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Aces lose, win on final day of the regular season
While the scoreboard at Duffy Bass Field may have shown the University fo Evansville on the wrong end of an 11-4 decision to Illinois State, the Aces still left the diamond smiling with the knowledge they’d clinched a coveted top four spot in next week’s Missouri Valley Conference Championships in Normal, Illinois.
After falling behind 1-0 after the opening frame, the UE bats erased the deficit and then some in the top of the second inning. Junior center fielder Troy Beilsmith continued his torrid late season push at the plate, sending an RBI single to center, plating senior left fielder Matthew Jones for the equalizer, Next, senior third baseman Sam Troyerlaid down a picture perfect but single to second, bringing in freshman second baseman Danny Borgstrom, giving the Aces the lead. Senior right fielder Nate Reeder capped the three-run uprising with a sacrifice fly to left, scoring freshman designated hitter Eric Roberts for an insurance tally, making it 3-1 Evansville.
Senior left-hand starting pitcher Alex Weigand would come back to toss a perfect bottom of the second, but in the third, the Redbirds would get one back on a Joe Aeilts RBI single, cutting the UE lead to one.
However, Eric Roberts would get it back with one swing of the bat, drilling his first collegiate home run. The solo homer to left would bump the Aces lead up to 4-2.
From there, it was all Illinois State, as not even a one hour and 13 minute rain delay would cool them off, striking for nine unanswered runs against Alex Weigand and the Aces bullpen the rest of the way.
The loss dropped Evansville’s final regular season record to 24-27 and 11-10 in Missouri Valley Conference, while Illinois State finishes the regular season with an overall record of 14-7, good enough for a share of the MVC regular season title with Dallas Baptist, though they will be the second seed in next week’s tournament.
As for the Aces, they finished the regular season tied for fourth place with Bradley. However, due to Evansville’s sweep of the Braves during the regular season, UE gets the fourth and final spot in the new-look tournament bracket, while Bradley will be the fifth seed and play in the single elimination game Tuesday. Evansville will square off against in-state rival Indiana State, the third seed in the tournament, Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at Duffy Bass Field.
State argues more lawyers not needed in CHINS, TPR cases
Marilyn Odendahl for www.theindianalawyer.com
In response to a lawsuit seeking to require the state appoint attorneys to represent children in termination of parental rights or children in need of services proceedings, Indiana is arguing that adding more lawyers would only flatter the legal professionals and not mollify tragic circumstances.
The California-based Children’s Advocacy Institute is asserting that Hoosier children are being denied their constitutional rights to due process and equal protection because Indiana is not enlisting attorneys to represent them in CHINS and TPR proceedings. Assisted by the law firm of Morrison Foerster LLP and Indianapolis attorney Kathleen DeLaney of DeLaney & DeLaney LLC, the institute filed the complaint in February in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.
Since the lawsuit was filed, Lake, Marion and Scott counties have been voluntarily dismissed as defendants; however, Judges Marsha Owen Howser and Jason Mount of Scott Superior Court, judges Marilyn Moores and Mark Jones of Marion Superior Court, and Judge Thomas Stefaniak, Jr., of Lake Superior Court, along with Terry Stigdon, director of the Indiana Department of Child Services, all remain as defendants.
Also, the case has been transferred from the district court’s Evansville division to its Indianapolis division. It is now captioned Nicole K. and Roman S. by next friend Linda R.; et al. v. Terry J. Stigdon, Director of the Indiana Department of Child Services in her official capacity, et al., 1:16-cv-01521.
In its motion to dismiss, Indiana counters the Constitution does not mandate the appointment of attorneys in these kinds of cases. Rather, the Constitution gives states flexibility, which Indiana exercises by allowing judges to use their discretion when determining if the child needs legal representation.
“While the assertion that adding attorneys to every TPR and CHINS case will fix the societal harms detailed by the plaintiffs may be flattering to an attorney’s sense of self-worth, it is not an assertion that imposes a constitutional remedy,†Indiana argues.
The state maintains the children are not alone in the CHINS and TPR cases. A child’s best interests are not only being represented by the state but also by the court-appointed guardian ad litem and/or the court appointed special advocate.
“The plaintiffs provide, in their Amended Complaint, examples of children who have been involved in TPR and CHINS proceedings. But the circumstances, as tragic as they may be, are not remedied simply by the appointment of legal counsel in lieu of the GAL, CASA or the DCS social workers assigned to the cases,†Indiana argued. “… There is no assurance that these harms, which can be a common and devastating part of some children’s lives, could be fixed by simply adding more attorneys.â€
As to the plaintiffs’ contention the state is violating the 14th Amendment, Indiana says the law being challenged, Indiana Code section 31-32-4-2(b), does not run afoul of either the Due Process or Equal Protection clauses. Specifically, the state argues the children do not have to be represented by an attorney because they are not in danger of losing their personal liberty.
“Indiana Code (section) 31-32-4-2(b) allows the judge in the courtroom, the officer hearing the evidence who has an up-close perspective of the situation, to make a decision, instead of requiring the blanket appointment of thousands of attorneys, something that would result in enormous cost increases or delays to CHINS and TPR proceedings where time and efficiency may be of paramount importance,†the state says.
HOT JOBS IN EVANSVILLE
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Crews named Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Week
The Missouri Valley Conference announced it’s newest Scholar Athletes of the Week, and University of Evansville junior outfielder Kenton Crews as been bestowed this week’s honor.
Despite having his 2019 campaign short-circuited by injuries, Crews has persevered in the classroom, posting a 3.43 GPA in communications. This season, Crews played in 11 games for the Aces this season, hitting .225 with three doubles and four RBI before receiving a medical redshirt. A year ago, Crews led the team with 62 hits and 29 RBI, hitting .310 with 12 stolen bases.
Crews is active around the community. Crews spends time in the community helping Habitat for Humanity as he and his teammates helped prepare pieces for Habitat for Humanity’s Barn Blitz. In his other service efforts, Crews has volunteered his time with Holly’s House, a local child and adult victim advocacy center, and Just Read.
Crews is a member of the University of Evansville production crew for The Valley on ESPN. Working games as a color commentator and sideline reporter for men’s and women’s basketball, Crews has excelled and earned himself further opportunities as a member of Evansville’s The Valley on ESPN productions.
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Tobey Ray Tyler
Tobey Ray Tyler, age 61, passed away on May 13, 2019, at Deaconess Hospital in Evansville. He was born in Henderson, KY on July 15, 1957, to Etta Muriel Tyler.
Tobey was a loving son, brother, uncle, cousin, and friend. He will be truly missed by his family and friends. A welcoming presence to those on the other side. He had a love for horse races. Tobey accepted Christ at an early age.
Tobey is preceded in death by his brother, Alan L. Tyler. He leaves to cherish loving memories; his mother: Etta Muriel Tyler; three sisters: Evette Floyd (James), Priscilla Huff, Karen McNary; five brothers: Terry Tyler (Debra), Carl Tyler, Robbie Tyler (DeLisa), Roland Tyler, and Ennis Tyler (Shawna); a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Services are Monday, May 20, 2019, at 12:00 pm at R. Mason Brothers Memorial Chapel in Evansville. Visitation from 10:00 am to service time.
Burial at Fernwood Cemetery in Henderson. Condolences may be left at www.masonbrothersfs.com.
Hansen’s walk-off wins series opener for the Otters
With Hunter Cullen on third and an intentional walk to Ryan Long, Mitchell Hansen ripped an RBI single through the hole at second base, as the Otters won in walk-off fashion Friday night by a score of 4-3 against the Florence Freedom.
Cullen led off the bottom ninth with an infield bloop single in front of Florence shortstop Austin Wobrock, using his speed down the first base line to beat the throw to first.
David Cronin laid a sacrifice bunt to move Cullen over to second with one out. Keith Grieshaber advanced Cullen to third on a deep fly ball to centerfield, making it two outs in the inning.
After Long’s walk, Hansen, who was 0-4 with three strikeouts heading into the ninth, swung at the first pitch he saw over the plate, scoring Cullen, and was mobbed by his teammates shortly after.
The game did not start too well for the Otters, as the Freedom jumped on Otters starter Patrick McGuff early, scoring three runs after two.
Cullen got the Otters on the board with a solo home run deep to right field to make the score
3-1 Freedom in the third.
McGuff was smooth sailing from that point on, throwing five of his 10 strikeouts, exiting the game in the seventh.
Down 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh, Taylor Lane smacked a lead-off double to centerfield. Rob Calabrese worked a walk to put runners on first and second with no outs. Cullen laid a sacrifice bunt to move Lane to third.
A sac-fly by Cronin scored Lane, making the score 3-2.
Grieshaber, who was leading the Frontier League in batting average and hits coming into the game and 0-3 from the plate going into the seventh, crushed an RBI single to score Calabrese from second to tie the game at three.
Grieshaber’s hit would take out Florence starter Scott Sebald, who went 6.2 innings, with seven strikeouts, four walks, giving up three runs on four hits.
Otters reliever Danny Hrbek pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth, with a strikeout, three flyouts and two groundouts.
The Otters and Freedom will continue their series from Bosse Field Saturday at 6:35 p.m.
The game can be heard on 91.5 FM WUEV and viewed on the Otters Digital Network via YouTube.com with David Nguyen (play-by-play) and Bill McKeon (analyst) on the call. Game updates can also be found on the Evansville Otters’ Facebook and Twitter pages as well as Pointstreak.com.
The Otters are having many promotions in honor of celebrating their 25th anniversary season in 2019.
Saturday’s game will be Military Appreciation Night, Boy Scout Night, and the Old National Bank Attendance Awards ceremony, and sponsored by Brentwood Springs, YMCA, and the Buffalo Trace Council. Sunday’s series finale will be Bark in the Park presented by It Takes A Village. Fans can purchase their tickets now.
Aces ride strong starting pitching. offensive explosion to victory
With their hopes dwindling in the race for a top four spot in the upcoming Missouri Valley Conference tournament, the University of Evansville baseball team rode the right arm of senior Justin Hayden and an explosion at the plate to beat first place Illinois State, 11-8 Friday night at Duffy Bass Field.
The Aces raced out to a big lead on the Redbirds, led by senior center fielder Troy Beilsmith, who hit a pair of home runs, to take the team lead in round trippers with seven. For the night, Beilsmith went 4-for-6 from the plate, driving in four runs, while scoring three time himself. Sophomore first baseman Tanner Craig and junior catcher BenKomonosky were alo part of the power parade, with Craig hitting his fifth of the season, while Komonosky blasted the first of his Evansville career.
Meanwhile, senior right-hand pitcher Justin Hayden combined with the defensive exploits of freshman second baseman Danny Borgstrom. among others, to hold the potent Illinois State lineup scoreless through the first six frames.
Leading 11-0 in the bottom of the seventh, a pair of singles would end Hayden’s night, and the Redbird offense would ignite for eight unanswered runs on the UE bullpen, cutting the Aces lead to just three headed to the final frame.
In the ninth, Evansville turned to senior closer Austin Allinger, who delivered, striking out a pair and sealing his sixth save of the season.
The victory improves the Aces’ overall record to 24-26 and 11-9 in Missouri Valley Conference play, while the loss drops ISU to 31-22 overall and 13-7 in MVC play.
The regular season and series finale is Saturday back at Normal’s Duffy Bass Park, with the first pitch moved up to 12 p.m. central time, due to inclement weather predicted in the area later in the afternoon.