The Evansville Otters have signed outfielder Elijah MacNamee and pitchers Ryan O’Reilly, Tyler Spring, and Jacob Bowles to contract extensions for the 2022 season.

Elijah MacNamee, from Cypress, Texas, is entering his third season with the Otters. In 2021, MacNamee hit .292 with 62 runs, 15 doubles, three triples, seven home runs, 45 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases in 92 games played.

MacNamee joined the Otters in July 2019 following his senior season at Mississippi State. While with Mississippi State, MacNamee was a member of two College World Series appearances in 2018-19, and a member of a Super Regional appearance in 2017.

In his collegiate career at Mississippi State, MacNamee batted .287 with 113 runs, 37 doubles, 17 home runs, 116 RBIs, and 60 walks in 170 games played and 154 games started. He also had a career .441 slugging percentage and a .367 on-base percentage.

Ryan O’Reilly joined the Otters for his first season in professional baseball out of the University of Illinois – Chicago in 2021. O’Reilly went 5-4 in 12 starts with a 2.89 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 84 innings pitched.

O’Reilly, a Mokena, Illinois native, started 13 games for the UIC Flames in 2021, compiling a 4-5 record over 68.0 innings pitched, allowing 46 earned runs off 72 hits, 30 walks, and 53 strikeouts.

Prior to his tenures at UIC, O’Reilly threw for two seasons at Triton College in River Grove, Illinois. While with the Trojans, Triton College won back-to-back regional championships in 2017 and 2018.

Tyler Spring is entering his second season with the Otters. In 2021, Spring was 6-0 with one save and a 2.54 ERA in 40 appearances and 56.2 innings pitched. He struck out 62 batters.

Spring, from Wiggins, Miss., played collegiately at Southern Mississippi and at Mississippi State, where he teamed up with MacNamee. He started his college career at Jones College, where he was a NJCAA first team All-State and national team member in 2018.

Jacob Bowles joined the Otters for his first season in professional baseball in 2021. Bowles posted a 2.57 ERA with 20 strikeouts and a save in 11 appearances and 28 innings pitched in 2021 for the Otters.

Bowles, a University of Southern Indiana product, is a native of Mount Washington, Kentucky. In five seasons with USI, Bowles compiled a winning record of 12-8, with a 4.98 ERA.

Bowles pitched in 11 games for the Screaming Eagles in the 2021 season, while making eight starts. Over 58.1 innings, Bowles threw to a 4.47 ERA.

Evansville, Ind: After a disappointing three-loss weekend, the Thunderbolts prepare to hit the reset button with a pair of home games against the Vermilion County Bobcats on Friday and Quad City Storm on Saturday, followed by a mid-week game in Peoria on Tuesday. 

  

Week In Review: 

 

            The Thunderbolts fell behind 2-0 early to Quad City at Ford Center on Friday, before Cameron Cook got the Thunderbolts on the scoreboard late in the first period.  Down 3-1 in the second period, Zane Jones scored a shorthanded goal to bring Evansville back within one, but the Storm pulled away again with two goals to defeat the Thunderbolts 5-2.  On Saturday in Huntsville, the Thunderbolts put 38 shots on goal, yet the Havoc scored the lone goal of the night, defeating the Thunderbolts in a rare 1-0 shutout.  On Sunday in Knoxville, Tanner Butler scored the opening goal for the Thunderbolts, however Evansville broke down in the third period as the Ice Bears stormed ahead to secure a 3-1 win. 

 

The Week Ahead: 

            The Thunderbolts host the Vermilion County Bobcats on Friday night and the Quad City Storm on Saturday night at Ford Center, opening face-off for both nights at 7:00pm CT.  For tickets, call (812)422-BOLT (2658), go to EvansvilleThunderbolts.com, or visit the Ford Center Ticket Office.  On Tuesday, the Thunderbolts will play in Peoria against the Rivermen at Peoria Civic Center, starting at 7:15pm CT.  Tuesday’s game can be viewed online with a paid membership to SPHL TV through HockeyTV or can be listened to for free on the Thunderbolts Radio Network; at EvansvilleThunderbolts.com/fan-center/listen, or via the Thunderbolts Mixlr Channel. 

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball used a strong defensive performance to defeat the University of Illinois Springfield, 66-39, Thursday evening in Screaming Eagles Arena. USI goes to 8-4 overall and 3-3 in the GLVC, while Illinois Springfield, which had its seven-game winning streak snapped, is 9-7 overall, 4-4 in the league.
 
The Screaming Eagles’ defense was near perfect for the first 7:09 as they built a 12-0 lead with 12:51 left in the opening half. Junior guard Jelani Simmons (Columbus, Ohio), who had 11 first half points, led the way during the opening run with seven of the 12 points.
 
Illinois Springfield, briefly, got its footing offensively and cut the deficit to 14-11 before USI exploded on a 15-2 run that built a 29-13 lead in the final eight minutes before the intermission.
 
USI’s defense starred once again during the 15-2 runs, holding to the Prairie Stars to no field goals and two free throws in building the 16-point halftime lead. The Eagles’ defense also held the Prairie Stars to a season-best 14.3 percent from the field in the first half (4-28).
 
In the second half, USI continued to put the defensive pressure on Illinois Springfield, holding the Stars to eight second half field goals and a 38.1 field goal percentage. The Eagles also finished the game with a dominating 49-25 lead on the glass.
 
Offensively in the final 20 minutes, the Eagles extended the halftime margin to as many as 31 points (60-29) with 8:56 to play. USI put the game on cruise control at that point and settled for the 66-39 victory.
 
Simmons added nine second half points and finished with a game-high 20 points. He was nine-of-15 from the field and two-of-six from the line, while grabbing six rebounds and dishing three assists.
 
Junior forward Jacob Polakovich (Grand Rapids, Michigan) remained hot, posting his sixth double-double of the season with 16 points and 16 a career-high rebounds. Polakovich was five-of-nine from the field and six-of-10 from the line, while grabbing six offensive and 10 defensive rebounds.
 
Freshman guard Isaiah Stafford (Bolingbrook, Illinois) rounded out the USI double-digit scorers with 12 points on six-of-nine from the field. The 12 points was a season-best for the freshman guard.
 
COMING UP FOR USI:
USI conclude the three-game homestand Saturday when it hosts Lewis University for the annual Hoops for Troops Military Appreciation Game Saturday at 3:15 p.m. Veterans or active duty personnel can receive up to five free tickets with proof of service. The first 250 fans will receive a gift to commemorate the day when they enter Screaming Eagles Arena.   
 
Lewis watched its record go to 6-5 overall and 4-0 in the GLVC after posting a 70-69 win at the University of Indianapolis this evening. The Flyers come to Screaming Eagles Arena on a six-game winning streak.  
 
The Eagles lead the all-time series with the Flyers, 50-27 overall and 40-27 in GLVC action. USI took last season’s regular contest on the road, 74-65, and the NCAA II Midwest Regional game at the Ford Center, 62-60.
 
USI SCHEDULE CHANGES:
The USI-Lindenwood University game, which was originally slated for January 6, has been rescheduled for January 31 at 7:30 p.m. in St. Charles, Missouri.
 
Rescheduling for the USI road games at Lewis University and the University of Indianapolis that were slated for January 4 and January 15, respectively, are still to be determined.