Box Score

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Freshman southpaw Cole Isom went the distance Saturday afternoon, throwing nine scoreless innings to give the University of Evansville baseball team a 2-0 victory over Michigan State. Isom, who allowed eight scattered hits, walking three and striking out four, has not allowed a run in his last three outings, totaling 21 scoreless consecutive innings. With the win, the Aces improved to 7-6 overall, while the Spartans fell to 12-4 on the season.

Not only did Isom (3-1) throw a complete game, as did Michigan State’s Tony Bucciferro (3-1) who took the tough loss, hurling eight full innings, allowing two earned runs on just three hits, walking one and striking out five.

Senior Nate Smith led the Aces offensively, accounting for both of UE’s runs and going 2-for-3 at the plate. Smith made his first appearance back in Evansville’s starting lineup yesterday after suffering a wrist injury during season-opening weekend. Senior Jared Baehl was the only other Purple Ace to record a hit off of Bucciferro, while senior Shawn Kuester knocked in Smith both times, recording two RBIs.

After two three-up ,three-down innings, the Aces got on the board in the third when Smith led off the side with a single to right field. He stole second, advanced to third on freshman Jake Mahon’s grounder, and scored on Kuester’s groundout to second base.

Leading off the eighth, Smith lined a double down the left field line. Mahon again advanced the Brampton, Ontario native to third on a ball back to the pitcher, and Kuester plated Smith on an RBI chopper that hit off Bucciferro’s glove into the hands of shortstop Justin Scanlon who made the play at first.

However, those two runs were all the Aces would need, as Isom shut down the Spartans in order in the ninth, ending the game on two strikeouts.

The Aces wrap up the three-game series tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. CDT. Senior Cody Fick (2-0) will be on the mound for Evansville. He looks to keep his and 0.00 ERA and perfect winning percentage intact.