The Purple Aces were shut out for only the third time this season
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville baseball team began the weekend with a close 3-0 loss to the Belmont Bruins on Friday night.
Sophomore right-hander Kellen Roberts (Monroe, Mich. / Monroe HS) had a career game for the Purple Aces on Friday night, pitching five innings, only allowing five hits, two runs, and a walk while striking out six batters. But Roberts’ big game couldn’t make up for UE’s lack of offense on Friday night against Belmont’s two pitchers. Five different batters recorded a hit for Evansville while three reached base twice in the quiet game.
“It was a competitive Friday night game in the Valley that didn’t go our way,” said Head Coach Wes Carroll after the loss. “Our guys on the mound really competed tonight and gave us a chance. We couldn’t get the big hit through nine innings.”
It was a defensive showdown early in the River City on Friday evening. Neither team allowed a runner to get past second base for the first four innings of the night. Belmont added a hit in the first three innings while the Aces had a single in the first and a double in the fourth from infielder Cal McGinnis (Kimberly, Wis. / Bradley).
The Bruins broke the shutout in the top of the fifth after starting the inning with two free bases. Belmont’s first two batters were hit by pitches and both advanced into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. Roberts struck out the next batter and intentionally walked Bruin’s shortstop Pete Daniel, loading the bases.
Belmont took advantage of the situation with a single through the right side to score two runs. UE’s defense was able to get the third out after the runs scored, heading to the bottom of the fifth down by two. Catcher Matt Flaherty (Lake Zurich, Ill. / Bellarmine) singled for Evansville during the frame, but was thrown out on a double play in the next at-bat to end the Aces’ potential scoring chance.
The Bruins added another run to their lead in the sixth with three straight hits off reliever Jack Clevidence (Ankeny, Iowa / Ankeny HS). Clevidence was able to lock in after the hits, striking out the next batter and getting Belmont’s fifth of the inning to ground into a double play.
UE had its best opportunity to end the shutout at the bottom of the sixth inning, as three straight walks from Bruins starter Joe Ruzicka loaded the bases. It looked like Evansville was going to score when McGinnis hit a ball that seemed like it was going to drop into shallow left center field. But Daniels leaped up to grab the ball that was going over his head, not only getting McGinnis out on the play but also firing to second for a double play. The double play ended the sixth inning to head into the final third of the game.
The Aces’ defense and pitching staff kept Belmont mostly quiet over the next three innings, only allowing one hit in 12 batters. UE had a chance in the bottom of the ninth to make something happen as leadoff batter Ty Rumsey (Evansville, Ind. / North HS) put a single through the right side to start the frame. McGinnis also reached base for Evansville on a walk two at-bats later. But the Aces’ final two batters of the night struck out, falling to the Bruins 3-0.
UE will try to even the series on Saturday afternoon at German American Bank Field. Evansville’s pitcher with the most starts this season, left-hander Kevin Reed (Martinsville, Ind. / Martinsville HS), will take the mound on Saturday in the middle matchup of the weekend. First pitch between the Aces and Bruins on May 3 is set for 2 p.m., weather permitting.
