UE 6, USF 0
UE 6, USF 4

TAMPA, Fla. – The University of Evansville baseball team certainly bounced back from yesterday’s loss to the University of South Florida, sweeping Saturday’s doubleheader with a 6-0 win in the first game and a 6-4 victory in the nightcap. The Aces are now 7-6 on the season.

“All and all our spring trip was a success,” said Head Coach Wes Carroll. “Our guys showed a lot of character and fight, and we learned a lot about ourselves down here.” UE went 3-1 for the week.

On the mound, freshman Cole Isom had his second consecutive strong start, throwing six scoreless innings, scattering six hits, and striking out two to earn the first win of the day. Freshman Tyler Miller came out of the bullpen to earn the save. He tossed three scoreless innings, giving up just one hit and striking out two.

The Aces had a huge third inning, tallying four runs on four hits led by senior Cody Fick’s two-run single that scored junior Trentt Copeland and sophomore Eric Stamets. Fick crossed the plate on a throwing error, and senior Ryan Oesterle capped the rally with a single to left field that plated senior Jared Baehl.

Evansville added insurance runs in the seventh and eighth, as senior Greg Wallace belted his fourth home run of the season, a two-out solo shot in the seventh. In the eighth, Jared Baehl singled to reach base and scored an unearned run on a throwing error.

Fick, Baehl, Oesterle, and Stamets all had two hits to lead the Aces’ offense.

In the nightcap, Evansville battled back from being down 4-3 heading into the seventh, scoring three unanswered runs in the seventh and eighth to capture the win.

The Bulls got on the scoreboard first in the fourth inning with two runs on three hits off starting pitcher Kyle Lloyd.

The Aces responded in the fifth when senior Ty Legan knocked home Oesterle on a groundout. Oesterle led off the inning with ground-rule double to right field. However, USF matched the Aces in the bottom of the frame on a RBI double, taking a 3-1 advantage.

Evansville tied it up in the sixth with Stamets and Copeland both scoring on pass balls. USF took its last lead of the game in the bottom of the inning, with a single run credited to Lloyd, who walked the leadoff man before sophomore Jake Naumann came in relief. Lloyd would get the no decision, allowing four runs on three hits, while striking out four.

The Aces took it from there, scoring two runs in the seventh and one in the eighth. UE strung together three hits, including Stamets’ RBI single that plated freshman pinch hitter Brett Wiley, and Copeland’s double to left field that scored Stamets.

Baehl crossed the plate in the eighth after leading off with a single and scoring on sophomore Chris Pearson’s fielder’s choice.

Naumann (1-0) earned the win, throwing the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings, allowing no runs and just two hits. Sophomore Adam Culiver shut down the Bulls in the ninth, ending the day with a strikeout.

Stamets led the Aces at the plate with three hits, totaling five on the day. Stamets has now hit in 19 straight games, a streak carried over from last spring. Copeland, Oesterle, and Baehl all tallied two hits in game two.

“Our starters and bullpen did a great job stepping up and we’re starting to turn things around,” said Carroll. “It feels good to win the series and return to Evansville with an above .500 record.”

The Aces are back in action next Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, hosting Michigan State at Braun Stadium.