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The University of Evansville baseball team will conclude the 2008 season with a tour of the state of Illinois this week, beginning on Tuesday afternoon with a visit to Charleston, Illinois to battle the Panthers of Eastern Illinois. Tuesday’s first-pitch is set for 3:00 p.m. and the game can be heard live on 91.5 F.M.-WUEV.
Tuesday’s game will mark the final non-conference game of the year for the Purple Aces, who will bring a 14-38 overall record into the match-up with Eastern Illinois. Ten of UE’s 14 wins have come in non-conference play, including nine since April 1, as the Purple Aces have gone 9-5 in non-MVC games since April Fool’s Day.
Freshman outfielder Greg Wallace will bring a team-best .326 batting average into this week’s action, as he continues his pursuit of being the first freshman since 1994 to lead Evansville in hitting. Wallace has also opened up a 12-point lead over Illinois State’s Kevin Tokarski in the freshman batting race in the MVC. Overall, Wallace ranks 18th in the MVC in batting average at .326, while ranking third in the league in doubles with 17. His 17 doubles are the most at UE since former all-MVC first baseman Kasey Wahl banged 20 doubles during the 2006 season.
Eastern Illinois will bring a 21-26 overall record into Tuesday’s game. The Panthers are led offensively by one of the Ohio Valley Conference’s top players in junior outfielder Brett Nommensen. Nommensen currently ranks sixth in the OVC in hitting at .375, while also ranking fifth in stolen bases with 15. Sophomore outfielder Curt Restko (.311/1/16) and senior two-way player Tristan Facer (.304/5/21) also bat above .300 so far this year for the Panthers.
Eastern Illinois has been a thorn in the side of the Purple Aces over the years, holding a 26-13 edge in the all-time series, including an 8-6 victory at Braun Stadium last February. Evansville will conclude the 2008 season this weekend with a three-game Missouri Valley Conference series at Southern Illinois, beginning on Thursday.
