FAYETTE, Mo. – Central Methodist University pitchers Dariel Checo (SO/New York, NY) and C.J. Martin gave the Eagles enough power on the mound in combination with the CMU offense, as the Eagles overcame Evangel University twice in a pair of sea-saw battles in a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader here at Estes Field Friday evening.

Martin improved his record to 6-2 on the mound in the opener as he allowed five earned runs (6 total on eight scattered hits, while striking out six and walking just two in a 7-6 CMU victory in Game 1. Checo fanned 10 batters in the nightcap, allowing five runs on six hits, with four walks in the Eagles' 8-6 verdict in Game 2. Checo improved his season mark on the hill to 6-1 as the No. 10-ranked CMU squad hit the 30-win plateau (30-8) for the season. The Eagles are now 14-4 in Heart action.

Evangel dropped to 22-20 on the year with the twin losses, 9-13 in Heart play.

Logan Haring (FR/DeKalb, Ill.) (photo attached) stood out with his offensive power at the dish. The Eagle designated hitter finished the day 6-for-7, with a triple, three RBIs, three runs scored and a walk.

GAME 1 RECAP
Central Methodist outhit the Crusaders 11-8 in the opening 7-6 victory. The Eagles opened up a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second, only to see Evangel come back to grab a 3-2 lead in the top of the third. CMU then scored two in the bottom of the frame, adding another in the fourth and two more runs in the fifth inning to grab a 7-4 lead. The Crusaders trimmed the deficit with a run in the fifth and two more in the sixth, but couldn't come all the way back.

Joe Lewis (SO/Coon Rapids, Minn.) grabbed the save for Central Methodist. In two innings he did not give up a hit, while striking out one.

Haring led seven CMU batters with at least one hit in the opener. He finished 3-for-4, with a triple and three runs scored. DeAndre Smith (JR/Fresno, Calif.) tagged a home run, finishing 2-for-3, with a pair of RBIs and a run scored. Dustyn Macaluso (SR/Sacramento, Calif.) also had a 2-for-3 game at the dish, slicing a triple, while pushing in a run and scoring another.

Central Methodist's Zach Beckner (SR/Versailles, Kent.) homered, while finishing 1-for-4. Fernando Villegas (JR/Hutchinson, Minn.) posted a double and drove in a run and Quinn Conley (SR/Thousand Oaks, Calif.) and Brandon Alcala (JR/Alameda, Calif.) each singled.

Dustin Hargus led the Crusaders with a 3-for-4 contest. He hit a home run, drove in a run and scored another.

Dustin Eby (6-4) was the losing pitcher in the game. In five innings he surrendered seven runs on nine hits, with a strikeout and two walks.

GAME 2 RECAP
While Checo was getting the job done in the hill in Game 2, Haring had a 3-for-3 game at the plate, with three runs driven in and a walk. Jared Johnson (JR/DeKalb, Ill.) posted a 2-for-4 effort with a pair of doubles, a run driven in and three runs scored.

Haring also had a double in this game, pushing in a run and scoring another. Other hits were generated by Macaluso, Beckner (double) and Andrew Thomas (JR/Parker, Colo.).

Blake McCarty paced the Crusaders with a 2-for-3 game, hitting a double and driving in two runs.

Josh Lachnit (1-2) was the losing hurler for Evangel, giving up three runs on three hits, with a strikeout and three walks in two innings of work.

WHAT'S UP NEXT FOR THE EAGLES?
Central Methodist will take on Evangel University again on Saturday to complete the four-game series. The squads will battle at 1 p.m. at Estes Field on the CMU campus in Fayette.

CMU Baseball Contact: John Krueger
Phone: 936-332-9332 | jkrueger@centralmethodist.edu
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