Box Score (HTML)
Box Score (PDF)

EVANSVILLE, Ind.—A wild seven-run seventh inning helped the University of Evansville baseball team rally from an early 5-0 deficit on Wednesday and powered the Purple Aces to a 9-5 victory over the visiting Austin Peay State University Governors at Charles H. Braun Stadium in Evansville.

UE used a wild-pitch strikeout, a trio of flare base hits, a passed ball and a balk to explode for seven runs off of Austin Peay reliever Brian Bernatowicz (0-1) and complete its first season-series sweep of the Governors since 2006.

“In the seventh inning, we were finally able to string together some good, competitive at-bats to break through for those seven runs,” said UE head coach Wes Carroll. “We also got a little luck, as those three Texas-Leaguers just eluded their gloves defensively, but we helped make our own luck in those at-bats by being competitive in the batter’s box.”

Austin Peay used a big inning of its own in the fifth inning to take a 5-0 lead, as the Governors sent nine men to the plate in a five-run fifth. The Governors pieced together four-straight singles to open the frame to score the first run of the contest on a Michael Blanchard RBI single. Outfielder Adam Browett would then greet reliever Jared Baehl (1-1) with a two-run double just out of the reach of a diving Alex Acheson in center field to move the lead to 3-0. The Governors would then plate the final two runs of the frame on a fielder’s choice ground out which included an error to grab a 5-0 cushion.

Evansville would quickly respond with two runs of its own in the fifth inning, as the Purple Aces used a hit batter, a walk, and a bunt single to load the bases to open the frame, before sophomore infielder Cody Fick delivered a two-run single through the left side of the infield to cut the deficit to 5-2.

Baehl would keep Evansville in the game on the mound, as he worked a perfect sixth inning and worked around a one-out single in the seventh inning to keep the score at 5-2. His teammates would then help him earn his first career victory at UE with a wild seven-run seventh inning.

After a strikeout to open the frame, sophomore designated hitter Shawn Kuester was able to reach on another strikeout that got away from the catcher on a wild pitch. Another wild pitch would move Kuester to second base, and after an infield single by senior shortstop Andy Smith, Fick delivered an RBI ground out to trim the deficit to 5-3.

A ringing double to the wall in right-center field off of the bat of sophomore outfielder Greg Wallace would get UE back within one run at 5-4, before a little luck would give UE the lead for good. After a walk put runners at first and second, Acheson flared a ball into right-center field that just avoided second baseman Zach Gerler’s glove to tie the game at 5-5. Junior Andy Pascoe then flared another ball to right field in-between two APSU defenders to plate Smith and give UE a 6-5 lead. Rookie second baseman Trentt Copeland then sent a ball into short right field that popped out of the mitt of a diving Gerler for an RBI double. A run-scoring passed ball, a wild pitch, and a balk would then provide UE with the final margin of victory.

Baehl (1-1) earned the victory on the mound by scattering an unearned run on two hits in 3.2 innings of work, while striking out five. Junior Corey Davisson then recorded his first career save, tossing 1.1 innings of two-hit scoreless baseball.

“Jared did an outstanding job of battling tonight and keeping us in the game,” said Carroll. “He was able to hit his spots and did a good job of working ahead in the count. I was really pleased with how not only he threw, but also how our other pitchers threw tonight for the most part. We are going to need some more people step up for us on the mound to be successful.”

Fick paced the UE offense by going 2-for-5 with three RBI, while Kuester also had a pair of hits. Acheson (eight games) and Pascoe (five games) also extended hitting streaks in the victory.

With the win, Evansville improves to 13-16 overall. Austin Peay, meanwhile, sees its four-game winning streak snapped as the Governors fall to 14-18 overall. UE will now travel west to Wichita, Kansas to open up a three-game Missouri Valley Conference series with league rival Wichita State this weekend. The series begins Friday night at 7:00 p.m. in a game that can be heard live on 91.5 F.M.-WUEV.