EU takes two from Lady Vikes

SPRINGFIELD -- Evangel's pitching proved up to the task Wednesday in a meeting between two of the Heart of America Conference's top three softball teams.

The 18th-ranked Crusaders handed visiting Missouri Valley College their first doubleheader sweep in league play, 6-3 and 6-1.

The Lady Vikings opened strong, taking a 2-0 lead on junior Sydney Kaneshiro's homer in the top of the first inning of the opener.

But senior Kimberly Williams blanked Valley for the next five frames and Evangel caught up with two runs in the second, one of freshman Kasey Spencer's single.

The Lady Crusaders broke the game open with a four-run sixth, benefitting from three MVC errors, a wild pitch, Spencer's RBI single and a two-run base hit by junior Kendra Corbin.

Kaneshiro doubled in a run in the seventh, the Lady Vikings getting the tying run to the plate, but it couldn't prevent an end to junior pitcher Tatum Hathcock's eight-game win streak.

The nightcap belonged to Evangel, sophomore Anna McKinney tossing a two-hitter without allowing an earned run.

The Lady Crusaders (25-9, 10-1 HAAC) scored three runs in the third, two on senior Breanna Canclini's double. Canclini doubled and scored the first of two runs in the fifth.

Valley only managed stray singles by freshman Cassidy Baggett and junior Sara Irminger.

The Lady Vikings (20-15, 5-3) were scheduled to host William Jewell for two league games today.