MARSHALL, Mo. - Central Methodist won three of four games against Missouri Valley in Heart of America Athletic Conference action to capture the series at Indian Foothills Park. The Eagles won game one Saturday 8-4 but dropped the final contest of the weekend 5-4 in eight innings to remain one game back of Evangel (Mo.) for first place in the East Division.
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Game one started with neither team able to do much offensively. Justin Ramsey of Missouri Valley (8-26, 7-15) worked himself out of a two-on, two-out jam in the top of the first inning and put Central Methodist (19-17, 11-7) down in order in the second. �The Vikings managed just one base runner in the first two innings and were taken down in order in the second.�

The Eagles turned things around in the third inning, scoring four runs, three of which came on a one-out, Neil Hansen homerun. Central Methodist added to its lead in the fourth inning, using three hits to score Brian King and move its lead to 5-0.� The visitors added to their lead in the fifth, scoring two more runs on Jesse Zellner and King RBI singles.

The Vikings came through for the first time on the scoreboard in the fifth inning. Zac Blakemore worked a one-out walk and was brought home when Trevor Duffy smacked a homerun to make it a 7-2 game.�

However, the Eagles were able to get one of those runs back in the top of the sixth inning when T.J. Singh scored on a Kyle Poynter sacrifice fly.

The Vikings put together a run in the bottom of the sixth as Lucas Doerhoff knocked a two-out single and was brought home one batter later when Zach McGill doubled. �Missouri Valley tried to mount a rally in the seventh inning, getting a run off a Josh Felz single, but the home team would get no closer.�

Mike Wagner had three hits and one run scored. Hansen had one hit, three RBIs and a run scored. Sing, King and Eli Bowers each had two hits and combined for two RBIs and three runs scored.
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Derrick Leeper finished 2-for-3 with a run scored.� Duffy hit his first homerun of the season and finished with two RBIs and run scored.�

Wagner (3-3) went the distance on the mound for the win, allowing four earned runs on seven hits with a season-high nine strikeouts and two walks.�

Ramsey (1-3) picked up the loss, going three and two-third innings with eight hits and five earned runs allowed.
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Central Methodist again took an early lead over the Vikings in game two, scoring three runs on a Singh blast in the top of the first inning. The Eagles added to their lead in the top of the second inning, scoring one run on a Wagner RBI single to increase the lead to 4-0.�

The Vikings only had one base runner in the first two innings but put together a rally in the third. Duffy led the inning off with a walk and eventually reached third on a fielder's choice that put Bobby Warchuck at first.� Later in the inning, Josh Hartin knocked a two-out single to bring Duffy home and cut into the Eagle lead at 4-1.�

After giving up the four runs in the first two innings, the Vikings' Dom Smith went the next four innings without letting Central Methodist cross the plate. Meanwhile, Missouri Valley got one more run back in the fifth inning when Duffy hit a solo homerun, his second homer of the day.� The Vikings continued to hit homers in the bottom of the sixth, as Hartin and Doerhoff led the inning off with back-to-back jacks and tied the game at four.� Neither team was able to break the tie through the seventh inning, sending the game into extras.�

Felz and Hartin both singled to start the bottom of the eighth inning. McGill came in to pinch run for Hartin, but Felz was caught stealing at third base. After a Doerhoff walk, Blakemore hit a grounder to second base, and Central Methodist seemed ready to turn a double-play and end the inning. However, the throw to Zellner went wide, and McGill was able to score from second on the play and end the game.
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Hartin was 3-for-4 from the plate with two RBIs and one run scored.� Duffy was 1-for-2 with two runs scored and one RBI.�

Wagner had three hits, a RBI and run scored. Hansen and Zellner each had two hits. Singh had one hit, three RBIs and a run scored.

Duffy (1-1) pitched two innings in relief for the win, allowing just two hits with one strikeout.

Reese Johnson (4-1) suffered the loss on the mound, allowing one unearned run on two hits with two strikeouts and a walk in two and one-third innings.

Central Methodist hosts the Crusaders for four games April 18-19 with first place in the East Division at-stake.