Drake shot 78.3% in the first half before extending their lead in the second frame to defeat the University of Evansville men’s basketball team by a final of 85-71 on Sunday afternoon at the Knapp Center.
Shamar Givance had another outstanding effort for the Purple Aces (8-13, 6-9 MVC), leading the team with 19 points on a 9-of-14 shooting day. Evan Kuhlman and Iyen Enaruna registered 13 points apiece. Kuhlman knocked down five of his seven attempts while Enaruna finished 6-of-11. Leading the Bulldogs (22-2, 13-2 MVC) was Joseph Yesufu, who hit 12 out of 14 attempts to score 32 points. D.J. Wilkins added 13 tallies.
Drake knocked down its first four shots of the day to take an 8-5 advantage in the opening minutes. At the 15:40 mark, Evan Kuhlman hit a long jumper that gave the Aces their first lead. Shamar Givance continued a 4-for-5 start that pushed Evansville’s lead to 11-8. The Bulldogs countered with a 12-2 stretch that pushed their lead to 20-13 eight minutes in.
In a half that saw them shoot an unbelievable 78.3%, the Bulldogs extended their lead to 20- points – 47-27 – in the final minute. Kuhlman, who scored 13 points in the first half, hit a triple at the buzzer that made it a 17-point game at the break. Joe Yesufu registered 16 first-half points going 6-for-7 from the field as the Bulldogs hit 18 out of 23 attempts and six of their eight outside tries in the opening frame.
The lead for the Bulldogs was extended to 22 points thanks to a 5-0 stretch to open the second half before a triple from Noah Frederking cut the lead back under 20. Drake rebounded to go up by as many as 31 points (79-48) with 8:30 remaining. The Aces made a late run, outscoring the Bulldogs by a 17-4 margin in the final minutes to close it to an 85-71 final. UE’s late rally saw them lift their final shooting tally to 51.7%. Drake finished the game at 65.4%.
Jawaun Newton led the Aces with a game-high 8 rebounds. It tied his career mark, which was set twice before. Samari Curtis scored 11 points on an efficient 4-for-6 game.
Schultz makes debut on the mound, striking-out two
Closing-out its four-game set, the University of Evansville baseball team took an early lead, but could not continue scoring in a 4-1 loss to 12th-ranked Georgia on Sunday at Foley Field in Athens, Ga.
“We bounced back from a walk-off yesterday with a competitive effort today,” said Aces head baseball coach Wes Carroll. “Great to see Donovan Schultz compete in his first start as an Ace. Also had a great effort from Zac Cummins as well. We couldn’t get anything going offensively to take advantage of 10 walks. Had a lot of growth over the weekend and were competitive in every game. I look forward to our home opener next Friday.”
True freshman Donovan Schultz got his first start and appearance of his collegiate career and handled a big stage well. After Georgia threatened by putting three runners on in the bottom of the first, Schultz settled in and worked through the Bulldogs lineup, sitting Georgia down in order in the second. Evansville got on the board first in the top of the third as the Aces had senior Troy Beilsmith on second with no outs after a walk and a throwing error. Beilsmith moved to third following a fly out from Shepherd and was brought home on a RBIÂ sacrifice fly by junior Tanner Craig to give the Aces a 1-0 lead.
The Bulldogs answered immediately in the bottom half of the third, scoring twice, once on an error and another coming unearned on a sacrifice fly.
Schultz’s day came to an end following the fourth inning as the Wisconsin native closed his debut allowing three hits, one earned run, and striking-out two. Schultz was replaced by newcomer Zac Cummins, who pitched a strong fifth and sixth innings, allowing just two hits and keeping the Bulldogs from adding to their lead.
The Bulldogs did go on to add to their tallies in the seventh and eighth innings, scoring a run in each, opening a 4-1 advantage.
Despite getting home runs from junior pitcher Katie Back (Indianapolis, Indiana) and freshman designated player Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana), University of Southern Indiana Softball could not overcome a four-run fifth inning as the No. 16 Screaming Eagles suffered a 6-4 loss to No. 5 Young Harris College Sunday.
Young Harris (8-1) got a solo home run from second baseman Carly Rigsbee to lead off the home half of the fourth inning and break a scoreless tie. The Eagles answered with an RBI-single by sophomore catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana) in the top of the fifth inning, but a four-run fifth inning by the host Mountain Lions that featured a solo home run and a pair of run-scoring doubles put the Eagles into a 5-1 deficit heading into the final two innings.
Fair, who was 2-of-3 at the dish with a double and the home run, led off the sixth frame with a solo shot to get the Eagles to within three runs, but Young Harris responded with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the sixth to push its lead back to four runs.
Back had a two-run shot in the seventh inning to cut USI’s deficit in half, but that was as close as the Eagles would get as the Mountain Lions got back-to-back outs to finish the game with the 6-4 win.
USI had several scoring opportunities early in the contest, but stranded a runner on second base in the first inning; at first and third base in the second frame; at first base in the third inning; and at second and third base in the fourth. In total, the Eagles left nine runners on base throughout the contest.
Sophomore pitcher Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) took the loss despite a strong effort throughout the first four innings. Goodin (1-3) scattered one hit throughout the first three innings before giving up the solo home run in the fourth. She surrendered four runs off four hits and four walks in 4.2 innings of work.
The Eagles return to action Saturday at noon when they take on Midwest Region foe Cedarville University to open the Blue Bridge Battle in Owensboro, Kentucky. USI also takes on Lake Erie College Saturday at 2 p.m., before playing Northwood University and Kentucky Wesleyan College next Sunday at noon and 2 p.m., respectively.
Bella Coffey and Mea Adams recorded three hits apiece to push the University of Evansville softball team to a 5-1 victory over Alabama State in Sunday morning’s final game of the Black & Gold Tournament.
“It was great to be back on the field after almost a year. I really love the way the team ended the weekend competing on every pitch,†UE head softball coach Mat Mundell exclaimed. “It took us a bit to get going but we talked about making adjustments and the team really stepped up.â€
UE (2-2) recorded 12 hits on the day with Adams going a perfect 3-for-3 and Coffey adding three hits in four at-bats against the Hornets (1-7). Macey Harrington had a 2-4 effort while knocking in a pair of runs. In the circle, Izzy Vetter threw five scoreless innings of 2-hit ball. She tied her career mark with 10 strikeouts; she previously accomplished the feat on April 27, 2019 against Valparaiso.
Following three scoreless frames, the Purple Aces broke the tie with three runs in the top of the fourth. Lindsay Renneisen hit a leadoff single before Macey Harrington hit a home run to left to give the Aces a 2-0 lead. The third run saw the Aces play some small ball. Mea Adams reached on a double before stealing third and crossing home on a sacrifice fly by Hannah Hood.
Evansville added some insurance with single runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. A single by Adams plated Coffey in the 5thwhile it was Coffey with an RBI knock in the 6th. Her single brought Halie Fain home for the final run of the game.
With the opening weekend of action in the books, the Aces now set their sights on next weekend’s Frost Classic in Chattanooga, Tenn. UE faces both Tennessee Tech and Chattanooga twice.
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Department of Health announced today that 888 additional Hoosiers have been diagnosed with COVID-19 through testing at state and private laboratories. That brings to 655,541 the number of Indiana residents now known to have had the novel coronavirus following corrections to the previous day’s dashboard.
A total of 11,947 Hoosiers are confirmed to have died from COVID-19, an increase of 35 from the previous day. Another 425 probable deaths have been reported based on clinical diagnoses in patients for whom no positive test is on record.
To date, 3,083,893Â unique individuals have been tested in Indiana, up from 3,076,245 on Saturday. A total of 7,754,038 tests, including repeat tests for unique individuals, have been reported to the state Department of Health since Feb. 26, 2020.
To find testing sites around the state, visit www.coronavirus.in.gov and click on the COVID-19 testing information link.
Hoosiers age 65 and older, along with healthcare workers, long-term care residents and first responders who are regularly called to the scene of an emergency to render medical assistance, are now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. To schedule, visit https://ourshot.in.gov or call 211 if you do not have access to a computer or require assistance. Individuals must show proof that they live or work in Indiana and meet the eligibility criteria to receive a vaccine.
As of today, 889,607 Hoosiers have received a first dose of vaccine, and 436,849 are fully vaccinated.
Additional locations and appointments are being added as more vaccine becomes available.
We hope that today’s “IS IT TRUEâ€Â will provoke honest and open dialogue concerning issues that we, as responsible citizens of this community, need to address in a rational and responsible way?
City-County Observer Comment Policy. Be kind to people. No personal attacks or harassment will be tolerated and will be removed from our site.â€
We understand that sometimes people don’t always agree and discussions may become a little heated.  The use of offensive language, insults against commenters will not be tolerated and will be removed from our site.
IS IT TRUE we are extremely appreciative and proud of the way that members of our local law enforcement conducted themselves during a shooting standoff last week? …the members of our local law enforcement did a creditable job in protecting the innocent bystanders and neighbors in harm’s way?
IS IT TRUE we are in total agreement with Joe Wallace’s commentary statement that the recent announcement that the Coalition for Economic Development, the Chamber of Commerce for Southwest Indiana and the Growth Alliance for Greater Evansville is a welcome merger that will provide regional actions to focus the growth and elevation of the entire region? Â …we give five (5) cheers to the leadership of the Coalition for Economic Development, the Chamber of Commerce for Southwest Indiana and the Growth Alliance for Greater Evansville for definitely thinking outside of the economic box?
IS IT TRUE that former City County Observer editor Joe Wallace is only 4 months from the end of his current contract to serve as the CEO and Chief Innovation Officer of the Coachella Valley Economic Partnership?…with his new sideline career as an author it will be interesting to see if he launches a swan song of writing and speaking or if he accepts a contract extension of 3 to 5 years that is currently under discussion?.
IS IT TRUEÂ that Joe Wallace sales of “Living Outside the Box” book has passed 2,000 copies when most first time authors only sell 200 or so to their friends and relatives, it is possible that several more books may be in the future and speaking gigs will be in high demand as the COVID19 pandemic fades into history?
IS IT TRUE that Mr. Wallace has guided CVEP through the pandemic without having a single layoff or missing a lick in supporting the economic development efforts in entrepreneurship and business assistance?…this has been done when other organizations in similar lines of work have been closing their doors or reducing their services due to disruptions to their cash flow?…merging of similar organizations across the country have been implemented as a survival tactic and shuttering operations is not unusual?.
IS IT TRUE in a recent article called The Virus of the Century is the Opportunity of the Century, Wallace opined that telecommuting will be the way for small and mid sized regions to level the playing field in the search for talent?…he furthermore predicts that upgrading workforces, inproving economic metrics like income and educational attainment are both cheaper and easier with attracting telecommuters than raising smart kids who typically leave for the bright lights of the big city?…as he has proven many times over his career, Wallace is always seen at the front of innovative techniques from engineering design, to journalism to economic development?…”Living Outside the Box” is available on Amazon and Ebay and will soon be in Barnes and Noble in California outlets should any of you want a copy?
IS IT TRUE the City County Observer is currently in discussion with Mr. Wallace to bring him to Evansville for a future event of significance and looks forward to being able to shake hands and embrace our old friend without fear of infection?
IS IT TRUE that certain politicians should be aware that Tortious interference, also known as intentional interference with contractual relations, in the common law of torts, occurs when one person intentionally damages someone else’s contractual or business relationships with a third party causing economic harm?  …when individuals colluding with each other to get a third party to interfere with a legal going concern in a way that a business is damaged for the reason of enhancing the blissful existence of a small number of privileged people could be considered Tortious interference?
IS IT TRUE we been told that the $28 million dollars “Aquatic Center” being built at Garvin Park is on schedule and on budget?  …by building the new “Aquatic Center” at the Garvin Park location the city was able to used the North Main Street “TIF” money to build it?  …this is a great example of investing TIF funds on a practical project instead of spending the money on pork barrel projects?
IS IT TRUE that Scott and Page Danks are proud parents of a bouncing baby boy? Â …that Luke Henry Danks and his mother a doing fine?
IS IT TRUE we been told that any request for a contract concerning the renovation of the Vanderburgh County Jail should be requested by the committee Chairman Sheriff Dave Wedding and by not by a member of this committee?
IS IT TRUE this progress is attributed in whole to the massive creation of wealth that widespread industrialization and the information age have made possible?…the very wealth that drives the resentment between the 1% and the 99% is what generated the resources to reduce poverty?
IS IT TRUE people at all economic levels need to start looking at how they live and cease obsessing over where they are in the fictitious ranking of wealth?…one small bite of an ever-expanding pie is much better than having nearly all of a static pie?
IS IT TRUE that the City-County Observer is overjoyed to see someone from the mainstream media cast aside the rose-colored glasses that have defined local reporting for over a decade and call out the problems of the City of Evansville’s infrastructure for what it actually is?  …five (5) cheers to the Courier And Press Reporter/Journalist John Webb for writing outside the literary box?
IS IT TRUEÂ after a two year run its with regret that we have decided not to publish our “LEFTY JAB and RIGHT JAB” column starting today? Â ..we just been informed that the mainstay blogger of this well read column Joe Biden is moving to Florida later this week? Â …we wish Joe and his literary counterparts the best in the future?
Todays “Readers Poll” question is: Do you support the creation of a new Economic Development Coalition called Evansville Regional Economic Partnership?
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INDIANAPOLIS—Something about Black people speaking their minds scares the heck out of conservatives who like to present themselves as staunch defenders of liberty.
John Krull, publisher, TheStatehouseFile.com.
These rightwing tough guys are so freaked out by free speech that they melt down even when the people who are calling them out don’t have the power to do anything but … speak.
The Feb. 18 debacle in the Indiana House of Representatives is but one example.
That episode of tragedy and farce began when Rep. Greg Porter, D-Indianapolis, spoke about a bill that would allow students from racially diverse South Bend Community Schools to transfer to a nearby system that is almost exclusively white. He said the bill was discriminatory.
Porter is a member of the Black caucus. Members of the caucus dressed for the day in traditional African garb to celebrate Black History Month.
Porter’s comments so incensed some conservative members of the Republican caucus that they began booing and trying to shout the Democrat down.
“I have a right to speak,†Porter said before surrendering the floor.
Rep. Greg Porter.
Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary, followed him.
Smith is a former teacher and school principal as well as a member of the Black caucus. Smith picked up on Porter’s theme and argued the bill was discriminatory.
The conservative lawmakers booed him, too. Several of them gathered in the back of the room and ostentatiously ignored him.
One of them—Rep. Jim Lucas, R-Seymour—even left the chamber in protest.
Lucas, Hoosiers will remember, was the lawmaker disciplined by House leadership last year for posting racist memes on his Facebook page. He denied being racist and said he doesn’t “see color.â€
Remember that phrase.
Lucas’s protestations were undercut by the fact that finding the memes he used isn’t effortless. He had to work at uncovering images that were that offensive and look for them in some strange places.
Maybe he was motivated.
Things escalated after Smith spoke.
Several legislators apparently got into shouting matches. A few reports said they pushed each other and shoved each other. Some had to be separated by colleagues to keep them from getting into serious fights.
All to keep a few Black lawmakers from saying what was on their minds.
And here’s the thing.
The Black caucus in the Indiana House of Representatives doesn’t have enough votes to call for a bathroom break and make it happen. Because Republicans in that chamber have a supermajority, conservative members have the power to push any measure through that they want.
Rep. Jim Lucas in a file photo by Eddie Drews, TheStatehouseFile.com.
Including the South Bend school bill.
But in what passes for thought today in conservative circles, being called a racist is a much greater offense than being a racist. The important thing to remember about the world in which rightwing snowflakes such as Lucas live is that they always, always, always are the victims, no matter how offensive or outrageous their own actions might be.
For them, personal responsibility means finding someone else to take the blame for their screw-ups.
One of the lawmakers involved in a dust-up, Rep. Sean Eberhart, R-Shelbyville, denied there were any racial tensions involved in the legislative meltdown—at least not on his part.
“I don’t have a racist bone in my body,†he said.
Lucas swears he doesn’t “see color.†Eberhart vows he doesn’t have “a racist bone†in his body.
If we could just find another lawmaker to assert that some of his or her “best friends are Black,†we would have a winner in the game of racial self-justification bingo.
The bill, by the way, passed, 53-42.
But getting the measure through wasn’t enough for the conservative tough talkers who proclaim they’re all about “freedom.â€
What they’re really interested in is making sure that everyone has the freedom to think and speak exactly as they do.
They want this so much they try to strip Black legislators of the power to speak when the power to speak is the only power those Black lawmakers have.
Something those Black leaders said must have scared the angry conservative legislators right down to their socks.
There’s only one thing with the power to do that.
The truth.
FOOTNOTE: John Krull is director of Franklin College’s Pulliam School of Journalism and publisher of TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
CONSENT AGENDA:Â FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS
A.
ORDINANCE G-2021-04 An Ordinance to Vacate Certain Public Ways or Public Places within the City of Evansville, Indiana Commonly Known as Part of that Right-of-Way of Dalehaven Drive Lying North of Pollack Avenue and South of the James Ewin Subdivision Sponsor(s): Mosby Discussion Led By: Public Works Chair Brinkmeyer Discussion Date: 3/8/2021 Notify: Scott Buedel, Cash Waggner & Associates
ORDINANCE F-2021-02 An Ordinance of the Common Council of the City of Evansville Authorizing Transfers of Appropriations, Additional Appropriations and Repeal and Re-Appropriation of Funds for Various City Funds Sponsor(s): Heronemus Discussion Led By: Finance Chair Heronemus Discussion Date: 3/8/2021 Notify: Russ Lloyd, Jr., Controller
ORDINANCE R-2021-03 An Ordinance to Rezone Certain Real Estate in the City of Evansville, State of Indiana, More Commonly Known as 1277 N. St. Joseph Avenue Petitioner: TC Commercial Real Estate LLC Owner: TC Commercial Real Estate LLC Requested Change: C1 to C4 w/ UDC Ward: 6 Brinkmeyer Representative: Bret Sermersheim, Morley
REGULAR AGENDA:Â SECOND READING OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS
A.
ORDINANCE G-2021-03 An Ordinance to Amend Chapter 16.10 of the Evansville Municipal Code (Floodplain Management) Sponsor(s): Beane Discussion Led By: ASD Chair Trockman Discussion Date: 2/22/2021 Notify: Marco Delucio, ZSWS
ORDINANCE R-2021-02 An Ordinance to Rezone Certain Real Estate in the City of Evansville, State of Indiana, More Commonly Known as 4519 Covert Ave. Petitioner: Finial Properties, LLC Owner: Finial Properties, LLC Requested Change: R1 to CO1 w/ UDC Ward: 2 Mosby Representative: Krista Lockyear, Stoll, Kennon, Ogden, PLLC
INDIANAPOLIS—The House Ways and Means Committee cleared its handgun license bill and passed it to the full House Tuesday.
House Bill 1369, which removes the requirement of a license to legally carry a gun, passed to the House in a 15-7 vote after being amended.
Rep. Ben Smaltz, chair of the study committee on charity gaming, speaks at the first hearing on the subject. Photo by Eddie Drews, TheStatehouseFile.com
Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis, and Rep. Ben Smaltz, R-Auburn, got into a heated debate as to how funds will be managed if license fees are taken away as well as about the budget for a database of those for whom it’s unlawful to carry.
“So some cynic might say that, to some extent, this bill defunds our police,†DeLaney said.
Smaltz argued that the Indiana State Police and law enforcement agencies will not lose money but instead will make revenue from the reciprocity license fees. The lifetime license fees are $75 and this allows gun carriers to bear arms across states. But the ISP will lose an average of $5.3 million by canceling the gun licenses altogether.
“I think a distinction is one is a constitutional right and one is a privilege,†Smaltz said.
Further analysis of the budget, led by Rep. Cherrish Pryor, D-Indianapolis, and Rep. Peggy Mayfield, R-Martinsville, means that the money that the ISP will lose from license fees will be restored from the general funds. The amendment for the budget will be created for the second reading.
Smaltz said he is working with the state police and the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to make a timeline and a budget to create the database of individuals who are prohibited from carrying a gun.
DeLaney said he is wary of HB 1369 because the current licensing system has been in place for the past 40 years.
“We’re gonna give it up without knowing whether we can do this new thing or not?†DeLaney said. “I will not vote for anything that defunds even the local police.â€
FOOTNOTE: Carolina Puga Mendoza is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
