Box Score

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The visiting Bradley University Braves expanded its one-run lead in the top of the ninth inning, scoring four runs to take a 7-2 victory over the University of Evansville baseball team Friday night at Braun Stadium. While both squads now own a 6-7 Missouri Valley Conference record, the Aces dropped to 25-17 overall and the Braves improved to 23-16.

Bradley’s Joe Bircher (6-1) tossed a complete-game gem, allowing just one earned run, five hits, while striking out nine. Starter Cole Isom (2-5) also pitched well for the Aces, going eight and a third innings. He held the Braves to three runs and seven scattered hits, before Bradley tagged him for four runs in the final frame. Senior Zach Taylor tossed the final two thirds, marking his 86^th career appearance.

Kevin Kaczmarski led the Aces’ bats, going 3-for-4 with a RBI and run scored. Eric Stamets (1-for-3) and Jake Mahon (1-for-3) were UE’s only other players to get a hit off of Bircher.

In the first inning, Evansville took a quick 2-0 lead after Kaczmarski knocked home Stamets on a single through the left side, and an infield throwing error allowed the freshman centerfielder to score with two outs.

However, the Braves answered with an unearned run in the second inning and took the lead in the third, stringing three singles and a walk together for two runs.

With BU leading, 3-2, both hurlers settled in and quickly moved through the next five innings, until the Braves’ bats sparked in the ninth.

Isom started the frame with his third strikeout of the evening, but gave up a single to right, and a questionable hit batter call that required discussion shifted momentum to the Braves. A single and double followed, prompting the Aces to call Taylor from the bullpen. BU tacked on one more hit, scoring the fourth run of the frame, before Taylor recorded the final two outs.

The Aces look to bounce back on Saturday when they take on Bradley at 2:00 p.m. CT.