Box Score (PDF)

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Thanks to eight strong innings from junior southpaw Josh Hungerman and opportunistic hitting, Cleveland State topped the University of Evansville Purple Aces 4-1 on the opening day of the Dunn Hospitality Classic.

Hungerman (1-1) struck out a career high eleven batters over eight innings while scattering just four Evansville hits on Friday night.  Aces’ freshman hurler Zach Taylor (0-2) also allowed just four hits during his six innings on the mound while striking out eight.

The Vikings got on the board first in the fifth inning when centerfielder Brad Buell hit a two-run single to center.  Cleveland State would add two more runs in the top of the eighth on back-to-back run scoring hits from leftfielder Kyle Bischof and catcher Josh Geric.

Evansville rallied in the bottom of the ninth, scoring one run on second baseman Andy Smith’s single to left-center field.  The Aces would bring the tying run to the plate later in the inning, but would fall just short of completing the comeback.  Smith and leftfielder Greg Wallace led the Purple Aces with two hits each.

The loss pushes Evansville record on the season to 1-13, while Cleveland State improves to 4-6.  The Dunn Hospitality Classic continues tomorrow as Cleveland State with take on Central Michigan at 11:00 AM.  Evansville will play host to North Dakota State at 3:00 PM.

In the first game of the Dunn Hospitality Classic, North Dakota State (1-6) used a three-run ninth-inning rally to top Central Michigan (3-10) by a score of 7-4.  The top performers of the game were North Dakota State's first baseman Mike Germain with a three-run home run in the fourth inning and Central Michigan's left fielder Billy Anderson with a two-run single to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh.