PEORIA, Ill. - After weather wreaked havoc on the weekend schedule, the University of Evansville baseball team split its Sunday doubleheader with Bradley, falling 5-4 in game one and winning game two, 4-2, at Dozer Park in Peoria, Ill.

The series win marked the Aces fourth-straight series win, its longest such streak since winning six consecutive series during the 2016 campaign.

"We showed a lot of fight all weekend. Longest day I've experienced at a baseball field and just an overall long trip to Peoria for us," said Aces head baseball coach Wes Carroll on the team's effort. "This team showed a lot of character as they picked each other up throughout."

Game One: Bradley 5, Evansville 4

Junior Caleb Reinhardt got the start on the mound for the Aces and opened the contest pitching a pair of clean innings. Bradley would strike first in the top of the third, scoring twice to take a 2-0 lead.

Evansville halved the Braves lead in the fourth as sophomore Danny Borgstrom drove a base-hit up the middle, scoring redshirt senior Troy Beilsmith.

In the fifth, the Aces took their first lead of the day. A single to right from freshman Brent Widder tied the game, sending senior Craig Shepherd home. Redshirt junior Kenotn Crews followed, ripping a double down the left field line to score Widder.

Bradley answered in the bottom half of the inning as Dan Bolt lifted a two-run home run to right, giving the Braves a 4-3 advantage.

Sophomore Eric Roberts entered in the sixth, replacing Reinhardt, who concluded his day pitching five innings, allowing four runs and striking-out a pair. Roberts induced a pop-up to the first batter he faced, but then saw the bases loaded with two outs. Roberts came up clutch, striking-out the next batter on three pitches to end the sixth.

Evansville tied the game in the bottom of the seventh as Beilsmith dropped a double into left field that scored Widder.

With sophomore Michael Parks on the mound, the Aces looked to force the game into extras. After Parks got a groundout and struck-out a batter for the second out, Dan Bolt again came to the plate. Bolt replicated his previous at bat in the fifth, homering to right center to earn a 5-4 walk-off win for the Braves.

Game Two: Evansville 4, Bradley 2

Evansville got off to a quick start in game two of the doubleheader, scoring a run in the top of the first as freshman Simon Scherry recorded a sacrifice fly that scored Crews, giving starting pitcher Jake McMahill an early lead to work with.

Bradley was held at bay for much of the contest before equalizing in the fifth on a solo home run by Manteufel. McMahill's excellent effort ended after the fifth as the redshirt junior concluded his day allowing just one run on two hits, striking-out a pair.

The Braves took the lead in the sixth, but the Aces were able to limit the damage. Bradley loaded the bases with no outs, but junior Drew Dominik and Evansville's defense saved a run, throwing-out a runner at home. The Braves scored on a passed ball with two outs, but Dominik stepped-up and fired a strikeout looking to end the inning. Following the strikeout, Bradley's Dan Bolt was ejected from the game, removing a critical threat from the Braves offense.

In the top of the seventh, Evansville looked to return the favor offensively, loading the bases with no outs. After Crews fouled out, the Braves got a crucial defensive play as Beilsmith flied-out to left and Shepherd was thrown-out at home to end the inning.

Making up for the seventh, the Aces offense continued to be relentless in the eighth. Scherry walked to lead-off the inning, followed by a double by junior Tanner Craig. Freshman Mark Shallenberger preceded to tie the game at two with a sac fly that scored Scherry. Borgstrom then earned a walk to put runners on the corners for Evansville, which proved to be key for the Aces. With junior Mason Brinkley at the plate, Bradley threw a wild pitch, giving Evansville the 3-2 lead as Craig scored. Borgstrom would due the same, this time on a passed ball, as the Aces took a 4-2 lead.

The Braves again loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth with freshman Jakob Meyer on the mound. With two outs, Meyer walked Dougherty to load the bases, but the Columbus, Ind. native shut down Bradley. Meyer induced a groundout to end the inning and send the game to the ninth.

In the bottom of the ninth, Meyer continued to look in form, allowing a base-hit, but striking-out a pair as the Aces captured the 4-2 win and earned the series victory.

Evansville comes back home for a four-game series against Missouri State on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium in Evansville.
 

• INFO: For all of the latest information on University of Evansville athletics, visit GoPurpleAces.com or follow the program on Twitter via @UEAthletics.

 

• FUTURE UNAFRAID: To make a gift to the Future Unafraid initiative and contribute to the Purple Aces' response to COVID-19, please visit UEAlumniOnline.com/FutureUnafraid  

                                   

• SUPPORT: For information on giving to UE Athletics or its individual athletics programs, visit the SUPPORT tab on the top of GoPurpleAces.com