The Basics

Game 2: Evangel 9, Saint Mary 4 | Box Score

Game 3: Evangel 4, Saint Mary 0 | Box Score

Record: Evangel (12-22, 7-14), Saint Mary (8-22, 6-14)

Location: Leavenworth, Kan. (USM Baseball Complex)

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. – Evangel Baseball concluded their series with the Saint Mary Spires on Saturday (Mar. 29) afternoon, looking to take the series with just one win over the weekend.

Evangel did not settle for just one win, but swept Saint Mary on Saturday, using a strong offensive game in game two of the series, 9-4, while TJ Newman pitched a strong seven inning game in the finale, giving EU a 4-0 shutout victory and sweep.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Evangel opened scoring for both teams in game one, using a pair of groundouts to score Quentin Edwards, who had worked a walk to get on base in the inning.

• In the third inning, Evan Baptiste singled and scored on a Shane Poe base knock, giving the Valor a 2-0 lead.

• Saint Mary scored their first run in the bottom of the second to trail by just a run, 2-1.

• In the fourth inning, Evangel scored three runs, as Clay Palen opened the inning with a double. Heath Perry doubled to trade places with Palen, while a single from Matthew Olson scored Perry and a double from Baptiste scored Olson, making it a 5-1 ballgame.

• Poe scored in the fifth inning on an attempted double steal, as Edwards was thrown out which allowed Shane to score.

• Saint Mary scored a trio of runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to draw within two runs of the Valor lead, 6-4.

• Poe singled and scored on a wild pitch in the top of the ninth inning, while Palen walked and H. Perry singled, both coming around to score to give EU a late 9-4 lead.

• Isaac Daley closed the door after Hayden Larson pitched a strong first five innings, taking a 9-4 win in game two of the series.

• As he had done in game one of the series, Baptiste hit a lead off home run to open game three, giving EU a 1-0 lead. Poe singled and scored as well in the inning on a Palen double.

• Poe, who had a very busy Saturday, singled in the fifth inning and scored on an error, while Parker Ellifritz, who had entered to run for Justice Loflin after being hit by a pitch, scored in the top of the seventh on a Palen sacrifice fly.

• TJ Newman and the Valor defense kept the Saint Mary offense off balance, as the Spires could not generate enough offense to put forth any runs, giving Evangel a 4-0 win and sweep.

QUOTABLE 

"I'm incredibly proud of my guys. They played their hearts out and competed to the very last pitch. Our pitching staff was outstanding this weekend. We played solid defense behind them and put together some really good at bats and team offense," head coach Sam Jones stated. "God never promises us an easy road, but he does promise to be with us through the storms. This season has been a great lesson in that. I'm proud of the way our guys have kept fighting and playing for the Lord. I'm looking forward to building on this. Overall, a great weekend for our program."

NOTABLE

• Evan Baptiste, Clay Palen, and Jeremiah Leaming all finished with a pair of RBIs on Saturday to lead the Valor.

• Shane Poe and Palen both finished with a team high four hits on Saturday.

• Hayden Larson and TJ Newman both earned their third wins of the season on Saturday.

NEXT UP

Evangel Baseball hits the road to take on the 11th ranked Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday (Apr. 1) afternoon in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

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.