The Evansville Otters split a doubleheader with the Southern Illinois Miners, losing the first game 2-0 and then winning the second game 3-2, on Thursday night at Rent One Park.
In the first game of the doubleheader, the Otters could not muster an offensive attack as they were shutout 2-0.
The only scoring of the game came on one swing of the bat in the bottom of the sixth inning. With the bases loaded, Romeo Cortina plated two runs with a double to give the Miners a 2-0 lead, but the third runner was thrown out at the plate on a well-executed relay from the Otters.
The Otters could not recover in the top of the seventh and Southern Illinois finished off the 2-0 win.
Steven Ridings went the full seven innings for the Miners allowing just three hits and striking out five in his first complete game shutout of the season.
Tyler Beardsley takes the tough luck loss, his sixth on the season. Beardsley went 5.1 innings allowing two runs on four hits while striking out four and walking two.
The Otters were able to rebound and salvage the series and the doubleheader with a 3-2 victory in the tail end of the twin bill.
Southern Illinois got on the board first in the second game on a Joe Duncan RBI single in the bottom of the third.
The Miners doubled their lead on a Harrison Bragg RBI single in the fourth.
Evansville responded with three runs in the fifth to take the lead. J.J Gould motored home from second on a David Cronin RBI fielder’s choice and Ryan Long then put the Otters on top with a two-run homer, his ninth of the season.
That would be all the offense the Otters would need as the bullpen held firm to secure the 3-2 victory.
Tyler Vail gets the win for the Otters, his third on the season. Vail went 4.2 innings allowing two runs on five hits while striking out three.
Kurt Heyer is hung with the loss after going five innings, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out six.
Alex Phillips picks up his first save of the year with a perfect ninth where he struck out two hitters.
The Otter now return home to play a four-game series with the Florence Freedom starting tomorrow at 6:35 p.m. at Bosse Field.
