NORMAL, Ill. –  University of Evansville sophomore catcher Evan Waggoner came through with a two-out RBI double in the top of the ninth inning Saturday to snap a scoreless tie and propel the Purple Aces to a 1-0 victory over the homestanding Illinois State Redbirds at Duffy Bass Field in Normal, Illinois.

“What a ballgame!” said UE head coach Wes Carroll.  “With the elements today and the stiff wind blowing in, we really had to battle and find a way today offensively, and both Simon Scherry and Evan Waggoner came up huge for us in the ninth inning against a very tough closer for Illinois State to help us get this win.

“I can’t say enough about the job that both Donovan Schultz and Michael Parks did in this game today to get us the series victory.  Donnie had a great bounce-back effort today after a tough start last weekend, and Michael was able to tough it out after pitching last night to nail down the victory.  We are positioned very well going into tomorrow pitching-wise to try and earn the series sweep.”

On a day with a 20 mile-per-hour wind blowing in a majority of the game, pitching was the story of the contest.  UE junior LHP Donovan Schultz and Illinois State RHP Jayson Hibbard traded zeros back and forth all afternoon long through the first eight innings.  The two hurlers mirrored each other through the first two innings, working around a one-out double in the first, and setting both teams down in order in the second.

Evansville threatened in the third, as sophomore outfielder Ty Rumsey had a one-out single and stole second base, but was stranded there as Hibbard worked out of trouble.  Then, after striking out the side in the third inning, Schultz worked around a situation with two men in scoring position and only one out in the fourth inning, as he was aided by a great defensive play by junior shortstop Simon Scherry for a big second out, and got a ground out to first to escape the jam.

Schultz would toss seven scoreless innings, allowing just five hits and a walk, while striking out seven.  Hibbard, meanwhile, would go eight scoreless innings for Illinois State, allowing six hits and striking out three.

The game would remain scoreless until the ninth, when Evansville was able to rally against Illinois State closer Elijah Dale (2-4).  Scherry singled through the left side with two outs, then advanced to second base on a wild pitch.  Waggoner then roped a double down the right-field line to easily score Scherry and give UE a 1-0 lead.

Parks, working his second inning for the second-straight day, was able to work around a lead-off single by Illinois State power-hitter Daniel Pacella by getting pinch-hitter Noah Rabin to hit into a double play with one out to end the contest.

Scherry and fifth-year first baseman Chase Hug both went 2-for-4 to lead Evansville offensively.

With the victory, Evansville wins the series and improves to 28-18 overall and 11-9 in the Missouri Valley Conference.  Illinois State, meanwhile, falls to 17-26 overall and 6-14 in the MVC with the loss.  Evansville will try to sweep the season series on Sunday, as the two teams will battle at 1 p.m. in Normal, Illinois.  Junior RHP Shane Harris (4-2, 5.67 ERA) will get the starting nod for Evansville.

Aces fall by 8-0 final in game two

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Zoe Frossard had a perfect 2-for-2 showing from the plate in the University of Evansville’s 8-0 loss to Northern Iowa on Saturday afternoon at Robinson-Dresser Sports Complex.

Frossard picked up two of the Purple Aces’ three hits with Lacy Smith adding one of her own.  Making the start for UE was Mikayla Jolly.  She threw two innings with seven runs, five earned, scoring.  Erin Kleffman tossed the duration with one run scoring in 2 1/3 frames.

UNI wasted little time in taking the lead as Mya Dodge launched a 2-run home run with two outs in the first to put her squad on top.  The Panthers did the most damage in the second with five runs scoring on three hits.  Madison Parks hit a 2-run double to highlight the stretch with UNI extending its lead to 7-0.

Smith and Frossard picked up hits in the early innings while Alexa Davis drew a walk in the fourth.  Davis stole second to get into scoring position before being stranded on base.  Frossard added a bunt single in the top half of the fifth.

In the bottom of the 5^th, Northern Iowa put the finishing touch on the 8-0 win with Maggie Erpelding scoring on a sacrifice fly to end the game.  Pitcher Anna Wsichnowski earned the win for UNI.  She allowed three hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Tomorrow, the teams meet up at noon for the series finale.

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball was outslugged by the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, 14-10, Saturday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. USI watched its record go to 15-32 overall and 6-14 in the Ohio Valley Conference, while Little Rock is 27-17 overall, 12-5 OVC.
 
After spotting the Trojans a 3-0 lead in the top of the first, the Screaming Eagles soared into the lead with four in the bottom half of the opening frame. Senior second baseman Lucas McNew (Floyds Knobs, Indiana) put the Eagles on the scoreboard with a two-run single, while junior rightfielder Ren Tachioka (Japan) tied the game with a RBI-fielder’s choice and junior catcher Parker Stroh (Grand Forks, North Dakota) doubled in the fourth run for the 4-3 lead.
 
Little Rock bounced back with a second-straight inning of three runs in the top of the second to regain the lead, 6-4. The Trojans would hold the lead until the third when the Eagles exploded with a five-run frame.
 
USI freshman third baseman Caleb Niehaus (Newburgh, Indiana) ignited the Eagle rally by knocking in Tachioka with a bases-loaded ground out. Senior centerfielder Evan Kahre (Evansville, Indiana) put USI back into the lead, 7-6, with a two-run single before sophomore shortstop Ricardo Van Grieken (Venezuela) doubled in the eighth run and junior first baseman Tucker Ebest (Aust, Texas) finished the frame with a sacrifice fly and a 9-6 advantage.
 
From that point the Little Rock bats took over, scoring eight unanswered runs to post a 14-9 lead after eight innings. USI got one of the runs back in the ninth before Little Rock closed out the 14-10 decision.
 
USI sophomore right-hander Tyler Hutson (Villa Hills, Kentucky) took the loss for the Eagles in relief. Hutson (1-6) allowed five runs, one earned, on four hits and two walks, while striking out one in 1.2 innings.
 
Up Next for the Eagles:  
The USI-Little Rock three-game series concludes Sunday with USI’s Senior Day and a noon start. USI’s nine seniors – first baseman Adam Wildeman; pitcher Brady Bowling; infielder Alex Archuleta; outfielder Gavin McLarty; infielder/designated hitter Daniel Lopez; outfielder Evan Kahre; infielder/catcher Lucas McNew; manager Emily Papandria; student assistant coach A.J. Wheeler – will be honored at 11:30 a.m. with an on-field ceremony.

USI will be on the road for six of the final seven games of the 2023 regular season beginning next weekend with a visit to Oral Robert University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, May 12-14. The final week of the 2023 regular season has the Eagles returning home to host Ball State University May 16 before finishing out the 2023 OVC slate with a three-game series at Tennessee Tech University May 18-20.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Vincennes University freshman pitcher Logan Medsker (Marshall, Ill.) had a big day Saturday afternoon on the mound, holding the highly ranked Cobras at bay by allowing only two hits over a career-high seven innings.

Medsker’s pitching performance in the series finale allowed VU to close out the weekend with a win after falling in game one of the day 10-5 before picking up the 3-2 victory in game two.

The day got off to a slow start at Parkland for the Blazers, with the Cobras getting on the board first in game one of the day.

Parkland plated two runs before VU answered back in the second with an RBI single by freshman Will Egger (Terre Haute, Ind.).

Parkland would get the run back in the bottom of the second to take a 3-1 lead before VU came through with a big rally in the third.

The first eight Trailblazer batters reached base to begin the third inning, including an RBI double by sophomore Colton Evans (Henderson, Ky.), an run scoring fielder’s choice by freshman Blake Heyerly (Monroe, Ind.) and another RBI single by Will Egger as VU took the lead at 4-3.

Parkland quickly grabbed the lead back with a pair of runs in the third and were able to extend this lead with a run in the fifth.

Vincennes would score in the sixth inning on a bases-loaded walk by sophomore Dale Coy (Evansville, Ind.).

Parkland added some insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth and finished out game one to pick up the 10-5 victory over the Trailblazers.

Vincennes had little trouble getting on base in game one of the day, with seven of VU’s nine starters reaching base multiple times and all nine reaching base at some point throughout the game.

Freshman Kade Hinton (Fort Wayne, Ind.) reached base three times and came around to score two runs, while sophomore leadoff hitter Ethan Burdette (Linton, Ind.) set the tone by reaching base four times.

Sophomore Gavin Craggs (Taylorville, Ill.) got the start in game one of the day, throwing five and one-third innings, allowing six runs on seven hits and striking out seven.

Freshman Christian Pinson (Elizabethtown, Ky.) entered to finish out the sixth inning, throwing the final two-thirds of the sixth, allowing four runs, all unearned, on four hits and striking out one.

Vincennes looked to close out the weekend strong however in the series finale and quickly grabbed the momentum with Ethan Burdette leading off the game with a double and later scoring on a sacrifice fly by Colton Evans.

Logan Medsker held the Cobra hitters off the board early in game two, with Parkland not getting their first base runner until the third inning and first hit until the fifth inning.

After the Cobras evened the score at 1-1 in the fifth, VU answered back in the sixth to take the lead back after Colton Evans and Kade Hinton led off the inning with singles, followed by an RBI double by Dale Coy. Hinton later came in to score on a wild pitch to give the Blazers a 3-1 lead.

Parkland would get a run back in the seventh but were unable to complete the comeback, even after getting the bases loaded with no outs in the ninth.

VU closed out the game with a line drive double play and picked off a Parkland baserunner to end the game as Vincennes closed out the road portion of their schedule with a 3-2 win over the No. 12-ranked Cobras.

Logan Medsker picked up the winning decision with a strong outing on the mound in game two, allowing two runs, both unearned, on two hits and striking out seven over a career-high seven innings.

Sophomore Caleb Moore (St. Louis, Mo.) was the first out of the pen in the eighth, retiring the only batter he faced on one pitch.

Freshman Aaron Fenn (Fort Wayne, Ind.) came in to get the final two outs of the eighth, allowing two hits in two-thirds of an inning.

Freshman Christian Pinson entered in the ninth to pick up the save without allowing a hit in an inning.

The Trailblazers will return home for the final Mid-West Athletic Conference (MWAC) series of the season when VU hosts Spoon River College at Jerry Blemker Field next weekend.

The series will begin on Friday, May 12 with first pitch set for 3 p.m. eastern, before the Blazers return to the field Saturday, May 13 for Sophomore Day. First pitch Saturday is set for 12 p.m. eastern.

GAME ONE

VU (21-30, 9-18) – 013   001   0 – 5

Parkland – 212   014   x – 10

VINCENNES HITTING

2B – Evans, Long. RBI – Egger 2, Evans, Coy, Heyerly. HBP – Evans, Schlotterbeck. SB – Egger.

GAME TWO

VU (22-30, 10-18) – 100   002   000 – 3

Parkland – 000   010   100 – 2

VINCENNES HITTING

2B – Burdette, Coy. RBI – Evans, Coy. HBP – Whitehead. SF – Evans.

-30-

The Vincennes University baseball team improves to 22-30 on the season, with a 10-18 record in MWAC conference play.