Box Score

NORMAL, Ill – Illinois State broke open a, 1-1 tie, scoring three runs in the seventh and three runs in the eighth, handing the University of Evansville baseball team a, 7-1, loss Friday evening at Duffy Bass Field. The Aces dropped to 28-22 on the season and 7-12 in the Missouri Valley Conference, while the Redbirds improved to 34-16 overall and 12-8 in the MVC.

Left-handed pitcher Cole Isom (5-6) allowed just one hit through six innings, but took the loss, hurling seven frames, allowing four runs, three earned, five hits, three walks, and struck out three.

The Aces took the lead in the top of the fifth when Shawn Kuester hit a leadoff double to right-centerfield and scored on Eric Stamets’ sacrifice fly to right. However, that would be all the Aces would manage the rest of the way, as starter Dan Savas, Justin Hauer, Jacob Wielebnicki, and Kenny Long combined to keep UE off the scoreboard. Hauer (4-1) earned the win, throwing six innings, allowing a run, three hits, two walks, and struck out four.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Redbirds answered UE’s lone run when Brock Stewart reached on a wild pitch third strike, advanced on a fielding error at second base, and scored on Matt Mirabel’s sacrifice bunt.

Starting in the same place in the batting order, Stewart led off the seventh inning with a double to centerfield and Zach Amrein singled to right to put runners on first and third. Mirabel tallied another RBI sacrifice bunt, and Brett Kay capped the rally with a two-run home run over the left field wall, his first career dinger.

The Redbirds scored three insurance runs in the eighth off reliever James Kohler, as he gave up a single to Ryan court, then walked Mirabel and Kay, and then gave up a three-run scoring triple to Chad Hinshaw. Freshman Peter Spear came out of the bullpen and recorded a strikeout to end the side.

Evansville left nine runners on base in the loss, including three in the fourth inning when UE had bases loaded and one out, but were unable to capitalize.

Kuester was UE’s lone player to record a multi-hit game with two and a run scored, while Stamets, Cody Fick, Greg Wallace, and Jake Mahon each had one knock.

Tomorrow’s series finale with Illinois State starts at 1:00 p.m. CT.