(RV) Avila Drops Pair of Close Games at Evangel

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Facing off for the first time as KCAC foes, Evangel (24-6, 15-3 KCAC) earned a pair of one-run wins over (RV) Avila (26-14, 13-5 KCAC) on Tuesday afternoon in Springfield.

Avila's results against both Evangel and Ottawa will hurt the Eagles' chances at the KCAC regular season championship as well as their likelihood to remain featured in the national rankings. The two wins also give the Valor any potential head-to-head tiebreaker over the Eagles when the season ends in less than a month. Still, the Eagles are well in line for a top four seed in the KCAC Tournament next month as they move into the home stretch of the regular season.

Despite getting out-hit 12-8 by the Valor over the pair of games Tuesday, the Eagles had loads of chances to do damage in both games, but simply were unable to come up with enough clutch hits. Evangel was more effective in that capacity, underscored by a controversial walk-off win in game one, and the Valor were able to win a pair of tense one-run contests.

Avila struck first when the first matchup between the reigning KCAC Players of the Week, Hallie Campbell and Maddy Meierer, went the way of the Eagles. Avila loaded the bases in the first inning against Meierer, who promptly hit Campbell with a pitch to put Avila up 1-0. The Eagles then loaded the bases again in the fifth with Brooke Belflower at the plate, and though the Valor made the initial play to get the force out at home, a fielding error elsewhere allowed Belflower to reach and Ka'Zem Wood to score from second, increasing Avila's lead to 2-0.

Avila starter McKayla Cotton was lights out for most of the game. Her only hit allowed through six innings came on an overturned error, but she was otherwise spotless – until Evangel finally broke through in a big way in the seventh. Clean hits from Karlie Romines and Megan Stone and a walk from Lauren Dill loaded the bases with nobody out in the inning, and Phoebe Gardner then placed a ball up the left field line that was contentiously ruled fair, bringing all three runners in. Avila protested but the call was upheld, and Evangel prevailed 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh.

Undeterred by an ending that didn't go their way, Avila got right back to work against veteran Valor starter Ashland Diggs in game two. Chelsea Kurtz did her thing, starting off the game with a walk and stealing second base. Wood sacrificed her to third, and Kurtz scored on a successful bunt from starting pitcher Montana Stangel to give the Eagles an early lead, a lead they then doubled thanks to a leadoff homer from the red-hot Hallie Campbell in the second inning.

Evangel quickly proved that they wouldn't go down without a fight. In fact, after going down 2-0 early, the Valor recovered to score runs in the second, third, and fourth, including a two-run hit from Annslee Leeviraphan in the fourth, to turn the two-run deficit into a two-run lead.

Avila replaced Stangel with Madyson Withey in the fourth, and she continued her recent run of excellent form by firing off 2.1 scoreless innings of relief, allowing only two hits. The Eagles, meanwhile, finally broke through again against Diggs in the sixth when Wood walked, stole second and scored on a clutch two-out hit up the middle from freshman Savannah Salgado, who had entered previously as a defensive replacement.

That knock got the Eagles within a run and knocked Diggs out of the game. With Madi Bentley now in the circle, Evangel caught Salgado stealing to end the sixth, and after a scoreless bottom half from Withey, Avila put the go-ahead runs on base against Bentley in the seventh courtesy of walks from Campbell and Katie Wentworth, but Bentley was able to escape the threat and preserve a 4-3 win for Evangel in a doubleheader sweep for the home team.

After two straight road series, Avila softball will now host two straight series at The Z over the next ten days. The KCAC's two Wesleyan squads are on tap next: first it's Kansas Wesleyan this Saturday, April 13 starting at noon, followed by Oklahoma Wesleyan next Wednesday, April 17, starting at 2 PM. As always, you can watch all the action live and for free on the Avila Sports Network.