Evangel takes three from Vikings

Besides catching senior Joaquin Lopez' four-hit shutout, junior Andy Chamberlin (above) knocked in the winning run for the Vikings during a 1-0 win over Evangel. (Chris Allen/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

The Vikings lost three of four games, two in extra innings, to their Heart of America Conference rival. Friday's opener was ominous, a 4-3 Crusader victory in nine innings.

Valley took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the third inning on RBI singles by juniors Gage Wollerman and Gage Walkup, but the visitors tied it in the fourth and won it with a run in the ninth when junior Brandon Scott doubled and came in on junior Osner's two-out single.

The second game was a 4-2 Evangel win, sophomore Zach Johnson and senior Phil Reed plating runs with singles for a 3-0 lead in the top of the fourth.

Walkup and junior Mark Leacox doubled to tally a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame, but that was as close as the Vikings would get.

Valley got its win in Saturday's early game behind the second shutout of the season for senior Joaquin Lopez.

Less that two weeks after blanking Graceland, Lopez limited the Crusaders to four hits and struck out six for a 1-0 decision -- the tiebreaker coming in the bottom of the sixth when Walkup's double was followed by junior Andy Chamberlin's single.

The getaway game was a wild 14-9 affair, in which Evangel (18-17, 10-10 HAAC) scored five runs in the top of the 10th on a Scott double, RBI singles from Reed and sophomore Steve Miller and a pair of bases-loaded walks.

The Vikings had to score four runs in the bottom of the seventh to extend the contest, junior Zach Farmer -- who had closed both games the day before -- blowing a save when sophomore Ryan Rector smacked a two-out, two-run double.

Rector had three RBIs and Chamberlin produced three hits during the finale for Valley (10-23, 8-16), which is scheduled to play Wednesday at Benedictine.