EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The Bradley University baseball team put together five-run and six-run innings on Saturday, as the Braves evened the Missouri Valley Conference series with the University of Evansville with a 13-6 win at German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium in Evansville.
"We did not play well enough to get the series win today," said UE head coach Wes Carroll. "I thought that Jakob Meyer gave us a chance to get back into the game, but Bradley had an answer for everything today.
"Big game tomorrow, as we celebrate our seniors."
Bradley broke a 2-2 tie with a five-run fourth inning to grab an early lead, after UE had rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the third inning on an RBI single by senior outfielder Mark Shallenberger and a run-scoring fielder's choice off the bat of sophomore designated hitter Evan Waggoner. The Braves batted around in the five-run fourth inning to build a 7-2 cushion, with the big blow of the inning being a two-run double by designated hitter Logan Delgado.
Meyer would come on to get the final out of the fourth inning, and proceeded to hold the Braves scoreless over 3.1 innings of work, not allowing a hit and striking out three. Evansville would scratch across a run in the fourth inning to cut the deficit to 7-3 on an RBI groundout by graduate third baseman Eric Roberts, but Evansville would strand six men on base between the fourth and seventh innings to stay at arm's length.
After a scoreless eighth inning by graduate reliever John MacCauley, the Purple Aces' offense finally broke through for three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to get within a run at 7-6. After a lead-off double by junior catcher Brendan Hord, Roberts delivered an RBI single to right field to score the first run of the frame. Then, fifth-year first baseman Chase Hug launched a towering two-run home run to left-center field for his 10th home run of the year to get UE back within a run at 7-6. Junior second baseman Kip Fougerousse nearly tied the game in the next at-bat, but Bradley center-fielder Ryan Vogel made a grab of a fly ball up against the fence in center field to record the out. Bradley closer Connor Langrell (11th save) then got a fly out from Shallenberger to end the eighth-inning threat.
In the ninth inning, the Braves once again exploded for six runs, taking advantage of five Evansville walks, a hit-by-pitch, and a throwing error in the frame to post the final score of 13-6.
Sophomore outfielder Ty Rumsey led Evansville offensively by going 3-for-4 with a double. Hug, Fougerousse, and Shallenberger all had two hits as well for UE. Evansville out-hit Bradley, 13-9, but the Purple Aces issued 12 walks on the mound and hit three batters, as seven of Bradley's 13 runs were scored by men who reached base via either a walk or hit-by-pitch.
Bradley improves to 15-29 overall and 6-17 in the MVC with the victory, while Evansville falls to 30-20 overall and 12-11 in the MVC. The two teams will conclude the three-game series on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. on "Senior Day" for UE. The Purple Aces will honor pitchers Jarrett Blunt, Tyler Denu, John MacCauley, and Michael Parks, outfielder Danny Borgstrom, utility player Eric Roberts and catcher Max Malley in pre-game ceremonies prior to their final collegiate home baseball game. Sunday's game can be seen live on ESPN+ and heard live in the Tri-State area on 107.1 FM-WJPS and the Old National Bank/Purple Aces Sports Network from Learfield.
