a 5-0 lead.

• Carson Sturdefant singled and scored on a Levi Loughridge double, still in the first inning.

• Matthew Olson singled and stole second, followed by a Lamb single that scored Loughridge and moved Olson to third.

• Ending the eight run first inning was Leeviraphan, who got on base via error, ultimately scoring Olson and giving the Valor an 8-0 lead.

• Southwestern responded in the third inning with a two run homer of their own to cut the deficit to six runs, 8-2.

• In the sixth inning, Southwestern scored their final run of game one on a double to left field.

• Cook added insurance in the first game, hitting a solo home run to left field to secure a 9-3 victory in game one.

• Southwestern kicked game two off by getting on the board via walk and error, going ahead 1-0.

• Evangel responded in the next half inning by scoring four runs of their own. A Brooks Espy walk led to a Loughridge single and Gabe Falcone bunt single to load the bases. Vickers followed the bunt up with a single, scoring Espy.

• Brennan Espy followed with a double to left field, scoring Falcone and Loughridge.

• Lamb cleaned up the bases, scoring Espy on a double, giving the Valor a 4-1 lead at the end of the second inning.

• Southwestern put up a run in both the fourth and fifth innings to make it a 4-3 game, in favor of the Valor.

• Evangel again responded to the Southwestern runs by opening the bottom of the fifth with a Lamb leadoff home run.

• Leeviraphan singled and stole second, scoring on a Cook triple. Cook then scored on a Loughridge single through the left side. 

• Kyle Johnson entered as a courtesy runner for Loughridge and advanced from first to third on consecutive balks from the Moundbuilders pitcher. Johnson then scored from third on a Vickers single.

• Parker Dinwiddie followed up with a double to score Vickers, and then was scored on a Brennan Espy single to take a 10-3 lead, heading into the final frame.

• Southwestern was able to add two runs in the top of the seventh, but were too little, too late for the Moundbuilders as EU won game two, 10-5.

NOTABLE

• Daley came up just three strikeouts short of matching the Valor record with 12 in game two.

• Lamb went 5-8 from the dish on Saturday, finishing with four RBIs.

• Evangel recorded 26 hits combined through both games.

For the latest information on Evangel Athletics, visit Facebook at Facebook.com/EvangelValor, Twitter (@EvangelValor), or EvangelAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on their favorite EU teams by downloading the Evangel Athletics Gameday App through the App Store or Google Play.  

—#OneValor—