EVANSVILLE, Ind. –  The University of Evansville junior trio of starter Nick Smith and relievers Shane Harris and Nate Hardman combined to shut down the high-powered attack of nationally-ranked Indiana State on Friday night, as the Purple Aces posted a 2-1 victory over the 14th-ranked Sycamores at German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium in Evansville.
“What an outstanding pitching performance tonight from Nick Smith, Shane Harris and Nate Hardman,†said UE head coach Wes Carroll.  “They overcame a couple of mistakes that we had and really performed well tonight.  What a great start to the weekend!â€
Smith held an Indiana State team which entered the night hitting .319 in Missouri Valley Conference play and riding a nation’s best 14-game winning streak to just five base hits and an unearned run in 7.0 innings of work.  He did not allow a man to advance past second base until the seventh inning, and yielded just two singles and an error the first two trips through the ISU batting order.
Smith’s effort was needed, as Indiana State starter Matt Jachec matched Smith inning for inning, except for the fourth inning, when the Purple Aces took a 1-0 lead.  A lead-off double by junior shortstop Simon Scherry opened the frame for Evansville, and after a fly out, Scherry would score on an RBI single by junior second baseman Kip Fougerousse to give UE a 1-0 lead.  The hit extended Fougerousse’s hitting streak to 10 games.
Smith and Jachec would take the game into the seventh inning with the score remaining 1-0, as the right-handers traded zeros on the scoreboard.  Indiana State would finally scratch across a run against Smith in the top of the seventh inning after a lead-off hit-by-pitch, a single and an error put two men in scoring position to open the inning.  Smith would get a strikeout for the first out, but catcher Grant McGill would flare a double into short right-center field that just fell in amongst a trio of diving Purple Aces to score one run and tie the game at 1-1.  Smith would get the top two hitters of the ISU batting order out though to escape the jam and end his night tied at 1-1.
Indiana State would threaten to take the lead in the top of the eighth inning, as the Sycamores got the lead-off man aboard on a strikeout and a two-base wild pitch.  Harris (4-2) would follow a sacrifice bunt with a strikeout though, and then got an inning-ending ground out to third base to keep the score tied at 1-1.
Jachec would give way to reliever Cameron Holycross (4-1) in the bottom of the eighth inning for ISU, and UE fifth-year first baseman Chase Hug roped a lead-off ground-rule double into the right-field corner on the first pitch he saw to open the inning.  After a wild pitch advanced Hug to third base, Scherry scored Hug with an RBI ground out to second to give UE a 2-1 lead.  Hardman then came on out of the UE bullpen to work a perfect ninth inning to record his fifth save of the year.
Graduate outfielder Eric Roberts and sophomore catcher Evan Waggoner both had two hits to lead the UE offense, with Fougerousse and Scherry driving in UE’s two runs.
With the victory, Evansville improves to 25-16 overall and 9-7 in the MVC.  Indiana State, meanwhile, sees its 14-game winning streak come to a close, as the Sycamores fall to 26-13 overall and 14-2 in the Valley.  The two teams will continue the series on Saturday afternoon, with UE junior LHP Donovan Schultz (5-2, 3.40 ERA) expected to battle ISU RHP Connor Fenlong (5-2, 4.57 ERA).  Saturday’s game can be heard live in the Tri-State area on 107.1 FM-WJPS and the Old National Bank/Purple Aces Sports Network from Learfield.
