The Evansville Otters fell to the Washington Wild Things for a second consecutive game in the Frontier League Division Series Wednesday after becoming victim to a five-run fourth inning by the Wild Things’ offense, pushing Washington to an 8-4 win over the Otters at Bosse Field.
The Wild Things started the game aggressively with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning, featuring RBI singles from Carter McEachern and Kyle Pollock off Evansville starter Tyler Beardsley.
The Otters would respond to take a lead in the bottom of the second with three runs. Three straight hits by Jeff Gardner, Carlos Castro and Brant Whiting jump-started the inning with Whiting hitting an RBI double. A double by J.J. Gould batted in Castro and Whiting, giving the Otters a 3-2 lead.
The Otters lead would last for an inning as the Washington offense would strike again in the top of the fourth.
McEachern led off the frame with a triple to right field. Then three walks loaded the bases for Washington with McEachern scoring on the third walk. Roman Collins would clear the bases with Washington’s second triple of the inning, picking up three RBIs. The damage would be held to five runs in the inning, giving the Wild Things a 7-3 advantage.
Washington would take an 8-3 lead in the fifth off a sac fly by Pollock.
The sixth and seventh frames would go quietly for each team.
In the bottom of the eighth, Evansville earned a run back off a sac fly by Castro, but that would be all the Otters could record in their comeback attempt as Washington would win by a final of 8-4.
On the mound, Chase Cunningham picked up the win for Washington, allowing three runs off seven hits in six innings pitched. Zach Strecker did not record a save but closed out the game with a shutout ninth.
For Evansville, Beardsley was dealt the loss, surrendering seven runs on six hits and four walks in 3.2 innings. Beardsley also struck out five.
The third game of the best-of-five series will be Friday from Wild Things Park in Washington, Pa. with first pitch at 6:05 p.m. CT.
