Offense continues to shine in Aces series-clinching win over Sycamores

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – In a battle of home runs, the University of Evansville baseball team’s offense was overpowering, securing a series victory with a 12-9 win over Indiana State on Sunday afternoon in Terre Haute.

“I knew it was going to be an offensive game today with the wind blowing out, but Shane Harris was able to come out of the pen and get the important outs,” said Aces head baseball coach Wes Carroll. “We had big hits up and down the lineup especially when we recaptured the lead in the seventh. Proud of this team after getting walked off the field Friday night to earning the series win. We are ready to be back home the next couple of weeks”

Of nine combined home runs in the game, Evansville launched three with each going for two runs or more. On the other side, Indiana State had six homers, but four were solo shots.

On the mound, right handed Caleb Reinhardt got the start, going five innings, allowing five runs and striking-out three. Nate Hardman and Donovan Schultz came on in relief, but it was Shane Harris who locked down the final 3.1 innings and earned the win, allowing just one run on four hits and recording a strikeout.

The top of the first continued to prove fruitful for the Aces, who scored five in the opening half inning. After a leadoff double from Mark Shallenberger, Tanner Craig blasted a two-run shot to center for a 2-0 Aces lead. Evansville would bat around, scoring three more runs to take a five-run advantage after three outs.

Indiana State climbed back into the contest with single home runs in the first, second, and third, while reliever Jack Parici held the Aces offense in check to trail just 5-4.

Evan Berkey boosted Evansville’s lead back to three-runs with his ninth dinger of the season in the fourth to give UE a 7-4 lead.

The sixth looked to be a turning point for Indiana State as the Sycamores roared back with four runs, including a three-run go ahead home run from Tyler Nelson that gave Indiana State its first lead of the day at  8-7.

Evansville did not wait long to retake the lead on an RBI double by Danny Borgstrom and an error by the Sycamores.

The Aces got some much needed insurance in the eighth. Simon Scherry came to the plate and delivered, crushing a three-run bomb to left that lifted Evansville’s lead to 12-8.

In the bottom of the ninth, Indiana State scored a single run, but Harris closed down the win for the series victory.

Evansville is back at German American Bank Field on Tuesday night at 6 PM against Belmont in Evansville.