EVANSVILLE, Ind. – A monster sixth inning with eight runs on four hits led to a comeback win for the University of Evansville baseball team against the UIC Flames on Friday night.

It was a slow start offensively for the Purple Aces in their second of three games against UIC. But UE found its offense in the bottom of the sixth, batting through the order to overcome a 3-0 deficit in just a half inning. Evansville had eight different batters record a hit with seven adding an RBI and seven runners crossing home plate against the Flames. 

"What a great effort from Donovan Schultz to keep our offense in the game when we gave up three runs against that high-powered offense," said UE head coach Wes Carroll. "It was a really big senior moment for him. And our offense was finally able to get that big inning, we could exhale a little bit. I think there's been a lot of pressure that we've put on ourselves. We had a lot of intensity this past weekend and we lost a close one last night. Then we come out here and our offense was just really grinding out to finally have that big inning.

"I'm proud of our club as we got back into the series. Our goal is to win each and every series and with the all-important Senior Day and recognition tomorrow, I hope we come to the yard ready to compete. Again, I'm really proud of Donovan Schultz, Shane Harris, and Parker MacCauley to get in there and get three outs as it was really big. But what I do know is that we are now 2-0 without Tom Benson here over the past couple of weeks. Hopefully everybody come's out and really celebrates this group of seniors tomorrow that mean a lot to me and this program. And having our third-straight 30-win season is really a testament to what they're all about."

UIC took the early lead on Friday as the Flames got a run across in the top of the second and added two more in the top of the sixth. After UIC stretched its lead, the Aces offense answered immediately with four hits and eight runs scored. Senior catcher Brenden Hord got things started for UE with a single to lead off the bottom of the sixth. Hord's single was followed by back-to-back hits, including a double from right fielder Harrison Taubert to score Evansville's first run of the game.

The Aces kept things going on the base paths as a hit by pitch to center fielder Ty Rumsey made it a bases loaded situation. In UE's next AB second baseman Brodie Pert singled into right field for Evansville's final hit of the inning and its second run with no outs on the board. The Aces first out of the sixth scored another run as shortstop Simon Scherry hit a sacrifice fly into left field that gave UE the lead after a run scored on a wild pitch just moments earlier.

Evansville's next four runs scored on either a walk or a hit by pitch, giving the Aces a commanding 8-3 lead heading into the seventh inning. After six solid innings from starting pitcher Donovan Schultz (4-2), reliever Shane Harris shut down the Flames offense for two innings to keep UE in the drivers seat. Left fielder Mark Shallenberger also added some insurance for Evansville with a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh to make it a 9-3 game.

The Aces shut the door in the top of the ninth as Parker MacCauley came in for the final half inning as UE's closer. In only his fifth appearance of the season, MacCauley took down UIC in four batters while throwing three strikeouts. Evansville improves to 30-23 on the season overall and 16-10 in the MVC with the win. The Aces have the chance to finish the season as either the two, three, or four seed depending on tomorrow's result and the result of Saturday's Murray State and Bradley game.

Saturday's game is Senior Day for UE as they celebrate 11 members of the 2024 team including: graduate players Brendan Hord, Chase Hug, Jace Kressin, Mark Shallenberger and Brent Widder, and seniors Kip Fougerousse, Shane Harris, Jakob Meyer, Simon Scherry, Donovan Schultz and Nick Smith. First pitch from German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium is set for 1 p.m.