FAYETTE, Mo. - The Central Methodist University baseball team picked up a pair of Heart of America Athletic Conference wins Saturday against Evangel University. CMU won game one 6-4 and earned a 5-1 win in game two.
CMU took a 2-0 lead after three innings of game one. Junior Adam Arnette (Pacific, Mo.) reached base with a double to deep center and scored the first run of the game on a single hit by sophomore Derrick Pledger (Clarksville, Ark.). Junior Thomas Brown (Columbia, Mo.) started off the top of the second with a double down the left field line and scored on a hit to second base by junior Carlos Martinez (Sierra Vista, Ariz.).
In the top of the fourth, Evangel scored a run to cut the lead to 2-1. Central Methodist answered Evangel in the bottom of the fourth scoring two runs on a single hit by Arnette and a sacrifice fly to deep center by junior Dane Frazier (Mattawan, Mich.). Evangel scored another run in the top of the fifth to make the score 4-2. The Eagles answered once again, scoring two runs in the bottom of the fifth on a single by junior Tyler Belt (Macon, Mo.), while Brown scored on a ball hit by Martinez. Evangel made it 6-4 with a two-run homerun in the top of the sixth, but CMU was able to hold the Crusaders scoreless in the seventh inning to hang on for the win. Senior Cory Cowsert (Pacific, Mo.) picked up his fifth win of the season, recording six strikeouts in four and two-thirds innings for CMU.
In game two, Evangel got on the board early, scoring a run in the top of the first. Central Methodist tied the score in the bottom of the second when Belt singled, advanced to third on a ball hit by sophomore Brennen Wood (West Plains, Mo.), and scored on a wild throw. CMU added to its lead in the bottom of the third after Brown singled and came around to score on a double by Pledger. Central Methodist scored three more runs in the bottom of the fourth with singles by Wood and junior Matt Henton (St. Joseph, Mo.). Freshman Stephone Allen (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) scored on a wild throw to give CMU a 5-1 lead. The Eagles held Evangel scoreless in the final three innings to earn the doubleheader sweep. Freshman Jake Cavins (Desloge, Mo.) earned the win for CMU, while pitching his second complete game of the season.
CMU improved to 11-16 overall and 8-10 in the HAAC. The Eagles will travel to Oskaloosa, Iowa, to take on William Penn University in a non-conference doubleheader Tuesday, starting at 2 p.m.
