Evansville was once again able to score in the first inning to open the game up. A one-out walk from Graham Brown began the rally. Evansville would load the bases in the inning but only score one run on a Keenan Taylor hit-by-pitch.

In the bottom of the first frame, the Y’alls struck back. They sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five total runs in the inning to take a 5-1 lead.

Evansville continued to battle, getting one back in their half of the second after Graham Brown hit a sacrifice fly into center field to score Cohen Wilbanks.

With a 5-2 score going into the third, the Otters had some work to do. The inning started with two leadoff singles from LJ Jones and JJ Cruz. Raymond Gil had an RBI single to drive in Jones to begin the scoring in the third. Two batters later, Ty Crittenberger also had an RBI single for his second hit of the day.

Alain Camou added to the big inning with a hit into right center field. Cruz scored to tie the games and an errant throw from the Y’alls defense allowed Crittenberger to score as well, giving the Otters a 6-5 lead.

Florence would quickly bounce back in the bottom half, sending a solo home run over the right field wall to tie the game at six. An inning later in the fourth, a three-run home run gave Florence a 9-6 advantage.

Heading into the seventh, it was 11-6 after Florence scored two in their sixth inning. Wilbanks stepped up with bases loaded in the inning and delivered a single up the middle to collect an RBI and get Evansville one run closer. A couple of pitches later, Keenan Taylor would score from third on a passed ball.

Evansville added one more run in the eighth but it wasn’t enough as they fell 11-9. The Otters return home this week for a six-game homestand. The week begins Tuesday evening with the Mississippi Mud Monsters’ first ever trip to Evansville. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. CT for Otter Night on a Fifth Third Bank $2 Tuesday.

All games can be heard on 96.9 WYIR and the Otters Digital Network. Also watch live on the Hometeam Network.

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.