Posted: Mar 31, 2011
Central Methodist scored one run in the top of the second and another in the top of the sixth to take a 2-0 lead in game one. Evangel answered with an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth, but the Eagles added another run in the top of the seventh before shutting down the Crusaders in the bottom of the inning to earn the 3-1 win. Seniors Thomas Brown (Columbia, Mo.) and Tyler Belt (Macon, Mo.) each recorded two hits and a run scored in the game. Seniors Adam Arnette (Pacific, Mo.) and Dane Frazier (Mattawan, Mich.), and sophomore Mike Allen (Mattawan, Mich.) each accounted for one RBI in the win. Sophomore Travis Tompson (West Plains, Mo.) earned the win for the Eagles, pitching a five-inning shutout while striking out two. Junior AJ Pfeifer (Godfrey, Ill.) gave up Evangel's lone unearned run, while freshman Rhett Quinlan (Boonville, Mo,) picked up his first career save by getting all three batters he faced to fly out in the seventh inning. Tompson, Pfeifer and Quinlan combined to allow just five hits in the game.
In game two, Evangel out-hit the Eagles 7-4, but Central Methodist took advantage of a pair of Crusader errors to earn a 3-0 win. CMU scored a run in the top of the third before adding two runs in the top of the sixth in the win. Junior Dustin Ray (Boonville, Mo.) had an RBI triple and recorded one run scored in the game. Arnette also had an RBI for CMU, while Brown and Allen each had one run scored. Junior Freddie Cabrera (Isabela, Puerto Rico) pitched the complete-game shutout for Central Methodist, allowing just seven hits while striking out four.
CMU improved to 13-16 overall and 9-7 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference with the wins. Evangel dropped to 12-16 on the season and 7-9 in the HAAC. The Eagles will return to action with a four-game series at Lindenwood University Saturday and Sunday. Game one of the doubleheaders will begin at 1 p.m. each day in St. Charles, Mo.
