EVANSVILLE – A seven-run third inning proved the difference on Saturday afternoon as the University of Evansville baseball team dropped an 11-4 decision to visiting Dallas Baptist in the regular season finale at Charles H. Braun Stadium.
The game, which was called after five innings due to inclement weather as well as DBU's travel plans, also served as Senior Day for the Aces. Trey Hair, Patrick Schnieders and Connor Strain were honored prior to the contest with a special on-field ceremony.
"This senior class may have been small, but it's very talented," UE head coach Wes Carroll said. "With Patrick and Connor on Fridays and Saturdays, they've given our team a chance to win in their time here. They both have electric arms, and they bought into what we're doing and really developed since Day 1. Trey's been an explosive bat in our line-up the last two years. He's also an all-conference kind of player. It's a special group, and they're going to be big for us at next week's tournament."
With the loss, the Aces fell to 17-37 on the season with an 8-12 mark in Missouri Valley Conference play. UE has secured the No. 6 seed for next week's conference tournament, and they will take on either Indiana State or Wichita State in the first round.
DBU, which had already clinched the No. 2 seed, improved to 36-19 and 15-5 in league play.
For the second day in row, each team would push across a run in the opening stanza, as Tim Millard singled in a score in the top half before Kenton Crews leveled things on a wild pitch in the bottom half. From there however, the Patriots would get rolling, pushing across three in the second on singles from Jameson Hannah and Devlin Granberg.
Granberg led the way for the Patriots, going 3-for-3 with three runs batted in, and Hannah was 2-for-4 with two runs.
An inning later, Austin Listi's three-run blast to straightaway center highlighted a seven-run frame as UE fell behind 11-1.
Listi, who homered twice in Friday's contest, ended 2-for-2 with two walks and two runs.
UE would get back on the board in the bottom of the fifth as Nate Reeder touched home on a wild pitch before Trey Hair knocked in two more with a double to center.
Hair, who hit successfully in all 20 conference games this year, ended 1-for 3. Crews finished his day 1-for-2 with a walk and a pair of scores.
MD Johnson, who was scheduled to toss just two innings, did just that to earn the victory and improve to 5-2 on the year. Justin Hayden (4-7) was dealt the loss after giving up DBU's first seven runs.
UE will begin play in the MVC tournament next Wednesday at Hammons Field in Springfield, Mo.
NOTES: UE is 6-14 all-time against Dallas Baptist … The Aces haven't won a series against the Patriots since 2014 … Since 1978, UE is 8-19 vs. schools from the state of Texas … Dating back to 1987, the Aces are 225-199 in the month of May.
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