Aces open homestand with loss to Belmont

EVANSVILLE – Back at home after two weeks on the road, the University of Evansville baseball team dropped a non-conference midweek contest to Belmont, 8-2, on Tuesday night at German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium.

“We got tripped up tonight by a hot club. We didn’t play well from the start, but had a chance towards the end,” said Aces head baseball coach Wes Carroll. “Look forward to the next couple of days of practice to get ready for Bradley.”

Third baseman Brent Widder and outfielders Mark Shallenberger and Eric Roberts powered Evansville’s offense on the night. Widder recorded his 17th multi-hit game of the season, tied for most on the team, while Shallenberger drove in a run with an RBI base-hit in the fifth inning. Roberts helped UE close within one in the seventh with a solo blast, his third home run of the season.

The Aces got out of a jam early in the contest as the Bruins loaded the bases with just one out in the first. Evansville starter Donovan Schultz was able to get out of the situation with a strikeout and a pop-out. After threatening in the first, Belmont added single runs in the second and third to open the scoring.

In the fifth, Evansville got a run back as Mark Shallenberger drove in Danny Borgstrom to halve the Bruins lead. The back-and-forth contest continued in the next half inning as Belmont got a run to go back in front by two runs.

Evansville got a breakthrough in the bottom of the seventh when Eric Roberts launched a homer to right field, getting UE back within one at 3-2.

The Bruins pulled away with a big inning in the top of the eighth, scoring five runs with only one earned, four of which came with two outs, to secure the 8-2 win.

The Aces continue their homestand with a three-game set against Bradley this weekend, beginning with game one on Friday at 6 PM at German American Bank Field.