The Purple Aces last back-to-back long balls came against the Bears in 2024
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The University of Evansville baseball team took an early lead on Saturday afternoon but ultimately fell to the Missouri State Bears 7-2.
The Purple Aces added their 19th and 20th home runs of the season in their second game against Missouri State. But the long balls from left fielder Charlie Longmeier (Seymour, Ind. / Seymour HS) and infielder Cal McGinnis (Kimberly, Wis. / Bradley) weren’t enough to push UE past the Bears. McGinnis, along with catcher Evan Waggoner (Bedford, Ind. / Bedford North Lawrence HS), led Evansville at the plate with two hits each while Waggoner and first baseman Jake McGhee (Fenton, Mo. / Christian Brothers Academy) had two walks.
“Our offense didn’t have an answer for their two pitchers today,” said Head Coach Wes Carroll following the loss. “It’s tough to lose a series on a Saturday. But tomorrow is an important game in the big picture of the conference season.”
The Aces got on base early Saturday afternoon as UE had a batter reach first in three straight innings. Evansville’s first hit didn’t come until the top of the second when shortstop Drew McConnell (Blue Springs, Mo. / Blue Springs HS) put a single into right center. But the Aces’ defense kept Missouri State quiet early to give the offense time to bring in a run.
And bring in a run, UE did as Longmeier hit his fourth home run of the year to right field. The homer gave Evansville a 1-0 lead early, and the team soon got another run on the board. McGinnis took two pitches from Bears starter Jason Schaaf before hitting his own bomb past the right field fence.
McGinnis’ third home run of the season gave the Aces a 2-0 lead after only two and a half innings on Saturday. Two more batters reached base for UE in the third as McGhee walked, and Waggoner added his fifth double of the year. But the two runners remain stranded as Evansville went into the bottom of the frame with its first lead of the series.
The Aces’ defense took Missouri State down in order to close out the first third of the game on top. But UE’s offense struggled the next two innings, going down in order twice. While the Bears cut Evansville’s lead by a run in the bottom of the fourth with a lead-off solo home run. The Aces held onto their lead through the fourth with three straight outs after the lead-off run.
Missouri State was able to tie the game in the bottom of the fifth with another solo shot to begin the frame. The Bears quickly took over on offense in the inning as they put a fielder’s choice and four straight hits into the field to score three more runs. The game score remained 5-2 for the next two and a half innings.
UE added two more hits and loaded up the bases on two separate occasions through the sixth and the eighth. McGhee and Waggoner again went back-to-back on base in the top of the sixth with a single each. Evansville didn’t have another hit in the inning but did load the bases with a hit-by-pitch. But with two outs on the board already, the Aces stranded three with a strikeout.
The second loaded bases situation of the game for UE came in the top of the eighth inning. McGhee and Waggoner were walked by Missouri State reliever Max Knight to begin the eighth. A third walk to pinch hitter Brodie Peart (Markham, Ontario) after a strikeout put Evansville into another bases-loaded situation. But again, the Aces left all three runners stranded on base with a strikeout and a flyout.
The Bears added two more runs in the bottom of the eighth with their own back-to-back home runs. UE’s defense got the next three batters down in order, heading into its final chance at the plate. McGinnis got his second hit of the day in the top of the ninth with a one-out single to right center. But Evansville wasn’t able to bring McGinnis home, falling to Missouri State 7-2.
The Aces will try to steal a game from the Bears on Sunday in the series finale. The rubber match is currently set for a 1 p.m. first pitch on Sunday, April 27.
