The Basics

Game 2: Evangel 3, #21 Ottawa 13 (7 inn.) | Box Score

Game 3: Evangel 8, #21 Ottawa 9 | Box Score

Record: Evangel (9-22, 4-14), Ottawa (26-5, 17-3)

Location: Ottawa, Kan. (Alumni Park)

OTTAWA, Kan. – Evangel Baseball concluded their road series with Ottawa on Saturday (Mar. 22) afternoon, looking to take a game or two against the nationally ranked squad after falling on Friday in the series opener.

Evangel fought hard against Ottawa, but the Braves offense proved to be too much to handle as the Valor were swept on Saturday, 13-3 and 9-8, in the doubleheader, after nearly taking the final game of the series.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Ottawa's offense jumped out to an early 7-0 lead over the Valor, scoring six runs in the first inning.

• Evangel responded by scoring two runs in the top of the third inning to narrow their deficit to five runs, 7-2. Justice Loflin worked a walk and Brenden Coffindaffer hit a home run to center field, scoring Loflin.

• Ottawa scored another three runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 10-2 lead over Evangel.

• The Valor scored their final run of the game in the fifth inning when Shane Poe worked a walk and scored on a Loflin groundout to trail by seven runs, 10-3.

• The Braves scored three runs over the sixth and seventh innings to secure the run rule win in game two, 13-3.

• Ottawa opened the final game by taking an early 2-0 lead in the first inning.

• After Brenden Coffindaffer walked to open the second inning, he would come around to score on a Cade Beshore walk, making it a 2-1 ballgame.

• Ottawa extended their lead to 3-1 until the Valor responded in the fifth inning, as Parker Ellifritz scored on a double steal, bringing EU within a run.

• Jeremiah Leaming singled and scored on a Justus Cherrico home run, the first of his collegiate career, to give the Valor a 4-3 lead.

• The Braves scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, retaking the lead over Evangel, 7-4.

• The Valor would not go down without a fight, putting up four runs on the scoreboard to retake the lead, 8-7. Kannon Perry and Poe both singled and an error allowed Perry to score in the inning. Coffindaffer worked a walk and a Heath Perry single scored Poe, drawing EU within a run. Leaming hit a sacrifice fly to score Ellifritz, who came in to run for Quentin Edwards, tying the game. An error allowed Coffindaffer to score, pushing Evangel out to their one run lead in the final inning of the game.

• The Valor were able to get the first out of the inning, but a walk was followed by a home run, giving the Braves a walk off 9-8 victory and sweep of the Valor.

QUOTABLE 

"Heartbreaker at the end. I'm really proud of the heart and never quit attitude that we showed. That's baseball. Sometimes the games will fall your way and sometimes they won't," head coach Sam Jones stated. "Now we just need that team to show up every game and not just game 3."

NOTABLE

• Heath Perry went 3-4 in the final game to lead Evangel.

• Brenden Coffindaffer and Justus Cherrico both hit home runs on Saturday.

NEXT UP

Evangel Baseball will return to action next Friday (Mar. 28) afternoon, traveling to Leavenworth, Kansas, to take on the Saint Mary Spires in another three game conference series, beginning at 3:00 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.