The Basics

Game 1: Evangel 11, College of the Ozarks 4 | Box Score

Game 2: Evangel 3, College of the Ozarks 7 | Box Score

Record: Evangel (2-6), CofO (3-3)

Location: Point Lookout, Mo. (Coach Bob Smith Field)

POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. – Valor Baseball hit the road on Saturday (Feb. 8) afternoon, concluding their series with College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, searching to take at least a split in the series after taking a game on Friday.

The Valor offense exploded in game one, scoring 11 runs and allowing C of O to score just four, taking the win behind a strong relief performance from Cooper Wilken. In game two, Evangel fought and held a tie with the Bobcats until the fourth inning when C of O scored three runs en route to a 7-3 loss for the Valor.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Evangel got on the board early in game one, scoring after Shane Poe opened the game with a double, followed by a Evan Baptiste single.

• C of O responded by scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning, taking a 2-1 lead over the Valor.

• The Valor bats came alive in the third inning. Baptiste worked a walk and scored on a Quentin Edwards home run, his second of the series. Clay Palen and Parker Ellifritz both singled and a walk from Rhett Hayward loaded the bases with two outs for Poe. Poe came up clutch in his at-bat, hitting a grand slam to right field, putting the Valor ahead, 7-2.

• C of O scored a run in the bottom of the third, but strong pitching from Cooper Wilken kept the Bobcats from any comeback.

• In the top of the fifth, Ellifritz worked a walk and advanced to third on a passed ball and single from Cade Beshore. A Poe sacrifice fly scored Ellifritz and a Matthew Olson single scored Beshore. Olson came across to score on an Edwards single and Baptiste scored after getting on base with a walk on a Brendan Coffindaffer single, making it 11-3, Valor.

• The Bobcats added a run in the bottom of the seventh, but the damage had been done as the Valor took an 11-4 win in game one.

• The Valor took an early 1-0 lead in game two after Olson singled and scored on a Edwards double.

• C of O evened the score in the bottom of the first.

• The Bobcats took a 2-1 lead at the end of the second inning, but Evangel tied the ballgame up in the third inning, as Poe singled and scored on a Baptiste double.

• C of O hit a pair of bombs late in game two, as EU scored just one additional run on an error, falling 7-3, and earning a split with their longtime rival.

QUOTABLE 

"We competed well this weekend. Our pitchers made nice adjustments and filled up the zone. Defensively, we did a better job today making the routine play," head coach Sam Jones stated. "In game one today, we swung the bats well and battled at the dish. I would have liked to see our guys close the day better and not be satisfied with a split. We'll continue to fight to change that mindset, but overall, a good step in the right direction for us!"

NOTABLE

• Evangel outhit COFO on Saturday, 17-13.

• Poe led Evangel with five RBIs and three runs scored on Friday.

• Wilken earned his first win of the season in game one on Saturday.

• Evangel fielded well on Saturday, finishing with just two errors combined through game one and two.

NEXT UP

Evangel Baseball hosts the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes on Friday (Feb. 14) afternoon to open conference play at 1:00 p.m. in a single nine inning matchup.

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.