The Evansville Otters broke out the bats and the brooms in an 8-1 win over the Southern Illinois Miners Sunday, winning their seventh game in a row to complete a four-game sweep of the Miners.
The four-game sweep was the Otters’ first since 2013, and the win extended the Otters’ lead in the West Division to three games.
The Otters took an early lead in the bottom of the first when Riley Krane singled home Miles Gordon from second with two out in the inning, as the Otters pulled ahead 1-0.
Evansville would add to their advantage in the second inning, again with two outs. Gary Mattis hit his fourth double in his sixth professional game with two out, ahead of Andrew Penner who tripled Mattis home. At the end of two, Evansville led 2-0.
Evansville continued to pour it on in the third, when Elijah MacNamee, Dakota Phillips, and Andretty Cordero all drove in runs in consecutive at-bats with a single, double, and groundout, respectively.
Through the first third of the ballgame, the Otters led 5-0.
The Miners would score their first and only run of the game in the top of the fifth, when an unearned run scored on Luke Mangieri’s RBI groundout against Otters’ starter Ryan O’Reilly.
The Otters answered the unearned run with their biggest blows at bat in the bottom of the fifth. Krane opened the Otters’ half of the inning with a solo drive to right, his eleventh blast of the season, before Dakota Phillips would club the Otters’ second home run of the inning and the series with an opposite field solo shot. The Otters would go on to load the bases in the inning for Andy DeJesus, who drove in the Otters’ eighth and last run of the ballgame.
After five, the Otters led by the final score of 8-1.
O’Reilly would work into the seventh inning, getting the first two outs before loading the bases with a walk issued to Nolan Earley. At that point, Taylor Wright come on in relief to get the last batter of the inning to ground out on two pitches, ending the threat.
Wright also worked a 1-2-3 eighth, striking out the last two batters he faced.
University of Southern Indiana product Jacob Bowles come on in the ninth to pitch the second full scoreless inning for the Otters’ bullpen, sending the Otters to their seventh win in a row and a four-game sweep of the Miners.
After an off day Monday, the Otters will travel to Crestwood, Illinois to open a six-game road trip against the Windy City ThunderBolts on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on Frontier League LiveTV, with a 6:50 p.m. pregame show.
