Box Score (HTML)
Box Score (PDF)

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville baseball team scored four of their five runs in the last two innings on Sunday to top the visiting Mississippi Valley State University Delta Devils by a score of 5-4 in the final game of the 2009 Dunn Hospitality Classic at Charles H. Braun Stadium in Evansville, Ind.

 

The Evansville (5-9) offense struggled to get going over the first seven innings of play, tallying only four hits, but the Aces found their stride in the final two frames, totaling six hits in those innings.

 

“We found a way to win the seventh, eighth and ninth innings,” said Aces head coach Wes Carroll. “Our pitchers kept us in the game and allowed our hitters the chance to make the comeback.”

 

The Delta Devils (5-9) struck quickly on Sunday, scoring a single run in the top of the first inning when MVSU centerfielder Willie Mays scored on a throwing error by Aces shortstop Andy Smith. The visitors would tally three more runs in the top of the third inning, with two scoring on a double by Mays and the third on a single by shortstop Jeff Squier.

 

Zach Taylor started the game for the Aces and battled through five innings, striking out two and walking two while allowing four runs to score (one earned). The combination of Corey Davisson and #J.R. Carbonell# (1-1) out of the UE bullpen did everything the coaching staff could ask for, tossing a combined four innings of shutout baseball, while allowing just one hit and four walks while striking out two.

 

“J.R. made some huge pitches in the ninth to really keep us in the game,” said head coach Carroll. “That allowed us to put pressure on the defense for the rest of the game.”

 

The Aces plated three runs in the bottom of the eighth. With Jim Viscomi and Alex Acheson on base, third baseman Cody Fick rocketed a ball into the right-center field gap to plate Viscomi. The next batter, Andy Pascoe, hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Acheson. After a single by Nate Smith, designated hitter Greg Wallace laced a pitch down the first base line and into the right field corner for a triple and an RBI.

 

The Aces defense made a pair a game-saving plays in the top of the ninth to ultimately secure the victory. With the bases loaded, one out and the infield in on the grass, Fick made a diving grab on a ball smashed by MVSU leadoff man Chris Herron. With two outs, Carbonell made second baseman Curtis Ford fly out to right field to end the inning.

 

In the bottom of the frame, Fick came up with one out and runners on first and second base. On the first pitch, Viscomi was cut down attempting to steal third with Acheson advancing to second base. On the very next pitch, Fick looped a ball over the infield and into center field to plate Acheson to win the game.

 

“Hopefully this will show the team that we can win and compete with the game on the line,” said head coach Carroll. “We will not overlook Lipscomb on Tuesday, but we will be ready to compete in the Missouri Valley Conference opener next weekend.”

 

Fick finished the game 3-5 at the plate with three RBIs, pushing his hitting streak to 14 games to start the season. Nate Smith and Viscomi both tallied two hits and one run scored.

 

In the first game of the day, the IPFW Mastodons were able to squeeze by the Purdue Boilermakers by a score of 1-0 on a ninth inning RBI by third baseman Mark Carden.

 

Evansville will be on the road for their next six games, as they travel to Lipscomb on Tuesday and then open MVC play at Illinois State on Friday.