FLORENCE, KY – Wrapping up the four-game series Thursday night, the Evansville Otters fell to the Florence Y’alls 8-4 at Thomas More Stadium.
The Y’alls (29-34) scored four runs in both the first and third innings to jump out to a 8-0 lead over the Otters (24-40). After the early lead, Florence secured a third win during the four game series.
Right-hander Parker Brahms (3-6) gave up all runs as the starter went two and one-thirds innings allowing seven hits. He took the loss while Reed Smith (6-1) earned the win.
Finding an answer in the fourth inning, the Otters plated their first run of the game to get on the board. Randy Bednar hit a triple to right-center field with one out, followed by David Mendham’s sacrifice RBI fly to make it 8-1.
Both offenses went quiet until the eighth inning when the final runs of the game scored.
After a leadoff walk from Delvin Zinn, Gary Mattis hit a two-run homer that narrowly escaped the ballpark over the right field wall.
Sparking a new rally with the bases empty, Pavin Parks immediately followed up with a single. He moved from first to third on a pair of wild pitches before Mendham brought him home with a base hit.
Two arms shined out of the bullpen in Ryan WIltse and Chip Korbacher tonight. Wiltse began his outing by retiring the first 10 men he faced. He allowed just one hit with five strikeouts in three and two-thirds innings.
Continuing the success, Korbacher finished the seventh and eighth frames not allowing a run on just one hit with two strikeouts. He set down the first five Y’alls in his appearance.
Leading the offense with two hits each, Bednar and Mattis had solid days at the plate. Mattis and Mendham strung together multi-RBI efforts.
Evansville will now head back to Bosse Field to begin a nine-game home stand. The weekend series will be played against the Lake Erie Crushers. The first of three games against the Grapes begins Friday night with a 6:35 p.m. CT first pitch. Coverage is available on the Otters Digital Network a
