CONWAY, Ark. – Patrick Schnieders was unhittable for five innings on Saturday evening, but his start would ultimately go to waste as the University of Evansville baseball team fell victim to a frantic comeback to drop a 10-9 decision in 10 innings to Central Arkansas.
'We wasted a great start from Patrick Schnieders," UE head coach Wes Carroll said. "He was absolutely electric, but we ran into a pitch count issue with him. We're a young team that's still trying to learn how to win, and we just didn't take care of business tonight in winning time."
Schnieders set a career high with 11 strikeouts in the contest, but he would get a hard-luck no-decision after the Bears (2-0) rallied to score six runs in the ninth to force extra innings.
UE pitcher Nathan Croner sat down two of the first three batters in the ninth, bookending a Rigo Aguilar walk with flyouts. However, Josh Somdecerff was able to extend the frame with a single, and Cody Davenport was hit by an 0-2 pitch to load the bases. Jansen McCurdy earned a walk moments later to bring home a run and chase Croner from the mound for UE closer Ryan Brady.
From there, a three-run Michael Haun triple and a pair of errors brought home five more scores to send the game into the 10
th.
The Aces (0-2) would go down in order in the top half of the frame, but Somdecerff came up with another big two-out hit in the bottom half, sending a 1-1 pitch over the wall in left to seal a season-opening series victory for the hosts.
Somdecerff, Haun and Aguilar finished with two-hits apiece for the Bears, who were out-hit 11-8 in the contest.
Things were looking good for UE in the early goings, thanks in large part to a big second inning. Andrew Tanous sent the first pitch of the frame over the left field fence for his first career homer, and Conner Hasecuster followed up back-to-back Korbin Williams and Travis Tokarek singles with a triple for his first career hit. Stewart Nelson tacked on another with a single up the middle to put the Aces ahead 4-0.
A Nate Reeder double and a pair of wild pitches brought home the first of four more runs in the fourth, and Trey Hair doubled home another an inning later to make it 9-0.
In all, nine different players recorded a hit for the Aces, led by the Fort Scott Community College duo of Hair and Tanous, who each finished with two hits.
The Bears' comeback began with a three-run sixth that ended UE's no-hit bid. A Davenport bases-loaded walk was followed up by a McCurdy sacrifice fly and an Eddie Sanchez single to cut the deficit to six runs.
Brady (0-1) was pegged with the loss in the contest after allowing three runs (one earned) on a pair of hits in an inning of work. Croner was credited with four runs allowed (one earned), and Hunter Porterfield gave up three. Collectively, the UE pitching staff racked up 18 strikeouts in the contest.
Tyler Gray (1-0) and Conner Williams followed up UCA starter Ty Tice and reliever Gavin Tillery to throw two innings of perfect relief to set the stage for Somdecerff.
UE and UCA will return to action on Sunday. Justin Hayden is slated to make his first-ever appearance for UE on the mound, and start time is set for 1 p.m.
NOTES: UE has now dropped the opening weekend series for the second straight season … UE is 24-34 all-time in opening series games … This weekend marks the first-ever series between UCA and UE … The Aces are 13-18 all-time against schools from the state of Arkansas … Since 1987, UE is 68-70 in the month of February.
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