CONWAY, Ark. -- The University of Evansville baseball team returns to action this week against an opponent they last saw in eight seasons ago.
 

Evansville at Central Arkansas | March 7, March 8, and March 9, 2025 | 2 PM, 2 PM, 1 PM CT
Site | Location	Bear Stadium | Conway, Ark.
Links	Friday, 2 PM CT:  Live Stats  | TV: None  |  Radio: None             Expected Pitching Match-Up:  UE LHP Kenton Deverman (1-1, 5.14 ERA)  vs. UCA RHP Charlie Christiensen (1-1, 5.79 ERA)            Saturday, 2 PM  CT:  Live Stats  | TV: None |  Radio:  None             Expected Pitching Match-Up:  UE RHP Owen Byberg (0-1, 5.02 ERA) vs. UCA RHP Coleman McRae (0-2, 10.38 ERA) Sunday, 1 PM  CT:  Live Stats  | TV: ESPN+ |  Radio:  None             Expected Pitching Match-Up:  UE LHP Kevin Reed (2-1, 3.24 ERA) vs. UCA RHP Jacob Pannell (1-0, 0.82 ERA)
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After having their midweek match up with #18 Vanderbilt canceled due to rain, the Purple Aces return to game action on Friday afternoon. UE makes its first visit to Central Arkansas since the 2017 season this weekend for a three game series with the Bears. This is only the second time the two teams have played one another in program history. Central Arkansas has a one game advantage in the series leading Evansville 2-1. The Aces lone win against the Bears in 2017 came during the final game of the series as UE outhit UCA 12-9 and brought the team's nine-game home winning streak to an end.

UE will look to begin its first win streak of the season on Friday after closing our the series at Missouri with a commanding win. Evansville took a 2-0 lead early on Sunday against the Tigers and never looked back in route to a 9-5 victory. Senior right fielder Harrison Taubert (Casper, Wyo.  / Northeast CC) led the Aces on Sunday going 3-of-5 at the plate with a home run, a double, and a single with five RBIs for his fifth career three-hit game. He also became the first UE player to have multiple home runs on the season.

In fact it was a big weekend overall for Taubert in Columbia. The senior led the Aces at the plate as he went .500 against Missouri including five multi-base hits. Taubert put the Aces in the lead early on Sunday as in the top of the third he hit his second home run of the year making it a 2-0 game. He then had another big play at the plate in the top of the ninth as the bases loaded and two outs on the board, Taubert knocked a bases-clearing double into left field to give Evansville an 8-3 lead.Taubert now leads the Aces in doubles with five and leads the team in RBIs with 14. The senior is also Top 5 in the Missouri Valley Conference in RBIs and sacrifice flys with two in 11 games. 

UE currently leads the Valley in a more unusual stat, hit by pitches. While playing in Taylor Stadium last weekend Evansville batters were hit by Tiger pitches on nine separate occasions. Getting the brunt of those hit by pitch bases was senior outfielder Ty Rumsey (Evansville, Ind. / North HS). Rumsey is one of two players in the MVC to have been hit by six pitches so far this season with three of those happening in one game. During Sunday's game at Mizzou the center fielder was a target for pitches by two different pitchers taking three bases while also connecting on two hits. It'll take Rumsey a while to catch up to his former teammate Mark Shallenberger in hit by pitches though as the 2024 graduate recorded a program high 28 HBP last season. 

This weekend's series at Central Arkansas can be followed by fans through live stats. Only Sunday's game will be broadcast on ESPN+ at 1 p.m. on March 9.