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The Aces scored in just one inning Sunday afternoon at Braun Stadium, but a seven-run sixth gave them all they needed in a 7-3 Missouri Valley Conference win over Indiana State. Evansville won two of three over the Sycamores in the weekend series, giving UE its third conference series victory of 2010. The Aces are now 26-21 overall and 7-8 in the Valley. Indiana State is 30-15 and 9-8.
Down 3-0 going into the sixth, UE finally broke up the shutout of Indiana State starter Jason Van Skike with a one-out, solo home run to left field by Cody Fick. Nate Smith walked, Trentt Copeland singled, and after John Day moved up both runners with a groundout, Tom Heithoff delivered a two-out single that scored Smith and Copeland to tie the game 3-3. Shawn Kuester kept the inning going with a single, and Alex Acheson then belted the first offering from reliever J.T. Stenftenagel off the fence in left field for a two-run double to put the Aces up 5-3. Eric Stamets was hit by a pitch, and Greg Wallace then chopped a double over first base to bring in Acheson and make it a 6-3 game. It was the 66th RBI of the season by Wallace, one shy of the UE record. Fick walked to load the bases, and ISU's Brandon Dorsett then plunked Smith to bring in the seventh and final run of the inning.
"Our kids were putting pressure on themselves from the night before because they hadn't been able to deliver a two-out basehit," said UE coach Wes Carroll. "But I stressed to them after Saturday's game that it takes just one hit to get the snowball effect going, and we finally got the big two-out hit from Tom Heithoff, and another one from Alex Acheson. And then out pitching staff did a really nice job. Corey Davisson kept them in check, and Zach (Taylor) did a great job in two 3-ball, 2-strike situations. Overall, we battled through close games Friday and Saturday, and won the series on Sunday. I'm proud of our guys."
The seven-run sixth inning was all Davisson needed to improve his record to 7-1, all in relief. Davisson came in for starter Josh Biggs in the fourth, and allowed just one run in three and one/third innings before Taylor came in to pitch scoreless ball in the eighth and ninth innings.
The Aces are back home Tuesday for a rare doubleheader, against Austin Peay, before going to Southern Illinois next weekend for their final road series of the regular season.
