EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville baseball team will return to Missouri Valley Conference play this weekend beginning on Thursday, as the Purple Aces will open a three-game Valley series with Southern Illinois at German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium in Evansville. First-pitch for the series-opener is set for 6 p.m.
Evansville will bring a 9-15 overall record into Thursday’s opener. The Purple Aces will be trying to snap a six-game losing streak this weekend, the longest for UE since the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Evansville and Southern Illinois split four games last season, including a 7-3 UE victory in the 2023 MVC Tournament opener for both schools.
Evansville’s offense will be buoyed by the return to graduate first baseman Chase Hug this weekend. Hug, who missed 20 games after straining his biceps on a swing in the second game of the year, officially returned to the UE lineup on Sunday against Murray State, and he picked up his first hit since returning Tuesday night with a three-run home run against SIUE. Hug was a first-team all-MVC selection last year, and was a preseason all-Valley player in a vote of the league’s coaches. Overall, Evansville is hitting .293 this year, led by graduate outfielder Mark Shallenberger’s .375 batting average.
Southern Illinois will bring a 17-8 overall record and 3-0 MVC mark into this weekend’s series after dropping an 8-7 decision to UT Martin on Tuesday night in 10 innings. The Salukis opened Valley play by sweeping Valparaiso at home last weekend. The Salukis will bring a .295 team batting average into the series, with senior Nathan Bandy leading the way with a .426 average in part-time action this year. Bandy went 3-for-4 on Tuesday night against UT Martin, driving in five runs for SIU. Outfielder Mathieu Vallee is next for the Salukis with a .333 average.
All three games of the weekend series can be heard live in the Tri-State area on 107.1 FM-WJPS, with the Voice of the Aces Jevin Redman providing the play-by-play. The games on Thursday and Friday night (both 6 p.m. starts) can be seen live on ESPN+. The series is moved up a day to Thursday, Friday and Saturday to accommodate the Easter holiday on Sunday. Senior RHP Shane Harris (1-4, 5.12 ERA) is expected to get the start for UE in Thursday’s opener.
