Box Score

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – For the second time in the University of Evansville baseball team’s three-game series with Western Michigan, the Purple Aces came storming back in the bottom of the ninth inning to earn a victory over the visiting Broncos. Evansville plated four runs in the ninth, led by senior Trentt Copeland’s two-run double and sophomore Tim Bodine’s walk-off RBI single to centerfield, stunning WMU, 8-7, Sunday afternoon at Braun Stadium.

The victory gives UE a 2-1 series win and improves the Aces’ record to 13-7 on the season, while Western Michigan falls to 7-10.

Reliever Josh Biggs (1-0) earned his first win of the year, getting the Aces out of a jam in the eighth with one pitch, and tossed the top of the ninth, allowing two runs and three hits. Starter Kyle Freeland took the no-decision despite recording a career-high nine strikeouts. In his 6.1 innings of work, the Broncos tagged four runs and seven hits. Sam Johns also saw the mound for 1.1 frames, allowing one run and four hits, while striking out one.

Bodine and junior Jason Hockemeyer both went 3-for-4 at the plate, while Kevin Kaczmarski recorded two hits, leading UE’s offense. The Aces logged eight hits off the Broncos, while also working six walks and three hit by pitches, putting 14 players in scoring position throughout the game.

After Ryan McMillin’s solo home run in the second gave Western Michigan the initial lead, the Aces tied the ballgame in the bottom of the third when Bodine, Eric Stamets, and Hockemeyer strung three singles together.

The Broncos plated two more in the fifth on Vinnie Booker’s two-run shot over the left field wall, but the Aces stayed close, scoring one in the sixth to make it a one-run game, 3-2. Kaczmarski led off with a triple to the right-centerfield gap and scored on Copeland’s infield groundout.

In the seventh inning, WMU plated one following a single and hit batter that knocked Freeland out of the game, and an RBI-single off the new pitcher Johns. However, the Aces’ defense limited the damage with an inning-ending double play. Stamets and Copeland turned three double plays in the contest.

UE tied the ballgame again in the bottom of the seventh, taking advantage of the Broncos’ wild arms in the bullpen. With two outs, new pitcher Matt Nestor hit Mahon and walked Hockemeyer, forcing another call to the pen. Troy Forton walked Kyle Pollock and with the based loaded Kaczmarski singled up the middle, plating two, making the score 4-4.

However, Western Michigan scored one run in the eighth and two in the top of the ninth, recording six hits in their final two at-bats to send the Aces to the plate in the bottom of the ninth trailing 7-4.

With Friday night’s comeback-win still fresh in their minds, the Aces knew the game was not over yet. Leading off with Mahon’s 12^th plunk of the season, UE’s first six batters found their way on base. Mahon moved up on a passed ball, and scored on Hockemeyer’s single up the middle. Pollock was also hit by a pitch, marking Forton’s last batter, but closer Patrick Bolick walked hit first hitter in Kaczmarski to load the bases. With still no outs, Copeland crushed a ball to the left field gap, tying the game, 7-7. The Broncos intentionally walked Chris Pearson and the strategy worked as they got an infield ground ball and turned a 5-2-3 double play, keeping the Aces at bay. However, Bodine came through in the clutch with a two-out single to shallow centerfield that landed just in front of a diving Jordan Tillman, scoring Copeland, the winning run.

Borlick (1-2) took the loss, as the Broncos used five arms in the game.

The Aces look to keep the momentum rolling, playing Vanderbilt on the road Tuesday before opening up the Missouri Valley Conference schedule at home next weekend versus Indiana State.