JOPLIN, Mo. – Despite seeing its five-game win streak come to an end in its first contest of the weekend against Lyon College, Evangel rebounded with a decisive 11-2 victory over Briar Cliff to earn a split of its two games Saturday at Wendell Redden Stadium.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Evangel (6-2) built a 10-0 lead against Briar Cliff (0-2), out-hitting the Chargers 18-5.
- Mason Hansen recorded a career-best four hits in the game-two victory, driving in two runs and registering a stolen base as well.
- Levi Loughridge (2-1) notched his second-straight mound victory for Evangel in the nightcap, striking out 10 while allowing just two runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings.
- Athanie Leeviraphan posted a pair of two-hit games, extending his hit streak to eight-straight games to begin his Valor baseball career.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Evangel plated the first run of the afternoon with a first-inning unearned tally after Dalton Cook and Leeviraphan recorded back-to-back one-out singles; Noah Suiter brought home Cook with an RBI grounder to short for a 1-0 EU lead.
- The Scots (6-3) evened the score with the help of an Evangel error and a passed ball in the bottom of the second; Zane Wallace drew one of the Scots' seven hit by pitches in the contest to open the inning, then came home on an EU throwing miscue.
- Lyon cashed in on three more hit batsmen and a pair of walks to seize the lead in the third; sacrifice flies by Alec White and Wallace gave the Scots a 3-1 lead, before Logan Doody's two-out, two-run single stretched the advantage to four runs.
- EU scored its only other run in the fifth, thanks to a leadoff hit by Parker Dinwiddie and a two-out throwing error.
- The Scots added single runs in each of the final three frames; Alan West tripled and scored in the fourth, before Aaron Hurd brought in a run with a grounder to third in the fifth; Wallace completed the scoring in the sixth with an RBI single, following C.C. Burrup's leadoff double.
- Ayden Heitmann worked 5.0 solid innings to earn the win for Lyon; the lefty fanned five and allowing just two unearned runs on four hits.
- In the nightcap, the Valor wasted little time in gaining the lead, striking for three runs on four hits in the first inning; Hanson started a string of three straight EU hits with a one-out double, before Dinwiddie's two-out hit drove in Suiter and Stephen Belcher scored on a double steal to cap the rally.
- EU added a run in the second after Gage Harris and Hansen combined for back-to-back two-out hits to make it a 4-0 game.
- The Valor batted around in the third to break the game open with five runs on six hits; Dinwiddie and Hansen delivered their second run-scoring hits of the contest, before Leeviraphan completed the rally with a two-run single to extend the cushion to nine runs.
- EU tacked on a run in the fifth via consecutive two-out doubles by Hansen and Belcher.
- The Valor answered Briar Cliff's two-run fifth with another run in the home half, as Dylan Blehm singled home Brock Wendlandt, who doubled to lead off the inning.
- Tucker Maupin closed out the victory with 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.
NOTABLE
- Leeviraphan registered his third and fourth multi-hit performances in just eight games this season.
- Loughridge claimed his ninth career victory.
- With two hits in the second contest, Suiter logged his second multi-hit effort in EU's last four outings.
- Harris stretched his hit streak to four straight games (dating back to Feb. 11).
QUOTABLE
"It was good to see us get back on track after an uncharacteristic performance in game one," Evangel head coach Tyler Henry said. "Loughridge set the tone and we executed well up and down the lineup. I enjoyed seeing young guys take advantage of opportunities and I'm excited to see our guys compete again tomorrow."
UP NEXT
Evangel will conclude its weekend in Joplin with a pair of games Sunday (Feb. 20), beginning with a 3 p.m., contest against Saint Mary at Joplin High School.
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.
