BOX SCORE

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Evansville baseball team was shut out for the first time this season, as the Purple Aces fell, 13-0, at No. 2 Vanderbilt Wednesday afternoon at Hawkins Field in Nashville, Tenn.
 
Evansville (1-7) managed just five hits and stranded seven runners, including four in scoring position.  Junior Jake Mahon  was the only UE player to record multiple hits in the game, finishing 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair of singles.  Senior Chris Pearson, redshirt junior Johnny Day and redshirt sophomore Kevin Kaczmarski combined for the other three hits for the Aces.
 
Vanderbilt (9-1), ranked No. 2 in the nation by Baseball America, scored a run in each of the first three innings and led 3-0 after four innings, as the Commodores got an RBI double from Conrad Gregor in the first, a solo home run from Vince Conde in the second and a run-scoring single from Jack Lupo in the third.
 
Evansville put its first two runners on in the top of the fifth, when senior Jason Hockemeyer drew a leadoff walk and Pearson followed with a single up the middle.  However, VU starter Tyler Ferguson (1-0) stranded both runners by returning the next three Aces in order.
 
Vanderbilt took a 4-0 lead with a run in its half of the fifth and blew the game open with a nine-run sixth to make the final score 13-0.  The Commodores scored nine runs on just four this in the frame, with the big hit coming off the bat of Connor Harrell, who cleared the bases with a two-out grand slam to left.
 
Senior starter Ryan Billo (0-1) suffered the loss for Evansville, allowing four runs, all earned, on five hits over 4.1 innings.  Freshman Brent Jurceka was the most effective reliever for UE, as he made his collegiate debut by tossing a pair of scoreless innings for the Aces, giving up just two hits and striking out one.
 
UE will be back on the diamond this weekend, when it hosts Milwaukee for a four-game set in its home opener at Braun Stadium.  The first pitch of the series is slated for Friday, March 1 at 3 p.m.