Saints Baseball Opens Season With Pair Of Losses

Posted on February 10, 2023 by - Sports

Game 1: Evangel 19, Presentation 2

Game 2: Evangel 13, Presentation 0

Record: Evangel (6-0), Presentation (0-2)

Location: Branson, Mo. (Pirate Park)

BRANSON, MO (evangelathletics.com) – Evangel Baseball traveled just 40 minutes south of Springfield on Thursday evening to take on the Presentation Saints in Branson after rainy weather conditions pushed EU from a pair of home games. The travel did not affect the Valor offense, who continued their hot start to the season, sweeping the Saints on day one, 19-2 and 13-0.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Brooks Espy went 5-8 on Thursday, finishing with a home run, three doubles, a single, five RBIs, and a walk. Espy’s three doubles in game one tied the Evangel single game record for doubles.

  • Austin Dill pitched five innings of two run ball in game one, striking out nine and earning the win. Johnny Mares pitched two innings in relief, striking out five batters.

  • Isaac Daley continued his strong start to the year, striking out seven batters in three innings pitched, earning the win in game two as relievers Parker Dinwiddie, Caden O’Bryan, and Dylan Gallup all shut out the Saints.

  • Athanie Leeviraphan went a perfect 4-4 from the dish on Thursday, hitting three singles, a double, and five RBIs.

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • Brooks Espy doubled to right field to kick off the bottom of the first for Evangel. Nathan Lamb and Leeviraphan were both hit by pitches to load the bases for Brennan Espy, who singled to score his brother.

  • Arly Miller was hit by a pitch to score Lamb followed by a Levi Loughridge double that scored Leeviraphan and Espy. Dinwiddie walked and Jeremy Vickers, who courtesy ran for Miller, was scored on a Brooks Espy double.

  • Lamb was hit by a pitch and a Leeviraphan single scored Dinwiddie. For the final run of the first inning, Eli Cook was hit by a pitch, scoring Espy and giving the Valor an 8-0 lead.

  • In the second inning, Carson Sturdefant was hit by a pitch and scored on a Dinwiddie double to center field. Dinwiddie then scored on a Brooks Espy double. A Lamb walk and Leeviraphan single scored Espy followed by a Cook double that scored Lamb, putting EU on top, 12-0.

  • After Presentation scored a run in the third inning, Evangel again got the bats rolling in the fourth inning. Lamb got on base and advanced all the way to third on a pair of Presentation miscues. Leeviraphan was hit by a pitch and Cook grounded out, scoring Lamb. A Miller single scored Leeviraphan and a Loughridge single scored Holton Simmons, who was courtesy running for Miller.

  • Sturdefant smoked a ball to deep center field, scoring a two run home run on the following at bat, and was followed by a Dinwiddie walk and Brooks Espy no doubt two run blast to give the Valor a 19-1 lead.

  • Presentation responded by hitting a solo shot of their own in the following inning, but the damage had been done, as the Valor took a 19-2 victory in game one.

  • Brooks Espy kicked off game two with a single, then stole second base. Lamb walked and a double steal put both runners in scoring position. Leeviraphan hit a deep sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Espy and a Cook single scored Lamb to give the Valor an early 2-0 lead.

  • Daley pitched his way out of trouble in the second and third innings, escaping bases loaded jams in both innings.

  • In the bottom of the third, Brooks Espy walked and the combination of a Lamb single and a wild pitch moved Espy and Lamb into scoring position. A Leeviraphan double to center field scored both runners.

  • Leeviraphan advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored after on a Brennan Espy groundout.

  • Loughridge proceeded to follow the ground out with a solo shot, putting EU ahead, 6-0.

  • Lamb and Leeviraphan scored in the following inning on miscues from the Presentation defense, pushing the Valor lead to 8-0.

  • After not scoring for an inning, Evangel picked up right where they had left off. Sammy Ritter was hit by a pitch and Nathan Weatherly walked. Ritter and Weatherly advanced a pair of bases on two wild pitches, scoring Ritter. Brennan Espy walked and stole second, putting two runners in scoring position. A Presentation error scored Weatherly and a wild pitch scored Espy. Stone Peterson scored on a groundout and Gabe Falcone scored on a wild pitch, cementing the Valor 13-0 victory and day one sweep.

NOTABLE

  • Evangel combined for 25 hits on Thursday.

  • The Valor were spotted 22 free bases, coming off of walks and hit by pitches.

  • Evangel pitchers threw a combined 26 strikeouts on Thursday.

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.

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