The Basics

Game One: Evangel 1, Northeastern Oklahoma State 7 | Box Score

Game Two: Evangel 4, Cottey 1 | Box Score

Game Three: Evangel 6, Minnesota-Crookston 11 | Box Score

Record: Evangel (9-4), Cottey (7-8), Minnesota-Crookson (5-9), NES (13-5)

Location: Springfield, Mo. (Meador Park)

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Valor Softball competed in the Drury Invitational on Saturday, looking to hang tough against NAIA Cottey and a pair of NCAA D-II schools at Meador Park.

Evangel defeated Cottey, 4-1, but fell to both NCAA D-II schools, 7-1 to Northeastern Oklahoma State and 11-6 to Minnesota-Crookston, despite putting forth a valiant effort.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Romano pitched a complete game win in game two, moving to 3-3 on the season.

• Brooke Arnold went 5-10 from the plate with two runs scored and an RBI.

• Mariah Hanner went 4-9 with 4 RBIs and a run scored.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Northeastern Oklahoma State took a 2-0 lead in into the bottom of the third, when Evangel scored their lone run of the game. Annslee Leeviraphan advanced to first on an error and then moved to second on a Brooke Arnold single. Groundouts from Megan Stone and Ali Raley scored Leeviraphan, making it 2-1 in favor of the Riverhawks.

• NES was able to score an additional five runs as Evangel could not muster any additional offense in the game, falling 7-1.

• An Arnold double kicked off the match with Cottey. Stone got on base via error, and Raley walked to load the bases. A Mariah Hanner fly out scored two runs, giving EU an early 2-0 lead.

• Evangel did not score another run until a Hanner solo home run to right field, pushing the Valor to a 3-0 lead into the fourth inning.

• Cottey scored a run in the fifth inning, but the Valor matched it with a run of their own, scoring on an error after Kya Schmidt singled and stole second, pushing Evangel to a 4-1 lead.

• Samantha Romano secured the complete game win, shutting down Cottey in the 4-1 victory.

• In the final game of the evening, Minnesota-Crookston got out to an early 8-0 lead at the end of the second inning, hurting the Valor's chances at pushing to the win.

• Arnold and Raley singled, putting two runners on base for Evangel. Hanner walked to load the bases and a fielders choice scored Arnold, making it a 8-1 game. Evangel earned an additional run in the fifth inning, cutting the deficit to just six runs, 8-2.

• After Minnesota-Crookston scored another run to lead 9-2, the Valor offense grew strong. Leeviraphan singled to center field, followed by a Naomi Perkins walk. Leeviraphan scored on an Arnold groundout, and a Stone single scored Perkins. Raley doubled to score Stone and Hanner doubled to score Morgan Shockley who ran for Raley, making it just a 9-6 MCU lead, heading into the final half inning.

• The Valor could not score any additional runs in the top of the seventh as Minnesota-Ctookston scored a pair of insurance runs, taking a 11-6 win.

NOTABLE

• Evangel moved to 9-4 on the season.

• The Valor struck out 18 batters combined on Saturday.

UP NEXT

Evangel will host the Ottawa Braves for a doubleheader on Monday (March 6) evening at Meador Park, beginning at 4:00 p.m.

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—