Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Evansville baseball team will come back from its first series of the season 0-3 after falling to Memphis, 17-6, Sunday afternoon at FedEx Park. The Tigers scored their runs on 18 hits and three errors, while the Aces plated six on 13 hits and one error.

“This weekend was a humbling experience for us,” said Head Coach Wes Carroll. “We didn’t perform the way we wanted to. We know where we are at now, and we just have to get back at it in practice this week and get ready for Arkansas State,” Carroll added.

Memphis got off to another quick start, scoring four runs in the first inning. The Tigers belted two doubles and two home runs off right-handed pitcher Kyle Lloyd in the opening frame. Memphis added another run in the second inning after leadoff man J.D. Wallace tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly.

In the top of the third, Evansville got on the board with two runs when sophomore Eric Stamets scored on senior Cody Fick’s sac fly after reaching on a walk. Senior Greg Wallace and junior Trentt Copeland bashed back-to-back doubles to make the score 5-2.

However, the Tigers combined for four doubles and four runs off Lloyd and tacked on three more after sophomore Josh Biggs came out of the bullpen to get the final two outs. Memphis tallied seven runs on five hits and an error in the inning, and had a chance for more with bases loaded, but Biggs got out of the jam with a strikeout to retire the side.

The Aces led off the fourth with back-to-back hits, as Shawn Kuester singled up the middle and advanced to third on Stamets’ double. Kuester scored when Memphis doubled up Jake Mahon and Stamets to make the score 12-3.

The clubs traded solo runs in the bottom of the fifth and top of the sixth as Wallace’s single plated Fick who reached base on a double to right-center. To start the bottom of the sixth, freshman Jake Naumann relieved Biggs who allowed three hits, two runs, one earned, walking one and striking out one in 2.2 innings of work.

UE and Memphis mimicked each other’s single runs again in the seventh, to make it 14-5. Senior Ty Legan led off the inning with a single, advanced to third on freshman Brett Wiley’s hit and a groundout, and scored on Jared Baehl’s fielder’s choice.

Freshman Peter Spear took the mound for the eighth, relieving Naumann who threw two innings and allowed four hits, a run, a walk, while striking out one. The Tigers tagged Spear with three runs on three walks and two hits.

Sophomore Chris Pearson got the bats going for the Aces in the ninth with a one-out double to left field. Baehl hit him home on a single, but that was the last run of the game as Memphis’ Tyler Farley closed out the inning.

Lloyd took the loss for Evansville (0-1), while Michael Wills earned the win (1-0). Memphis split the work between seven pitchers.

Offensively, Pearson, Wallace, and Copeland each recorded two hits, while Baehl led UE with two RBIs.

The Aces are back in action next weekend for a three-game series at Arkansas State. The first game is Friday at 6:00 p.m. CST.