The Park University baseball program came out on top in their series with Evangel University on Saturday and Sunday, earning three victories against the Valor, 3-1, 6-5, 2-0, 6-7.

The Pirates improve to 12-17 on the year and bump up to 6-10 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. The Valor are 20-14 on the season and 5-11 in the conference after the series.

All games were within two runs in the final box score and the Pirates had a total run margin of plus three against the Valor.

Armando Ramirez in three games had the highest batting average for Park, going three-for-four. Evangel had 26 hits compared to 23 for Park. There was slightly more bang to the Pirate bats though with one more extra base-hit for Park with six to Evangel's five.

Bryce Dye and Ricardo Hernandez anchored the lineup in the three and four hole's and led Park with four RBI's each.

Park's pitchers struck out 24 batters on the weekend and only allowed eight walks, compared to Evangel's 18 and 15 of the same.

GAME 1 | W,3-1 | Box Score

Game one featured a pitching duel between Adam Stilts for Park and Evangel's Austin Dill. Stilts kept up with the 2022 Heart First Team All-Conference performer and hurled a complete game with only one earned run and six strikeouts.

The Pirates had enough offense generated in the bottom of the fourth and bottom of the sixth to earn the game one win, 3-1.

A lead off single got the ball rolling in the bottom of the fourth by Billy Rivera. After swiping second base, Zayne Morrow did the honors of knocking him in with a double to left center.

Armando Ramirez came through in the clutch with two outs to give Park the lead with an RBI double that brought in Morrow.

Park got one more run for some insurance in the bottom of the sixth from a Valor error. There were a mixture of great defensive plays in this series, but it was also worth noting that eight errors were recorded by the Valor, while Park had half that amount.

GAME 2 | W, 6-5 | Box Score

Evangel got some quick offense in the top of the first inning in game two, scoring two runs. It was a team effort from Park's staff, which showcased five pitchers in the game. Angel Lebron started and went three innings on three strikeouts, five hits, and three walks.

With the score at 4-0 after the top of the third, the Pirates came storming back with a four spot of their own the next half inning. An error in the middle of the inning assisted Park, but other wise three hits were enough to score four runs.

Daniel Maldonado and Kenneth Melendez had back-to-back hits for Park, which led into an error to score Maldonado. Dye hit a sac fly to bring in the second run and then Hernandez got a hold of one for a two-run home run to tie the game.

An error in the bottom of the sixth allowed Park to take the lead 5-4, but Evangel was quick to tie it in the top of the seventh.

Then with one out in the bottom of the seventh, Park's all-time home run leader delivered a huge home run to walk-off for the win, 6-5.

GAME 3 | W, 2-0 | Box Score

The bats were silenced for the most part in game three of the series, featuring outstanding pitching from Guillermo Gelpi who pitched a complete game shutout. He only allowed three hits in his outing with six strikeouts. Gelpi in his last two starts has 13 innings pitched, four hits allowed, one walk, and one earned run; while striking out 14 batters.

Just enough offense was supplied by Park's Hernandez who hit in the game's first run on a double to right center in the bottom of the fourth. In the same inning, Alex Rodriguez hit a sacrifice fly to help his team's cause and Park was in line for the win, 2-0.

While Evangel's Wyatt Keplar only allowed two hits, he also allowed four walks to give Park their window of opportunity.

GAME 4 | L, 6-7 | Box Score

More offense was on display for both teams to close out the series. Evangel got on the board with two runs in the top of the first, including a bases loaded walk and a sacrifice fly.

Park generated some offense in the bottom of the second, scoring three runs on three hits, two walks, one hit by pitch, and one error. All Park's run came after a double play turned by the Valor. Maldonado had a hustle single on an infield base-hit to keep the inning alive, and then singles by Rodriguez and Dye each brought an additional two runs in.

The next half inning the Valor got all the runs back and more with a five-run inning. Three hits and two errors scored were enough to put up the crooked number, which included a three-run home run.

Despite five errors being committed by the Valor, Evangel also was able to turn two double-plays that limited Park to only three runs for the rest of the game.

Corey Bradford doubled down the leftfield line in the bottom of the third and Dye's single in the bottom of the sixth was part of a two-run inning in the bottom of the sixth. Five of Park's six runs in the game were unearned and 11 runners were left on base for Park.  

Park's three pitchers in relief were tossing zeroes. Dash Goldston and Bryce Perdieu each had two strikeouts in their outings, and Brandt Lightner and Perdieu kept Evangel hitless.

Park travels a short distance to MidAmerica Nazarene University's home park in Olathe, Kan. on Friday an Saturday, April 7 and 8. Watch the live action here.