CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – A dramatic comeback wouldn't prove enough on Tuesday night, as Troy Beilsmith's two-run eighth-inning single was canceled out by Austin Peay as the University of Evansville baseball team dropped a 7-5 decision to the host Governors at Raymond C. Hand Park.
"What a day for Troy to take advantage of an opportunity. We've been struggling to get that big knock in 'winning time' this season," UE head coach Wes Carroll said, referring to the seventh, eighth and ninth innings. "It was great to see him come up and give us a chance, but unfortunately, we gave it right back to them in the bottom half. It's unfortunate that we let this get away from us, but we have to get back on the bus and get ready for Wichita this weekend."
After the Aces (15-32) drew first blood on a passed ball in the top of the second, Parker Phillips leveled the affair for the Govs (21-25) with a solo blast to left in the bottom half. Garrett Giovanelli put the hosts ahead a few minutes later with a groundout to make it 2-1.
In the third, Phillips singled in another score before Brett Newberg made it 5-1 with a two-run homer to right.
Phillips finished the game 5-for-5 at the plate with three runs batted in to lead the way for the Govs. Alex Sala enjoyed a three-hit day after coming off the bench, and as a team, the hosts out-hit the Aces 14-11.
UE began to punch its way back into the contest in the fifth as a Trey Hair groundout plated Beilsmith in the fifth, and then a Brendan Krob fielder's choice an inning later brought home Craig Shepherd to cut the deficit to two runs.
After Ryan Brady got himself out of a jam in the seventh, striking out Malcolm Tipler to strand the bases loaded, the Aces rallied once again in the eighth as an error and hit-by-pitch put runners on for Beilsmith, who placed a check-swing single over the head of Phillips at first base.
Beilsmith finished 3-for-4 at the plate, and Hair and Shepherd ended with two hits apiece. Travis Tokarek, meanwhile, was 1-for-5 to extend his team-best on-base streak out to 20 games.
However, the Govs responded in emphatic fashion in the bottom half of the eighth as doubles from Phillips and Cayce Bredlau pushed the lead back out to 7-5.
Brady (0-3), who was one of seven pitchers to appear on the mound for the Aces, was pegged with the loss after giving up two runs on a hit and a single over an inning of work. Jack Cavanaugh was the most effective pitcher for the Aces, tossing two scoreless frames with a pair of punchouts.
UE will return to action this weekend with a road trip to Wichita State for the penultimate Missouri Valley Conference series of the season. Play will begin on Friday at Eck Stadium.
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