Aces baseball ties up the series with Central Arkansas in a 6-5 win

CONWAY, Ark. – The University of Evansville baseball team found its revenge for yesterday’s extra-innings loss with a 6-5 win over the Central Arkansas Bears on Saturday afternoon.

The Purple Aces offense didn’t step off the gas on Saturday as they churned out 15 hits for the team’s first back-to-back games with 10+ hits this season. Senior outfielder Harrison Taubert (Casper, Wyo. / Northeast CC) continues to be a monster at the plate with another three-hit game, all of which went for extra bases along with leading UE in RBIs with two. On the mound, junior RHP Elias Hachem (Oak Park, Ill. / Mt. Carmel HS) picked up his first career win going 1.1 innings with no hits and one strikeout while facing four batters.

“It was great to win a close game and give us a chance to win a series on the road,” said Head Coach Wes Carroll following Saturday’s win. “Byberg was able to avoid the big inning on the mound. But today comes down to Harrison Taubert. The young man is playing like an All-American at the plate and in the field. An outfield assist to win a game might be the spark this team needs.”

The Aces jumped out to an early lead at Bear Stadium as center fielder Ty Rumsey (Evansville, Ind. / North HS) took first base on a hit by pitch to lead off the game. Taubert followed up with UE’s first hit of the game with a double to left field as Rumsey landed at third. Shortstop Drew McConnell (Blue Springs, Mo. / Blue Springs HS) then ground out to Central Arkansas pitcher giving Rumsey enough time to score the first run of the game.

Evansville added another run on its next at-bat as designated hitter Jake McGhee (Felton, Mo. / Christian Brothers Academy) put a long single into left field, scoring Taubert. McGhee made it all the way to third on the next at-bat as catcher Evan Waggoner (Bedford, Ind. / North Bedford Lawrence HS) reached on a fielder’s choice and McGhee advanced on a throwing error. McGhee scored the Aces’ third run of the inning when left fielder Charlie Longmeier (Seymour, Ind. / Seymour HS) put a double down the left field line.

UE’s defense didn’t allow a run to score in the bottom of the inning from the Bears despite a lead-off walk and a fielding error as both runners were stranded on base. Evansville had one hit in the top of the second as second baseman Mason McCue (Bourbonnais, Ill. / Bishop McNamara HS) connected on his first hit as an Ace. McCue put the ball into right center with only one out on the board. But a foul out and a strikeout in the next two at-bats stranded the freshman at second.

Central Arkansas added a run in the bottom of the second as two batters connected on a hit and one runner advanced to third on a throwing error. It was a 3-1 game as UE headed into the top of the third and got a lead-off hit by pitch to start the inning. A single for Waggoner followed by first baseman Kevin McCormick (Orland Park, Ill. / St. Laurence HS) walking had the bases loaded for Evansville with two outs on the board. The Aces weren’t able to bring anyone across home as a fielder’s choice with an out at third ended the top of the third.

It seemed like the Bears were threatening early in the bottom of the third with a lead-off single. But the UE defense turned its fifth double play of the season to end the potential threat. Evansville had two runners on early to start the fourth as McCue was hit by a pitch and Rumsey singled up the middle. A strikeout and then a double play from Central Arkansas ended the offensive inning early for the Aces.

The Bears tied the game in the bottom of the fourth as they hit back-to-back solo home runs to make it 3-3. Central Arkansas followed up the home runs with a single down the right field line. UE was able to lock in and end the inning shortly after as starting pitcher Owen Byberg (Barrie, Ontario / Frontier CC) threw his first strikeout and two putouts.

Evansville’s offense had two hits in the top of the fifth but didn’t bring a runner home. While the Bears took a one-run lead in the bottom of the fifth on a sacrifice bunt after getting both of their first batters on base. The Aces were able to limit Central Arkansas to only one run with a long third out to home from right field.

UE’s offense was able to answer in the top of the sixth as Taubert hit his third home run of the season past the left field fence. The solo homer was the only hit of the sixth for Evansville as they headed to the bottom of the inning tied at four runs each.

The Bears again threatened early in the bottom of the sixth with a lead-off single and a hit by pitch. A sacrifice bunt put both runners for Central Arkansas in scoring position and the Aces made a change on the mound to senior RHP Jacob Jarvis (Farmington, Mo. / Jefferson College). While Jarvis walked the first batter he faced, he got his second batter to hit into a double play by grabbing a lineout to himself and throwing a putout to Waggoner for the third out at home to end the inning still tied 4-4.

McGhee and Longmeier singled for UE in the top of the seventh, but a double play and a caught stealing quickly ended the top of the inning. It was a different story in the bottom of the inning as the Bears had back-to-back walks and a single to load the bases after Evansville switched to RHP Parker MacCauley (Paducah, Ky. / Tennessee Tech) on the mound. The Aces got back-to-back outs on the next two batters, but a wild pitch to Central Arkansas pinch hitter scored the go-ahead run.

UE had a strong start to the eighth inning as McCormick and third baseman Drew Howard (Ferdinand, Ind. / Park Forest HS) had back-to-back singles. Evansville’s next two batters struck out but a balk from Bears pitcher Cole MacRae tied the game at five as McCormick got to walk home. Taubert came up big again for the Aces with his third hit of the game putting a double into right field to score Howard for the lead.

In the bottom of the eighth UE switched pitchers as Hachem made his season debut. Evansville took down the Bears in order for only the second time that day while Hachem threw his first strikeout. The Aces’ offense didn’t add an insurance run in the top of the ninth as Longmeier was the only batter to reach base. But UE’s defense had a strong start to the bottom of the ninth with a ground out.

Evansville switched pitchers one last time, putting in closer RHP Kellen Roberts (Monroe, Mich. / Monroe HS) to get the last two outs. Roberts walked the first batter he faced but struck out the second. Central Arkansas got a single to put a runner into scoring position with two outs on the board. The Bears had another single on their next at-bat but a long throw from Taubert to Waggoner made it to home just in time to record the final out of the game.

Eight Aces recorded a hit on Saturday while Taubert and Longmeier led the way with three apiece. Also recording multiple hits on Saturday was McGhee, Waggoner, and McCormick. On the mound all but one UE pitcher recorded a strikeout while Jarvis and Hachem were the only pitchers to not allow a hit.

Evansville will look to win its first series of the season on Sunday afternoon. The Aces’ main ace on the mound in 2025, sophomore left-handed pitcher Kevin Reed (Martinsville, Ind. / Martinsville HS) is projected to start for UE. First pitch for the finale from Bear Stadium is set for 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 9.