Aces baseball drops Opening Day doubleheader at Little Rock

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – In the first two contests of the 2025 season the University of Evansville baseball team wasn’t able to find an extra bit of offense for a win at Little Rock.

Starting the season off with a doubleheader the Purple Aces came close to a comeback win in the first game of the day. Up 4-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth the Little Rock Trojans found three runs to take game one 5-4. UE’s offense struggled to get going in the second game of the day, recording only three hits in the 5-1 loss.

“A tough way to start the season as we didn’t earn a win,” said Head Coach Wes Carroll following Friday’s doubleheader. “Too many mistakes at the end of both games hurt our chances. [Left-handed pitcher Kenton] Deverman gave us a chance with a great performance in the second game, but we couldn’t take advantage of it. We need to salvage the weekend on Sunday playing overall better baseball.”

Junior right-hander Max Hansmann (Elmhurst, Ill. / York HS) got the Opening Day start for his first start since April of 2023. But a leadoff walk for the Trojans turned into a scored run as it was followed by a hit and a line out. Hansmann ended the inning with his first strike of the day as Little Rock took a 1-0 lead into the second.

Neither team had much success on offense in the second inning. In the third junior third baseman Drew Howard (Ferdinand, Ind. / Forest Park HS) led off with a walk and moved to third on a ground out. Howard stole third during center fielder Ty Rumsey’s (Evansville, Ind. / North HS) second at-bat of the game. Rumsey connected for the Aces’ first hit of the day, scoring Howard to tie the game.

The game remained tied over the next three innings as a pitcher’s duel ensued. Hansmann ended his day after four innings with four hits, one run, three walks, and five strikeouts while facing 19 batters. Junior transfer Owen Byberg (Barrie, Ontario / Frontier CC) made his Division I debut in the fifth inning where he quickly struck out two batters.

UE added two hits in the fourth and the sixth innings from sophomore left fielder Charlie Longmeier (Seymour, Ind. / Seymour HS) and senior second baseman Cal McGinnis (Kimberly, Wis. / Bradley). But it was Little Rock who found home plate next in the bottom of the seventh. The Trojans’ first two batters made it on base and scored on a double play as Evansville took the outs at second and first over going for home.

The Aces responded immediately in the top of the eighth with back-to-back singles from first baseman Kevin McCormick (Orland Park, Ill. / St. Laurence HS) and Rumsey. Freshman pinch runner Ryan Seddon (Joliet, Ill. / St. Laurence HS) scored on a sacrifice fly from senior right fielder Harrison Taubert (Casper, Wyo. / Northeast CC) to tie the game while Rumsey made it to third.

Rumsey then quickly gave UE its only lead of the day when he scored on a passed ball during the next at-bat. Evansville’s next two batters were retired but not before taking advantage to grab a late-game lead. The Aces made two defensive changes in the bottom of the eighth as senior Ben Stuart (Mason, Ohio / William Mason HS) took over at first and senior right-hander Drew Fieger (Fort Mitchell, Ky. / Lincoln Trail CC) stepped onto the mound.

UE ended the inning with the one-run lead as Little Rock stranded a runner on third. Evansville added an insurance run in the top of the ninth as sophomore pinch runner Aaron Nehls (Evansville, Ind. / North HS) scored on an RBI single from Howard. But the insurance run wasn’t enough as the Trojans loaded the bases with one out.

After three walks to start the bottom of the ninth, Little Rock added a hit and a fielder’s choice against sophomore right-hander Kellen Roberts (Monroe, Mich. / Monroe HS) to tie the game. With two runners in scoring position a wild pitch from Roberts sent the walk-off Trojan run home in the 5-4 loss.

While the first game had a smattering of offense throughout, it was a pitcher’s duel almost from start to finish in the second game. 2024 MVC Freshman of the Year Kenton Deverman (Dardenne Prairie, Mo. / Fort Zumwalt West HS) began the game on the mound for the Aces and had all three putouts in the first inning. UE’s offense had a slightly better start as Rumsey began the game with a single.

But Evansville’s offense would grow cold not connecting on another hit until the final inning of the game. Deverman had a strong performance to keep the Aces in the game, not allowing a run in the first four innings with five strikeouts, three hits, and only one walk. The shutout was broken in the bottom of the fifth by Little Rock as their center fielder hit a two-run homer to right center.

Deverman pitched two more innings for UE, picking up two more strikeouts while retiring the Trojans in order both times. Evansville used two pitchers in the eighth inning as redshirt junior Parker MacCauley (Paducah, Ky. / Tennessee Tech) allowed two hits and a run. The Aces then put senior left-hander Jacob Jarvis (Farmington, Mo. / Jefferson College) in for the rest of the game. Little Rock added two more runs in the bottom of the eighth to take a commanding 5-0 lead.

UE would spoil the shutout in the top of the ninth as Taubert had Evansville’s only multi-base hit of the day. The right fielder launched a solo home run out of left field to score the Aces’ lone run of the second game. McGinnis followed up Taubert’s homer with a single to get on base and sophomore shortstop Brodie Peart (Markham, Ontario, Canada) walked. But a flyout followed by a double play ended the day for UE as they dropped the second game 5-1.

Rumsey led Evansville on Friday with three hits, a run, an RBI, and two stolen bases. McGinnis was the only other Ace with multiple hits as he connected on two in eight at-bats. Four other UE players had a hit each while Taubert had two RBIs in five at-bats. Evansville did steal four bases on Friday as Howard stole two along with Rumsey in six appearances at the plate.

Due to projected weather on Saturday in the Little Rock area, the Aces have the day off before returning to action. UE will try to bring a win back to Evansville on Sunday afternoon as first pitch from Gary Hogan Field is set for 1 p.m.

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