Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 The Basics
Game 1: Evangel 4, William Penn 3 (8 inn.) | Box Score
Game 2: Evangel 4, William Penn 3 | Box Score
Record: Evangel (20-8, 7-1), William Penn (11-19, 4-6)
Location: Springfield, Mo.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – After a dominant effort that led to sweeping Grand View on Saturday afternoon, the Valor Softball team hosted the Statesmen of William Penn for a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon, looking to take wins six and seven in conference play.
Evangel and William Penn put on nail biting performances on Sunday, with the Valor pulling each game out on walk-off hits, winning 4-3 in both matches, earning their 20th win of the season in game two.
HIGHLIGHTS
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Micaiah Cordell earned the win in game one, shutting the Statesmen down in the latter innings and earning her ninth win of the season in the circle.
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Ashland Diggs pitched three innings in game two, taking her fourth win of the season in game two.
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Cayleigh Berry went 3-3 from the plate in game one, scoring a run.
HOW IT HAPPENED
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William Penn scored the first two runs of game one, taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning.
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Kenna Mayfield singled on a bunt to open the bottom of the fourth. Mayfield stole second and advanced to third on a Josie Allcock-Sperry groundout. An Annslee Leeviraphan bunt scored Mayfield, making it a 2-1 game. A perfectly placed Berry bunt advanced Leeviraphan to third. An error on William Penn scored Leeviraphan, tying the game, and Berry took the lead for Evangel on a WPU wild pitch, 3-2.
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William Penn forced extras by scoring in the top of the seventh and shutting down the Valor bats in the bottom of the inning.
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After Cordell shut down the Statesmen in the top of the eighth, the Valor offense got to work. An Allcock-Sperry single kicked the offense off and Kya Schmidt entered the game to run for Sperry. Exceptional base running proved important for Evangel as Schmidt stole second and then stole third on consecutive pitches. After a Berry hit by pitch, Naomi Perkins came up to bat with two outs. Perkins was able to work the count and found a ball to hit, putting a single into left field, scoring the game winning run, 4-3.
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In game two, both teams appeared to make the affair a high scoring match. William Penn plated two runs in the top of the first inning, but Evangel matched with two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. Brooke Arnold singled up the middle on the first pitch and a perfectly placed Megan Stone bunt single advanced Arnold to second. Ali Raley singled to center field to load the bases for Mayfield. Mayfield doubled through the right side, scoring Arnold and Stone and tying the game up, 2-2.
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Strong pitching from both sides forced the game to come down to the final two innings. William Penn took a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth and the Valor would come down to their final three outs of the game.
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In the bottom of the seventh, Arnold reached base on a WPU error, followed by a Stone single to left field. Raley was then hit by a pitch to load the bases with just one out. A wild pitch by the Statesmen scored Arnold, who was the tying run for Evangel. A flyout gave Evangel two outs in the inning as they were down to their final out or extra innings would be played. Mayfield made sure that would not be the case, hitting a single just wide of the second baseman's outstretched glove, scoring Stone and giving the Valor the sweep and 4-3 victory.
NOTABLE
UP NEXT
The Valor will conclude their homestand on Friday (Apr. 7) afternoon for a doubleheader with the Park Pirates, beginning at 2:00 p.m. at University Field.
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—
