With the Missouri Valley Conference tournament on the horizon, the University of Evansville baseball team will look to turn their recent fortunes around in their final home series of the regular season against Missouri State.
The Aces (21-23, 8-7) are coming off their a rough weekend weekend, which saw them get swept by Southern Illinois. It was their first time getting swept in Missouri Valley Conference play, and only their their third series loss this season.
The Aces’ continued it’s struggles against Murray State Tuesday, falling to the non-conference Racers, 6-4 at Evansville’s Charles H. Braun Stadium.
THE OPPOSITION:  • The Bears (15-32, 6-9) bounced back from a four-game losing streak to take 2-of-3 from Dallas Baptist this past weekend in Springfield.
MSU fell to former league rival Wichita State 9-4 in extra innings at home Tuesday night.
THE STARTING ROTATION:  •  The Aces will open the weekend with junior left-hander Nathan Croner (5-6, 4.35 ERA) to face the Bears. Last time out, Croner pitched 4.1 innings against Southern Illinois, allowing five runs on five hits, while striking four, in taking the loss in Evansville’s 6-2 set back. Missouri State will counter with RHP Logan Wiley (3-5, 3.88.
On Saturday, the Aces will send out senior right-hander Justin Hayden (2-2, 4.20 ERA) for his seventh start of the season. Last time out, Hayden gave up three runs, two earned, on five hits, while striking out seven, but suffered the loss in UE’s 4-1 defeat to SIU. The Bears will counter with LHP Jake Lochner (3-2, 5.33 ERA.
On Sunday, neither team has determined a starter yet.
ALL-TIME SERIES:  • The Aces and Bears have met 97 times previously, with Missouri State holding the series edge 57-40, dating back to 1986. The last time the two crossed paths on the diamond, MSU swept UE out of Hammons Field last season three straight. The last time the Aces took a series victory from the Bears was in April of 2013, taking two of three, April 26-28.
