It took a dozen innings, but the University of Evansville baseball team managed to edge Missouri State 4-3 in an all-important Missouri Valley Conference series opener Friday night at Charles H. Braun Stadium.
“It was just awesome, getting a walk-off win, especially in extra innings”, said Aces head coach Wes Carroll. “A lot of great baseball being played by both teams, especially on the mound, and for us to finally deliver a barrell there, and get a hop here at home, means a lot to our club.”
The game began as a pitchers duel as the Aces junior left-hander Nathan Croner and his Bears counterpart Logan Wiley combined to keep the game scoreless through the first four innings.
In the fifth, MSU would break through, as Dakota Kotowski delivered an RBI double to left off Croner, pushing across the first run of the game, However, that would be the only blemish on the night for the junior southpaw, as he went seven frames, striking out six, while allowing the one run on five hits.
Evansville would anser back in the bottom of the fifth, as freshman A.J. Fritz drilled a clutch two-out single to left, driving in sophomore first baseman Tanner Craig for the equalizer.
The seventh inning would see the Aces take the lead, sophomore pinch hitter Pete Vaccaro was the beneficiary of a Missouri State error, that allowed senior third baseman Sam Troyer to tally the go-ahead run. Later in the inning. a wild pitch would score A.J. Fritz for an insurance tally, making it 3-1 Evansville.
However, the Bears would strike for two runs on the UE bullpen in the eighth, knotting the game up and eventually sending it to extra innings. That’s where freshman reliever Shane Gray (3-1) dazzled, getting in and out of trouble, keeping the game tied at three through 2 2/3 innings of work, striking out four in the process.
The Aces would finally get a chance to end it in the bottom of the 12th, which began with freshman catcher Jacob Veseckycoming off the bench and coming up with a clutch one-out double. UE would eventually load up the bases with two outs, when senior left fielder Matthew Jones hit a hot shot to shortstop, then beat out the throw to first, allowing Vesecky to tally the game-winner.
The victory improved Evansville overall record to 22-23 and 9-7 in the Missouri Valley Conference play, while Missouri State drops to 15-33 and 6-10 in the MVC.
Game two of the series is back at Braun Stadium Saturday, with the start time mover up to 12 p.m. CT, due to predicted inclement weather in the Evansville area.
