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Baseball hosts Ravens in four-game series

April 14, 2009
Contact: Evangel University Athletics 865-2815, Ext. 7282

Evangel Crusaders (24-23, 16-16) vs. Benedictine Ravens (20-24, 14-16)
1pm –Evangel Baseball / Softball Complex

Games # 48-51

Probable Starters

Tuesday: RHP Andy Pfeifer (3-7, 5.36 ERA) &
LHP Casey Staudt (4-0, 3.04 ERA)
Wednesday: RHP Craig Penley (5-2, 4.56 ERA) &
LHP Chad Culpepper (5-4, 4.90 ERA)

Crusaders In Final Week of Regular Season

Evangel opens the final week of the regular season with a four game series against Benedictine Tuesday and Wednesday. The Crusaders are in fifth place in the Heart of America conference and are ahead of the sixth place Ravens by one game. Evangel’s lead over seventh place Graceland is three games as teams vie for the league’s six playoff spots. The Crusaders magic number to clinch a playoff berth is five. Evangel plays four at home against Benedictine and four at Lindenwood this weekend. Graceland has games remaining against Central Methodist (2 today), Baker (4), and MidAmerica Nazarene (2 on the 28th).

Tuesday’s Starters

Andy Pfeifer will start today on Tuesday…He has lost his last four appearance…Pfeifer took a loss in relief in his last outing against Culver-Stockton on Saturday: 0.2 inn, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO in a 6-5 8-inning loss…Pfeifer is 0-3 with a 6.14 ERA in his last three games…His last win came on Apr. 3 against Missouri Valley… Evangel is 1-6 when Pfeifer starts…Has 47 strikeouts in 47 innings…Is in his sophomore season from Springfield and Hillcrest High School.

Casey Staudt will also start for Evangel today…Has primarily been a reliever…Tuesday will be his second start…Last appearance came from the bullpen on Saturday at Culver-Stockton: ND, blown save, 2.1 inn, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 0 SO in a 6-5 8-inning loss…Is 2-0 with a 3.08 ERA in his last three games…Opponents are hitting .191 against him in14 appearances and 26.2 innings…Is a junior from Halltown, Missouri.

Wednesday’s Starters

Craig Penley will start on Wednesday for Evangel…He is coming off of a win at Culver-Stockton last Friday: 5.2 inn, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 6 SO in a 5-4 win…He is 2-0 with a 2.75 ERA in his last three starts …Penley has not lost since March 10…Has 48 strikeouts in 51.1 innings while walking 22…Evangel is 6-2 in games he starts…Penley is in his junior season from Plato, Missouri.

Chad Culpepper is also scheduled to start on Wendesday…He will be looking for his first win since March 13… Culpepper took a loss in his last game, Friday at Culver-Stockton: 5 inn, 7 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO in a 10-5 loss…He is 0-2 with a 7.98 ERA in his last three starts…Named HAAC Pitcher of the Week after a March 13 start against Avila (7 inn, 2 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO)…Has 74 strikeouts against 31 walks in 60.2 innings…Evangel is 7-4 when he starts…Culpepper is a sophomore from Harrisonville, Missouri.

Crusaders At a Glance

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