NASHVILLE, Tenn. – University of Evansville freshman starter Kenton Deverman and senior reliever Shane Harris combined to limit the red-hot Belmont Bruins to just two runs on five hits on Friday afternoon, as the visiting Purple Aces picked up a 3-2 series-opening victory at E.S. Rose Park in Nashville, Tennessee.
"What an effort today on the mound!" said UE head coach Wes Carroll. "I thought that Kenton Deverman was outstanding in his five innings of work, and then the job that Shane Harris did today out of the bullpen was special. He got some very big outs for us, especially in that ninth inning.
"Offensively, we were able to do enough to get the win. The top of the order didn't do much today, but other guys stepped up, and that was great to see. It's great to get a win on a Friday night, and hopefully, this will set the tone for the weekend for us."
Evansville scored the game's first run in the second inning on a lead-off double by senior first baseman Kip Fougerousse and a one-out RBI single by junior second baseman Cal McGinnis to take a 1-0 lead.
Belmont would answer back in the third inning with its two runs courtesy of a Jack Rando two-run home run to left field. Belmont would plate the two runs on four hits in the frame, but Deverman and Harris combined to allow just one hit, one walk, and one base runner via an error the rest of the way.
Evansville would quickly tie the game in the top of the fourth inning on a solo home run to left field by graduate third baseman Brent Widder, his team-leading seventh home run of the year. UE would then take the lead for good in the fifth inning, as lead-off man Harrison Taubert worked a walk, stole second, and scored on an RBI single by Fougerousse.
After Deverman worked a scoreless fifth inning, working around a walk, Harris came on and retired the first nine men he faced in order until a runner reached on a throwing error to lead off the ninth inning. The runner did not bother Harris though, who got a pair of ground outs to first base and a fly out to left field to slam the door and earn his first save of the year.
Deverman (3-1) earned the victory, allowing just two runs on five hits in 5.0 innings of work. Harris did not allow a hit or a walk in 4.0 scoreless innings to earn the save. They combined to strike out seven Belmont hitters.
Offensively, McGinnis led Evansville by going 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Fougerousse also had two hits, scored a run, and drove in another run. Six of Evansville's eight hits came from Fougerousse, Widder and McGinnis in the heart of the UE batting order.
With the victory, Evansville improves to 13-16 overall and 3-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference, while the Purple Aces pick up their third win in a row. Belmont, meanwhile, falls to 16-14 overall and 4-3 in the MVC with the loss, as the Bruins see their four-game winning streak snapped. Belmont had scored 51 runs in its four-game winning streak prior to Friday's game.
The series will continue on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. as graduate left-hander Donovan Schultz (0-1, 8.64 ERA) will get the start for UE. Saturday's game can be heard live in the Tri-State on 107.1 FM-WJPS and seen live online on ESPN+.
