Box Score

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Making his second start of the season, sophomore Josh Biggs pitched a gem Tuesday night at Braun Stadium, piloting Evansville past Saint Louis University, 6-4. Biggs threw the complete game, giving up four runs, all unearned, five scattered hits, just one walk, while mowing down a career-high six batters. With the win, Evansville improved to 18-12 on the season, snapping a three-game skid, while SLU fell to 20-13 overall.

Seniors Greg Wallace and Ryan Oesterle led the Aces at the plate, both going 3-for-5. Classmates Cody Fick, Jared Baehl, and Ty Legan also contributed to UE’s 13 hits on the night with two apiece.

The Billikens took the initial lead in their first at-bats with an unearned run when Nick Becker reached on an error and scored on Zach Miller’s RBI double to go ahead 1-0.

However, Evansville snatched the lead away with two runs in the bottom of the frame and never looked back. Fick sparked the two-out rally with a single to right field. Oesterle’s double put the Aces on the board and junior Trentt Copeland followed with an RBI single to left field to go up 2-1.

UE struck again in the second inning when Wallace singled home freshman Jake Mahon who reached on a walk to go ahead 3-1.

The Billikens retorted with one in the top of the third as Cody Cotter reached on a hit-by-pitch, advanced to third on a wild pitch and pass ball, and scored on a ground ball out, to make it a one-run game.

Leading off the bottom of the inning, the Aces loaded the bases on Oesterles’ single, Copeland’s fielder’s choice, and Baehl’s single to left field, setting up senior Nate Smith’s sacrifice fly that plated Oesterle from third. Mahon followed with a groundout to the pitcher that allowed Copeland to cross the plate, as well, to give UE a 5-2 advantage.

Biggs dominated the next four innings, and didn’t give up another run until the eighth when two scored unearned. Cotter led off the frame with a single and advanced to third on a throwing error that allowed Becker to reach and take an extra base. A sac fly brought in Cotter and Steve Fernandez’s double plated Becker to cut it to one run again.

However, the Aces tallied an insurance run in the bottom of the inning, sealing the win as Biggs put the Billikens down in order in the ninth. Legan singled to start off the eighth, advanced to third on  sophomore Eric Stamets’ sacrifice bunt and a stolen base, and scored on Wallace’s bloop single to right field.

SLU’s Jerry Mancuso (2-5) took the loss, throwing three innings, giving up five runs on six hits. The Billikens also threw four out of the bullpen, including Steve Jensen who threw four scoreless.

Biggs’ groundball style of play gave Fick at first base 18 putouts in the game, one away from tying the program record set by Phil Broshears in a 22-inning game in 1999 and Keith Auville in 1985. Biggs allowed just two outs on fly balls out of the infield.

The Aces resume Missouri Valley Conference play this weekend, taking the long trip to Wichita State in search of their first conference win. The first game is set for 6:30 p.m. CT on Friday.