MURRAY, Ky. - The University of Evansville baseball team put an end to their season-high six game losing streak at the plate, out-slugging Murray State 16-12 in a non-conference matchup Tuesday night in Murray, Kentucky.

"Great to see our offense explode tonight", said University of Evansville head coach Wes Carroll. "This is always a tough place to play , but our guys battled through."

The Aces got the bats going early, beginning with junior shortstop Craig Shepherd belting an RBI double, scoring senior center fielder Troy Beilsmith in the opening frame, putting Evansville up 1-0.

Freshman right-hander A.J. Fritz got his first collegiate start, and the Racers tagged him for a four-run frame. However, he would come back to toss a scoreless second, before giving was to fellow freshman Sam Steimel.

Down 4-1 at the top of the second, Troy Beilsmith came up clutch with a two-out two-run home run, narrowing the deficit to one. 

Two innings later, senior third baseman Sam Troyer got into the longball barrage, launching a solo homer to left, knotting the game up at 4. Later in the frame, junior catcher Ben Komonosky sent a single through the left side of the infield, bringing in senior left fielder Matthew Jones, giving Evansville the lead back, 5-4.

However, no lead was safe at Reagan Field tonight. In the bottom of the inning, the Racers hit a pair of home runs off Steimel, and suddenly Murray State was back in the driver's seat, leading 7-5.

Then came the big inning for the Aces. UE would send 14 batters to the plate, scoring eight runs on seven hits, highlighted and capped by senior designated hitter Nate Reeder's three-run home run, and when the smoke cleared, Evansville had rocketed back into the lead, 13-7.

Still leading  by five in the seventh, the Aces continued to swing away. Sam Troyer  sent an opposite field two-run single to right, plating both freshman second baseman Danny Borgstrom and Craig Shepherd. Troyer would score on a passed ball later in the inning, giving UE a 16-8 lead.  

The Racers would strike for four runs in the eighth on freshman hurler Garrett Presko, forcing the Aces to go to their bullpen one more time, and newcomer Shane Gray closed out Murray State the rest of the way.

Evansville improves to 18-16 on the season. Murray State drops to 16-18.

The Aces are back in action Friday night when they open a three game Missouri Valley Conference series with Indiana State. First pitch from Charles H. Braun Stadium is at 6 p.m.

 

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