Done in by a hot Butler offense, the University of Evansville baseball team attempted to battle back late, but dropped its Saturday matchup with the Bulldogs, 12-8, at German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium in Evansville.
“We were able to get the game tying run to the plate which is all you can ask as a coach when you give up 12 runs,” said Aces head baseball coach Wes Carroll. “However we didn’t play well enough to win in any aspect of the game. Butler’s starter did an outstanding job. Tomorrow is an important day at the Braun.”
Evansville found itself in an early hole on Saturday as the Bulldogs got their offense going early. Butler tallied five runs in the first three innings with two runs in each of the first and second innings and another run in the third to take a 5-0 lead.
The Aces scored their first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth as designated hitter Eric Roberts hit a sacrifice fly to score left fielder Mark Shallenberger.
Butler would answer with a run in the top half of the fifth, but Evansville again was there to chip away at the Bulldogs lead. The Aces pushed across a pair of runs in the fifth, cutting the deficit to three runs at 6-3.
The seventh inning saw Butler push its lead back to four at 7-3 and made it difficult for the Aces in the top of the eighth. The Bulldogs put five runs on the board in the eighth, giving them a 12-3 lead.
As has been true all season, Evansville did not go quietly on the day, popping for three runs in the bottom half of the eighth, fueled by three free bases in the inning.
Trailing 12-6 entering the bottom of the ninth, the Aces again gave themselves a chance. With the bases loaded, catcher Max Malley drove a base hit through the left side, scoring Brinkley and Roberts. After Troy Beilsmith walked in the next plate appearance, Evansville brought the tying run to the plate, but Butler’s Jack Pilcher closed the door with a strikeout to earn the 12-8 win for the Bulldogs.
Evansville and Butler close their series with a rubber match on Sunday at 1 PM at German American Bank Field in Evansville.
