Box Score

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – After overcoming a three-run deficit, small-ball execution in the bottom of the eighth gave the University of Evansville baseball team the go-ahead run and the 4-3 victory over IPFW Saturday afternoon at Braun Stadium. With the win, the Aces improve to 14-9 overall, while the Mastodons fell to 4-15 on the season.

After back-to-back walks for senior Nate Smith and junior Trentt Copeland to start the eighth, sophomore Chris Pearson laid down a sacrifice bunt and advanced each runner a base. Pinch hitter Shawn Kuester immediately followed with another perfectly place sac bunt to the right side of the infield, plating Smith, the winning run.

Sophomore Jake Naumann (2-0) earned the “W” for Evansville, coming out of the bullpen to throw six scoreless innings, allowing just two hits, walking none, and striking out four. Senior Cody Fick was the only UE player to record multiple hits (2-for-4), while senior Greg Wallace went 1-for-2 with a home run and two runs scored.

The Aces fell behind early as IPFW scored a run off starter Cole Isom in the top of the first. With a stiff breeze blowing out, Will Faulkner doubled to right field and advanced to third after an error and a walk. With bases loaded, Isom plunked batter Nate Thomas to bring in the first run of the game.

The Mastodons scored two more in the third, when runners reached on a leadoff single and walk. Segraves, the leading runner, advanced to third on a fly out, and scored on a wild pitch to the backstop, while Faulkner moved up to second. Thomas brought home his second run of the contest on a single to centerfield to give IPFW a 3-0 advantage.

However, the Aces answered in the bottom half with Wallace’s bomb over the right field wall, his fifth home run of the season to make it 3-1.

Evansville tallied another solo run in the sixth when Copeland plated senior Jared Baehl who reached on a single up the middle. The Aces tied it up in the seventh with another run by Wallace. The Nanaimo, British Columbia native walked to reach base and advanced to second on a hit by Fick through the left side. A double steal put both Aces in scoring position, and senior Ryan Oesterle grounded out to shortstop, bringing home Wallace and tying the score, 3-3.

The Mastodons’ Parker Moorman (0-3) took the loss, throwing two innings, allowing three runs on three hits, and three walks, while striking out one. Isom took the no-decision for UE, hurling the opening three innings, also giving up three runs, on three hits, and three walks.

The Aces look to sweep the series with IPFW tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. CDT at Braun Stadium.