The Basics

Game 1: Evangel 13, York 12 | Box Score

Game 2: Evangel 10, York 9 (8 inn.) | Box Score

Record: Evangel (22-21, 15-17), York (19-24, 11-19)

Location: Sutton, Neb. (DLD Ball Complex)

SUTTON, Neb. – Valor Baseball traveled to Sutton, Neb., on Friday (Apr. 19) afternoon, opening a three game road series, their final on the road of the 2024 regular season.

Evangel overcame a four run deficit in game one, scoring eight runs in the top of the fifth inning and holding York to just four runs in the late innings, taking a narrow 13-12 win in game one. Trailing 3-0 in game two, the Valor scored five runs in the fourth inning to take a lead and despite a comeback by the Panthers, the Valor added a run in extras to take a 10-9 win in game two.

NOTABLE

• Evangel went .328 (24/73) combined from the plate on Friday.

• Several Valor starters all recorded three hits on Friday.

• Truett Gardner earned his third win of the season in game one (3-2) while Rolando Galvez earned his second win of the season in game two.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Valor opened Friday by scoring a pair of runs on a Levi Loughridge two run home run, scoring Taylor McLeod after he singled, making it a 2-0 ballgame.

• York scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 4-2 lead over EU.

• In the second inning, Eli Cook reached base on an error, and came around to score on a Matthew Olson single to make it just a one run deficit, 4-3.

• York scored a run in the bottom of the second and third to extend their lead to three runs, 6-3.

• In the top of the fourth, Evangel plated another run. Jeremy Vickers singled and came around to score on a Holton Simmons single to center field, making it a 6-4 York lead.

• The Panthers scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 8-4 lead over the Valor.

• The Valor offense exploded in the top of the fifth inning. Taylor McLeod got the offense started, hitting a single to left field. Levi Loughridge also recorded a single, followed by a double from Brooks Espy that scored McLeod. An Eli Cook double scored both Loughridge and Espy, making it a 8-7 York lead. A Jeremy Vickers single advanced Cook to third and both Vickers and Cook scored on a Matthew Olson double to give EU a 9-8 lead. Arly Miller singled and Parker Ellifritz entered to run for Miller. An Isaac Miller single scored Olson and a Riley Mitchell double capped off scoring for the Valor, pushing Ellifritz and Miller across to score, giving EU a 12-8 lead.

• The Valor plated a run in the top of the seventh, a crucial insurance run that came in to play late in game one. Arly Miller was hit by a pitch and Parker Ellifritz again came in to run. An Isaac Miller single, Taylor McLeod walk, and Levi Loughridge groundout scored Ellifritz, giving EU a five run lead, 13-8.

• York scored four runs in the final three inning and had a runner at third with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but could not get their runner home, giving the Valor a 13-12 win in game one.

• York scored three runs in the bottom of the third in game two to open scoring, taking a 3-0 lead.

• The Valor plated five runs in the top of the fourth to take the lead. Riley Mitchell singled and advanced to second on an error that allowed Taylor McLeod to get on base. A Levi Loughridge single loaded the bases for Evangel and a Brooks Espy single scored Mitchell and McLeod. Eli Cook worked a walk to reload the bases and a Carson Sturdefant sacrifice fly scored Loughridge, tying the game at 3-3. Matthew Olson singled to once again load the bases and an error on York allowed Cook and Ellifritz to score, giving the Valor a 5-3 lead.

• A pair of runs in the top of the sixth allowed the Valor to expand their lead. Carson Sturdefant was hit by a pitch and Parker Ellifritz entered to run. An error moved Ellifritz over to third base and Matthew Olson worked a walk. A Jeremiah Leaming single scored Ellifritz and an Isaac Miller sacrifice fly scored Olson to make it a 7-3 Valor lead.

• York scored a run in the bottom of the sixth, but the Valor added another two runs in the top of the seventh to take a 9-4 lead. Taylor McLeod singled and Levi Loughridge worked a walk, as both came across to score on a Brooks Espy double.

• With just three outs remaining for York, the Panthers put the Valor in a bad spot, scoring five runs and putting the game winning run on third base with two outs. Rolando Galvez struck out the following batter to end their scoring in the seventh, but extras would be played in game two after York used a big inning to tie the game at 9-9.

• In the top of the eighth, Evangel took advantage on a pair of York errors to retake the lead. Riley Mitchell was hit by a pitch and bunts from Taylor McLeod and Levi Loughridge that forced a pair of Panther errors scored Mitchell, putting the Valor ahead, 10-9.

• Galvez struck out the side in the bottom of the eighth, as Evangel secured the 10-9 win in extras, taking the series from the Panthers on the road.

NEXT UP

Evangel Baseball concludes their three game series on Saturday (Apr. 20) afternoon against the York Panthers at 12:00 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.