An offensive spree in the seventh inning helped the Aces build an advantage that the Skyhawks could not overcome on Wednesday.
Tied at one, senior Troy Beilsmith opened the stanza by earning a walk and eventually advancing to second on a wild pitch. Freshman Brent Widder then took advantage of a defensive mistake by UT Martin and reached on an error.
Patient as he has been much of the season, senior Ben Komonosky then drew a walk to load the bases for Evansville with no outs. Junior Mason Brinkley got an opportunity in the seventh, coming in as a pinch hitter for senior Craig Shepherd. Brinkley took a first-pitch strike before fouling-off a pitch and taking a ball to run the count to 1-2. On the next pitch, Brinkley ripped a double down the left-field line, scoring Beilsmith and Widder and providing the Aces with their first lead.
Evansville was not done offensively as junior Tanner Craig delivered an RBI single with one out and sophomore Danny Borgstrom recorded a sacrifice fly to help the Aces earn a 5-1 lead.
The Skyhawks would not go away without a fight as UT Martin answered with two runs in the bottom half of the seventh to close within two runs.
In the final two innings, Evansville had to fend off the Skyhawks, who opened each of the eighth and ninth innings with a runner on with no outs, but the Aces pitching came up strong in important moments. The ninth inning saw UT Martin earn a walk to lead-off the inning, but freshman pitcher Jace Kressin locked-down to close-out the game, inducing a fly-out and striking-out a pair, including a game-ending K to secure his second collegiate save.
Evansville is quickly back on the road this weekend for a three-game set against the College of Charleston on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in Charleston, S.C.
