PEORIA, Ill. – The University of Evansville baseball team dropped game one of Friday's doubleheader at Bradley before game two was postponed with the Aces leading 7-0 in the bottom of the fifth. Game two will resume tomorrow at 1 PM and will be followed by the series finale at Dozer Park.
Bradley took game one by a score of 5-2, using a four-run seventh inning to earn the win. Max Hansmann (Elmhurst, Ill./York) provided a quality start for the Aces, tossing six innings of one-run ball. Davis Webb got the win in relief for Bradley, while Owen Byberg (Barrie, Ontario/Frontier CC) took the loss for Evansville.
HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 1)
The game was a pitcher's duel to start, with Hansmann and Bradley starter Lou Levy trading zeroes through the first four innings of play. Hansmann worked around leadoff walks in the second and fourth and stranded a runner at second in the fourth to keep the game scoreless.
Evansville broke the scoreless tie in the fifth, with Ximi Baftiri (Morris, Ill./Morris) starting the inning with a base hit up the middle followed by a line drive double into the left field corner by Spike Magill (Highlands Ranch, Colo./Mountain Vista), putting runners on second and third. Charlie Longmeier (Seymour, Ind./Seymour) cashed in on the scoring chance, lifting a sac fly to left field to score Baftiri and give the Aces a 1-0 lead.
Hansmann struck out a pair in the fifth to keep the Aces in the front, but Bradley took advantage of two walks and an HBP to push a run across in the sixth and tie the game at one.
In the bottom of the seventh, Byberg took over on the mound and retired two of the first three batters he faced, but the Braves mounted a two-out rally. A single, double, walk, and another double plated four runs, giving the Braves a 5-1 lead.
The Aces put together a two-out rally of their own in the eighth, working three walks and an HBP to push across a run. However, Evansville left the bases loaded to end the threat.
In the ninth, the Aces threatened again, using a walk and an HBP to put the tying to the plate, but the Braves were able to hang on for a 5-2 win.
HOW IT HAPPENED (Game 2)
Freshman Tanner Graham (Rocheport, Mo./Hickman) got the ball to start in game two and was excellent, working around a pair of hits in the first inning before retiring the side in order in the second.
Evansville got on the board in the top of the third, using a walk and a stolen base by Magill to set up Longmeier for an RBI base hit through the right side to get the Aces on the board.
Graham continued to roll over the next two innings, striking out three to get through four scoreless.
Evansville broke it open in the fifth, putting up six runs to take a 7-0 lead. The inning began with a walk and three singles to plate a run, followed by three consecutive bases loaded walks to force a move to the bullpen. With the bases still loaded, Reagan Reeder (Ramsey, Minn./Anoka) smashed a double to the wall in left center, scoring two more runs.
After the Braves got out of the inning, the game was put into a weather delay before being suspended. Game two will resume tomorrow at 1 PM with the Aces leading 7-0 in the bottom of the fifth.
UP NEXT
Evansville and Bradley will play the remainder of game two tomorrow at 1 PM with the series finale to follow at Dozer Park.
