Box Score

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Western Michigan scored two runs in the top of the first inning and held onto the advantage the rest of the way, as the University of Evansville baseball team fell 5-1 Saturday afternoon at Braun Stadium. The series is now even, 1-1, as the Aces fall to 12-7 on the year and the Broncos improve to 7-9.

Freshman Kevin Kaczmarski led Evansville at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a run scored, while sophomore Tim Bodine recorded a multi-hit game for the second straight day with a 2-for-4 effort. Junior Andy Lasher (1-for-2) tallied UE’s lone RBI and was joined by Eric Stamets (1-for-5) and Kyle Pollock (1-for-4) with one hit, as the Aces logged seven in the ballgame.

Junior Kyle Lloyd (3-1) took his first loss of the year, throwing the first six innings and allowed four runs, nine hits, while striking out five. Middle reliever Zach Taylor’s 1.1 inning appearance was broken up by a one hour and twenty minute rain delay, in which he did not allow any hits but gave up a run on a stint of wildness in the eighth. Josh Biggs worked the final 1.2 frames, striking out two.

Taking a hard loss the night before, Western Michigan bounced back quickly in the top of the first, leading off with a double, two singles, and sacrifice fly right for a quick 2-0 head start.

The Broncos made it 3-0 in the fifth after Jordan Tillman was hit by a pitch and scored following two bunts and Ryan McMillan’s RBI single through the left side.

However, Evansville struck onto the board in the bottom half of the inning. Kaczmarski led off the frame with a single to right field, advanced on a groundout, moved up to third on a wild pitch, and scored on Lasher’s sacrifice fly to right field.

Caleb Caton put WMU up by two runs again with his one-out solo home run in the sixth.

The Aces rallied in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases with no outs following a hit batter, error, and walk, but a number of lightning strikes in the area caused play to take a break. When play resumed, reliever Patrick Borlik quashed the comeback, recording three straight outs.

The Broncos tacked on one more run in the top of the eighth on a hit batter, two walks and two wild pitches.

WMU recorded 10 hits in the afternoon, led by Zach Thoma’s 3-for-4 effort. Steve Laudicina earned the win (2-1), while Borlick picked up the save.

With the series on the line, the Aces will take on the Broncos in the rubber match Sunday at 1:00 p.m. CT.