Posted: Apr 21, 2012
Game Two Box Score
FAYETTE, Mo. - Back-to-back homeruns by Dustin Ray and Matt Gessner highlighted a Central Methodist baseball doubleheader sweep of Evangel on Saturday at Estes Field in Heart of America Athletic Conference action. The Eagles (21-17, 13-9 HAAC) defeated the Crusaders 25-18, 14-8 HAAC) by scores of 4-0 and 5-4 to take three-of-four games in the series.
Central Methodist sits one game back of Evangel for first place in the Eastern Division with four conference games remaining in the regular season. Saturday's games marked the final regular season home games at Estes Field for Gessner, Bryan Dominick, Andrew Homfeld, A.J. Pfeifer, Ryan Revoir, Eric Ruehl, Patrick Slivkov, Vincent Steele, Zeb Wallace and Brennen Wood.
Game one remained scoreless until the bottom of the sixth inning. Ray and Gessner both�hit solo shots�over the left field fence as the Eagles scored all four runs in the game in the frame. Steve Bazner drew a bases loaded walk to plate Mason Mershon. Neil Hansen was hit by a pitch with the bases load, scoring Wood.
Rhett Quinlan earned the win on the mound in game one. He fired a complete game, seven hitter and struck out six.
Josh Engler took the defeat. He allowed four earned runs on five hits in�five and one-third�innings.
Central Methodist jumped out to a 5-1 advantage in game two through the first two innings. An Eli Bowers single to right in the first inning scored three runs. A Hansen double and Gessner sacrifice fly brought home two runs in the second frame.
The Crusaders chipped away at the deficit with one run in the top of the fourth, sixth and seventh innings. A Michael Headlee solo homer to left field in the seventh cut the margin to one run, but Curtis Hicks came out of the bullpen for the Eagles and induced a popout to end the game.
Wallace earned the win in the second contest. He allowed two earned runs on eight hits in�four innings. Hicks threw one-third of an inning of scoreless relief.
Central Methodist will travel to Missouri Southern State on Tuesday for a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. CDT.
