MARION, Ill. – Despite being held scoreless in a 4-0 loss Thursday night to the Southern Illinois Miners, the Evansville Otters saw former University of Southern Indiana pitcher Jacob Bowles excel out of the bullpen.
The game started off on a good note for the Otters with the first few batters of the game. The first three in the lineup – Andy DeJesus, Elijah MacNamee, and J.R. Davis – all reached base to load the bases with nobody out.
However, a strikeout and a double play ended the first inning without any Otters scoring.
Southern Illinois scored first in the bottom of the second inning on a single by Yeltsin Gudino to score Arturo Nieto. The score remained 1-0 until the fourth.
Leading off the bottom of the fourth inning, Jared Mang tagged Evansville starter Ryan O’Reilly for a solo home run, giving the Miners a 2-0 lead.
A few batters later, Nolan Earley drove in two more runs with a double.
O’Reilly then turned things over to the former Screaming Eagle Jacob Bowles on the mound to finish the inning.
O’Reilly’s final line read 3.2 innings, four runs, and two strikeouts. He took the loss in the final decision.
Bowles pitched his way against the Miners’ lineup, pitching to contact and utilizing his defense behind him. His lone strikeout of the relief effort came in the fifth, fanning Mang.
Bowles finished the game for the Otters, saving the bullpen, and held Southern Illinois in check the rest of the contest.
Bowles went 4.1 innings pitched, allowing no runs and only two hits, and struck out just the one.
Thursday was by far Bowles’ best, most efficient outing in relief for the Otters.
For the Miners, starter Zac Westcott earned the win, going six shutout innings and striking out nine batters.
Blake Stelzer, Augie Voight, and Joey Pulido finished the game out of the ‘pen for Southern Illinois.
Following a four-walk night at the plate Wednesday, Evansville’s J.R. Davis collected three hits on Thursday.
After a loss Thursday night by the Florence Y’alls, the Otters still hold a one-game lead in the Frontier League West Division going into Friday’s schedule.
On Friday, the Otters return home to Bosse Field to open a weekend series against the Gateway Grizzlies. First pitch Friday is 6:35 p.m. with gates opening an hour before.
Evansville will hand the ball to right-hander Austin Gossmann, who is scheduled to go up against right-hander Sam Gardner for the Grizzlies.
