The Purple Aces got right back into the win column on Saturday
CHICAGO – In the second game of three this weekend at the home of the UIC Flames, the University of Evansville baseball team fended off UIC to earn a close 7-6 win.
The Purple Aces scored in the first inning on Saturday but had to come back from two separate ties to pick up their fifth win of conference play. Catcher Matt Flaherty (Lake Zurich, Ill. / Bellarmine) was again the ninth inning hero for UE with the RBI single to score the winning run. It was Flaherty’s second RBI single of the game to help him lead Evansville with three RBIs.
“What an awesome college baseball game!” said Head Coach Wes Carroll following the win. “We found a way to win when we put ourselves in some challenging spots. Reed and Byberg competed on the mound, and we got a big double play from our defense. We had some great at-bats, and I’m fired up that Longmeier has developed into a dangerous hitter. We have a big opportunity tomorrow to get another road series win with Hansmann on the mound.”
The Aces took the lead early at Curtis Granderson Stadium on Saturday as outfielder Ty Rumsey (Evansville, Ind. / North HS) began the game with a triple to left center. Rumsey scored UE’s first run on an error by the catcher as left fielder Charlie Longmeier (Seymour, Ind. / Seymour HS) stole second and took third on the throw. A single from Flaherty brought Longmeier home for a 2-0 Evansville lead after only half an inning.
The Flames were able to cut the Aces’ lead in half with two singles in four at-bats in the bottom of the first. UE put two runners in scoring position in the second on a walk and a single for first baseman Kevin McCormick (Orland Park, Ill. / St. Laurence HS). But three straight outs after McCormick’s single ended the top of the second.
After a strikeout to begin the bottom of the inning, UIC had back-to-back doubles to have its first tie of the afternoon. Evansville again got two runners on in the top of the third but didn’t bring one home. In the bottom of the third, the Aces turned a double play after letting a single go in the infield to keep it a 2-2 draw after a third of the game.
UE had its best offensive inning in the top of the fourth as McCormick led off with a walk. After the walk, third baseman Drew Howard (Ferdinand, Ind. / Forest Park HS) singled to center field, putting McCormick in scoring position at third. Rumsey’s second time up to bat resulted in an RBI as he hit a sacrifice fly to right for McCormick, giving Evansville a 3-2 lead.
The Aces were then able to extend their lead as Longmeier hit his third home run of the year to score himself and Howard. UE kept the 5-2 lead through one batter in the bottom of the fourth as the Flames connected on a solo shot to left. It was a quick fifth and sixth innings as neither team got a runner past third. Evansville threatened in the top of the fifth with runners at the corners. But with two outs on the board already, a fielder’s choice ended the Aces’ opportunity to score a sixth run.
UIC’s offense got back into the game in the bottom of the seventh. Two walks and a single had the bases loaded for the Flames, with two outs on the board. In two pitcher,s UIC’s shortstop put a ball into the infield that was mishandled by UE’s second baseman. The error cost Evansville two runs as the Flames tied the game for the second time at 5-5.
The Aces offense didn’t get anything going in the eighth as UIC threatened again in the bottom of the inning. The Flames’ first three batters reached base to load them with no outs on the board. UE was able to turn a 6-2-3 double play to get outs at home and first on the fourth at-bat to keep a run from scoring. Relief pitcher Owen Byberg (Barrie, Ontario / Frontier CC) intentionally walked the next UIC batter and pitched the next into a groundout at first to get out of the eighth with no damage.
Evansville had the start it wanted to the top of the ninth with the top of the order due up. Rumsey put a lead off single into center while Longmeier followed up with a double to put both runners into scoring position. Flaherty then connected on his second hit of the day with a long single to center field. The single going to the outfield gave Rumsey and Longmeier enough time to score, making it a 7-5 Aces lead.
UE got one more single in the top of the ninth from second baseman Cal McGinnis (Kimberly, Wis. / Bradley) but didn’t bring a third run home. With a two-run lead, Evansville headed to the final frame of the game only needing three outs to even the series. The Aces gave up a lead off double to the Flames but got the next two batters out on a round out and a short flyout.
But UIC was able to score a run on an RBI single to center for a one-run game. With two outs on the board, UE’s defense settled in and drew the final out from the infield. Evansville evened the series at 1-1 with the 7-6 win over the Flames and improved to 11-19 on the season.
Byberg earned the win for the Aces, pitching three innings while giving up four hits, one earned run, and four walks. Starter Kevin Reed (Martinsville, Ind. / Martinsville HS) had another good performance on the mound for UE, with six innings of work. Reed struck out five UIC batters while only walking two with six hits. Four Evansville batters had two hits on the day from Rumsey, Longmeier, Flaherty, and McGinnis.
The Aces will go for their third series win of conference play on Sunday afternoon in a rubber match. First pitch from Chicago is set for 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 6.
