FLORENCE, KY – The Evansville Otters (8-11) beat the Florence Y’alls (7-10) in an extra-inning thriller 9-8 on Saturday night in Florence.
In the first inning, the Otters struck right away. A leadoff walk from Ty Crittenberger set the stage for three straight Evansville singles. Pavin Parks delivered with an RBI single to begin the scoring. JT Benson then hit a sacrifice fly a couple of hitters later. The third run came in on a wild pitch.
Heading into the bottom of the first, it was 3-0 Otters. Evansville sent out Braden Scott to start in the series middle game. The Y’alls were able to get two back in the first to make it just a 3-2 lead for the Otters after one.
In Evansville’s half of the second, they were able to score once again. Crittenberger reached on an error and was then driven in by a two-run home run off the bat of Graham Brown. The inning ended with a 5-2 Evansville lead.
The Otters would hold this lead until a five-run third inning put the Y’alls ahead 7-5. Braden Scott would end up throwing a gutsy six innings, which allowed the Otters to stay in it.
Evansville got one back in the sixth on an Alain Camou sacrifice fly to make it 7-6 Y’alls. Then, in the seventh, JJ Cruz had a clutch RBI hit to tie it all up once again.
Nick McAuliffe would enter and throw two outstanding innings in the seventh and eighth. He did not surrender a run and struck out three. Griff Hughes then entered in the ninth with the score still even at seven. He would strike out the final batter he faced to send it to extras.
In the Otters part of the tenth, Keenan Taylor and Camou walked to load the bases. Brown came up with two outs in the inning and sent a line drive to center field to drive in two and give Evansville a 9-7 lead.
In Florence’s half of the frame, Nate Wohlgemuth would get the chance to close it down. Florence was able to get one across with only one out. Wohlgemuth struck out the final two batters with his final pitch clocking in at 97 MPH to get the emphatic win.
The rubber match between the two is tomorrow at 12:07 p.m. CT. You can listen live on 96.9 WYIR or the Otters Digital Network, and watch on the Hometeam Network.
