EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville baseball team will play the second half of a home-and-home series with Austin Peay State University Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. CT at Braun Stadium. In Clarksville, Tenn. on April 5th, the Aces beat the Governors by a score of 24-3.
EVANSVILLE: 26-17, 6-8 MVC
AUSTIN PEAY: 25-19, 13-4 OVC
LAST WEEK’S RESULTS
May 4 OAKLAND CITY, 8-1, W, 8-11-0/1-7-1 Biggs (W 3-0)
* May 6 at Indiana State, 3-6, L, 3-6-2/6-8-2 Lloyd (L 4-5)
* May 7 at Indiana State, 10-9, W (13), 10-16-1/9-18-1 Biggs (W 4-0)
* May 8 at Indiana State, 1-4, L, 1-6-1/4-5-0 Fick (L 6-3)
THIS WEEKEND'S SCHEDULE
| Wed. May 11 |
vs, AUSTIN PEAY |
6:00 p.m. |
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Listen (internet only) |
Watch |
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Fri. May 13
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vs. CREIGHTON
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6:00 p.m.
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Watch |
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Sat. May 14
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vs. CREIGHTON
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2:00 p.m.
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Watch |
| Sun. May 15 |
vs. CREIGHTON |
1:00 p.m. |
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Watch |
LAST TIME VS. THE GOVS
The Aces’ offense exploded in the third inning, scoring 13 runs, including back-to-back home runs by seniors
Greg Wallace and
Cody Fick, as Evansville went on to defeat Austin Peay, 24-3, on April 5th in Clarksville, Tenn. Evansville tagged the Governors for 20 hits, including seven doubles and four home runs; two for Fick, and one each for Wallace and senior
Ryan Oesterle.
Eric Stamets, senior
Jared Baehl, and Fick led the Aces with three hits apiece, as seven players recorded multi-hit games. The Aces also tallied a season-high 18 RBI, led by Wallaces’ four. Freshman
Ryan Billo earned the win, throwing five innings, allowing a run on five scattered hits, while striking out five. At the time, the Aces improved to 16-9 with the win, while Austin Peay fell to 12-14. Since then, Evansville has gone 10-8 and the Govs 13-5.
SCOUTING THE GOVS
Austin Peay (25-19, 13-4 OVC) tops the Ohio Valley Conference standings and is on a hot streak, winning nine of the last 10 games, including the last seven. The Govs come off an OVC series sweep over Tennessee Tech, winning the opener, 8-7, in 10 innings, game two 5-4, and the finale 10-4. During the streak, APSU also swept Morehead State in three games and topped Belmont, 7-5, in a midweek game. As a team, the Govs are hitting .308 with six players batting above .300. Jordan Hankins (.366), reigning OVC Player of the Week Reed Harper (.353), Michael Blanchard (.328, 24 SB), and John Hogan (.316, 7 HR, 45 RBI) lead the squad. APSU’s pitching staff, led by Jeremy Dobbs (8-2, 4.13 ERA), owns a 5.72 collective ERA with the opposition hitting .307.
ACE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Cody Fick, Sr., 3B, Freeburg, Mo.
Senior Cody Fick led Evansville with a .588 batting average on the week, going 10-for-17 with five runs scored and five runs batted in. Fick belted three doubles, increasing his total to 18 on the season, and recorded multi-hit games in all four contests, totaling 25 multi-hit games on the year. In UE’s win over Oakland City, Fick went 2-for-3 with three RBI and a run scored, knocking in the first of the game and scoring the winning run. Fick led the Aces with four hits, an RBI, and three runs scored, including the game-winning run, in UE’s 13-inning victory over Indiana State. Fick also pitched a complete game in the rubber match with ISU, hurling all eight innings, giving up four runs, just two earned, five hits, and struck out seven. Fick raised his batting average 19 points over the week to a conference-leading .409 and also leads the Valley with 61 RBI.
ACE PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Josh Biggs, So., LHP, Valparaiso, Ind.
Sophomore Josh Biggs kept his perfect record alive this week, picking up two wins for the Aces and did not allow an earned run in the process. In UE’s, 8-1, midweek win over Oakland City, Biggs hurled the first three innings, allowing no runs, three hits, and struck out three to earn the win on UE’s staff pitching day. Biggs piloted Evansville through extra innings to a, 10-9, 13-inning Valley win over Indiana State, throwing 4.2 innings, allowing one unearned run, six hits, and struck out two. With a runner on first and the score tied, 8-8, in the bottom of the ninth, Biggs came out of the bullpen and retired his first two batters for the final outs of the frame to force extra innings. Biggs faced runners on second and third in the 12th, but bore down and got the final out. The only run the sophomore allowed was an unearned one in the 13th after the Aces had already scored two runs in the top of the inning. On the season, Biggs is 4-0 with a 2.08 ERA.
HOME RUN DROUGHT ENDS
After not hitting a home run in seven straight games, UE’s longest drought of the season, senior
Ryan Oesterle put an end to it in style Saturday versus Indiana State. Oesterle belted a grand slam in the fourth inning that gained a 4-2 lead for Evansville. Sophomore
Eric Stamets also slugged a homer in the 13-inning win, a solo shot in the fifth. The dingers marked Oesterle’s sixth of the season and Stamets’ second.
LAST HOME COOKED MEALS
The Aces will play their last home games of the season this week, first hosting Austin Peay for a non-conference midweek game on Wednesday. UE topped the Governors, 24-3, back on April 5th. Evansville hosts their last Valley series Friday through Sunday, welcoming Creighton to Braun Stadium. Evansville owns a 14-6 record at home this season.
BRING ‘EM IN
Senior
Cody Fick leads the MVC with 61 runs batted in this season, totaling five this past week. A transfer from Jefferson College, the senior has tallied 172 RBI in his career in less than three seasons of play. Fick ranks second in UE’s all-time list behind Pat Schulz (1990-93) who knocked in 188 in his career.
FIVE IN RPI's TOP-100
According to the latest RPI update from the NCAA (May 3), for the first time this season, five Missouri Valley Conference teams are in the RPI's top-100. Creighton leads the way at No. 46, followed by Illinois State (No. 72), Missouri State (No. 86), Wichita State (No. 88) and Evansville (No. 95).
AGAINST OVC OPPONENTS
The Aces are 6-1 against Ohio Valley Conference teams this season. Evansville earned wins over APSU, UT-Martin (2), Eastern Illinois, SIU Edwardsville, and Murray State. Their only loss came to EIU (7-4) in the opener of the Dunn Hospitality Diamond Classic on March 6th. UE bounced back, however, to win game two, 4-1.
