DALLAS, Texas – Two three-run blasts in the top of the second put the University of Evansville baseball team on the front foot early, but it would only prove temporary as Dallas Baptist scored all but two of the ensuing frames to pick up a 12-8 victory over the Purple Aces on Sunday at Horner Ballpark.
“We didn’t have a great weekend on the mound, and we just didn’t have the kind of performances that we needed to succeed,†UE head coach Wes Carroll said. “I was very proud of our effort at the plate today. We had quality at-bats, with eight runs with 11 hits, that is usually good enough for a win.â€
The loss secured a series sweep for DBU as the Patriots improved to 32-14, including an 11-3 mark in conference play. UE dropped to 25-21 and 7-8, respectively.
The Aces hopped on Patriots starter Jordan Martinson in the second as Jeff Christen opened the scoring with his second homer of the year to make it 3-0, and Trey Hair followed up later in the frame with his second homer of the weekend to make it 6-0.
However, the Patriots would respond with nine runs over the next four innings to go ahead for good.
UE cut the deficit back to two with a Josh Jyawook double in the seventh, but it would be wiped out almost immediately with a Trooper Reynolds single in the ensuing half-inning, and Darick Hall added to the advantage with a towering two-run shot to right to make it 12-7.
Shain Showers followed up with a solo homer in the eighth to round out the game’s scoring.
The Aces finished the day with 11 hits in the contest, and Alex Weigand was dealt his first loss in conference play after allowing six runs over the opening 3.2 innings.
Meanwhile, David Martinelli led the way for DBU, coming up a homer short of the cycle with a pair of walks, and Dalton Higgins was lights out on the mound for the Patriots, allowing four hits over 5.1 innings of relief to improve to 6-3 on the year.
UE will be back in action later this week as the Aces will play host to Austin Peay on Wednesday.
NOTES: Sunday marked the fifth time this season that the Aces have hit at least three homers … All but one UE hitter this season has logged a home run … The last time 12 different UE players registered a homer was during the 2001 season. … This weekend marked the 14th, 15th and 16th meetings between the Patriots and the Aces … Dating back to 1978, the first year that UE participated in Division I baseball, UE is 5-11 versus Dallas Baptist … Last season, the Aces dropped two out of three to the Patriots in Evansville … UE last visited DBU in 2014, winning a pair of games at Horner Ballpark on the way to hoisting a conference title … Since 1978, the Aces are 7-16 all-time against opponents from the state of Texas.
