With the 2018 season approaching, the Evansville Otters have revealed the 2018 promotional schedule, featuring weekday and single-game promotions.

Promotions will stretch across 48 regular season games this year at Bosse Field, starting with Opening Weekend May 11-13.

Opening Night is May 11 when the Otters open the regular season at Bosse Field against the Washington Wild Things at 6:35 p.m. Festivities for the season opener include a lottery ticket giveaway to the first 1,000 fans ages 18 and over, courtesy of Hoosier Lottery, and a postgame fireworks show for fans to enjoy after the game.

Saturday, May 12 is “Bicentennial Night at the Otters,” celebrating the Vanderburgh County Bicentennial with a postgame fireworks display. It is also Girl Scout Night as local girl scout troops can enjoy a baseball game and postgame activities, including camping out overnight at Bosse Field. Early registration is required for Girl Scout Night.

Opening Weekend concludes with the first Family Fun Day Sunday of the season Sunday, May 13. Other Family Fun Day Sundays are May 20, June 17, June 24, July 1, July 22, Aug. 5, Aug. 12 and Aug. 26.

The Family Fun Day Sunday package will consist of four General Admission tickets, four popcorn, soda, and snow cone vouchers along with two inflatable passes. The package is a $74 value for only $40 – a special deal for the entire family.

Throughout the season, there are seven Thirsty Thursdays, six $2 Tuesdays, nine Family Fun Day Sundays, and seven firework nights.

In 2018, $2 Tuesdays will provide the opportunity for fans to take advantage of $2 popcorn and $2 General Admission tickets. $2 Tuesdays will be June 5, June 26, July 17, July 31, Aug. 14 and Aug. 21.

Fan-favorite Thirsty Thursdays will return in 2018 for special pricing on draft beverages at the ballpark. The first Thirsty Thursday is May 31 with the rest falling on June 7, June 28, July 19, Aug. 2, Aug. 16 and Aug. 23.

Firework nights will feature a postgame firework show where fans can stay in their seats after the game to enjoy a dazzling fireworks display. In addition to the postgame fireworks on May 11-12, other postgame firework shows will be June 16, June 23, June 29 and Aug. 10-11.

Evansville will celebrate Bosse Field’s 103^rd Anniversary and Evan the Otter’s Birthday June 15 to coincide with Superhero Night and the Boys and Girls Club Weekend. For Superhero Night, some fan-favorite superhero characters will be in attendance and kids are invited to wear superhero costumes and participate in a costume contest and an on-field parade to join in on the fun.

June 23 will be Deaconess Night at Bosse Field to celebrate 126 years of Deaconess Hospital, featuring postgame fireworks.

The Otters will once again host Day Camp Day June 27 as local summer camps and daycares are invited to pack the stands for a special 12:05 p.m. start time at Bosse Field. Summer camps and daycares are required to register ahead of time.

Once again in 2018, 1,000 hats will be handed out to early arriving fans, courtesy of Heritage Federal Credit Union, on June 30. June 30 is also Boy Scout Night with the Evansville Otters. Local boy scout troops can enjoy a baseball game and postgame activities, including camping out overnight at Bosse Field. Early registration is required for Boy Scout Night.

July 21 will feature Princess Night at Bosse Field as fan-favorite princess characters will be in attendance and kids are invited to wear princess costumes. There will also be a costume contest and on-field parade.

Returning in 2018 is E is for Everyone Night with the Otters on Friday, August 10. Last season, a sellout crowd of 6,137 packed the stands at Bosse Field as the Otters partnered with Evansville’s “E is for Everyone” community initiative.

Saturday, August 11 is sponsored by Marathon and Indiana 811, and has a full slate of promotions including Breast Cancer Awareness Night, a backpack giveaway to early arriving fans, and a popcorn giveaway courtesy of Indiana 811.

Additional promotional nights include Skilled Nursing Facility Night (May 30), Strike Out Stroke Night (June 6), Deaconess Women’s Hospital Night (June 22), Deaconess and Orthopaedic Associates Night (July 18), and Heart Services Night (Aug. 1).

Plus, the Otters will bring back German Heritage Night (July 19), Fellowship Day (July 22), and St. Vincent’s Night (Aug. 4). The Otters will host College Night on Thursday, Aug. 23, inviting all college students to fill the stands.

The last home game of the regular season will be Sunday, Aug. 26 for HOLA Latino Day and Fan Appreciation Day, presented by ProperTpros, to salute the fans for their support during the baseball season.

Before the regular season begins, the Otters will host the annual Jacob’s Village Benefit game on Friday, May 4 at 6:35 p.m. Evansville will host two Education Day games during the exhibition season on Wednesday, May 2 at 11 a.m. and Wednesday, May 9 at 10 a.m.

Tickets can be purchased online at evansvilleotters.com, by phone at 812-435-8686, or at the Bosse Field box office. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Evansville will kick off the season with Fan Fest, presented by Action Equipment, Saturday, April 28 from 9 a.m. to noon at Bosse Field, having plenty of activities to get fans excited about the upcoming season. Fan Fest is open to the public and free admission for the entire family.

The Otters are looking forward to having fans join the affordable, family fun this season at historic Bosse Field.

The Evansville Otters are the 2006 and 2016 Frontier League champions. Season tickets, group outing packages, and single game tickets are on sale now for the 2018 season.

The Otters play all home games at historic Bosse Field, located at 23 Don Mattingly Way in Evansville, Ind. Stay up-to-date with the Evansville Otters by visiting evansvilleotters.com, or follow the Otters on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Aces split DH against Sycamores

 Facing a pivotal stretch in its Missouri Valley Conference slate, the University of Evansville softball team earned a split in a doubleheader at Indiana State on Wednesday.

The day started out with Indiana State (21-20, 8-8 MVC) earning a 6-3 win before Evansville (12-27, 5-11 MVC) came back with a huge 6-2 victory in the second contest.

“We hit the ball really well today and finally got that timely hit in game two that we have been missing the last few weeks,” UE head coach Mat Mundell said.  “Jaime had an outstanding game in the circle.  She had her pitches really moving today.”

GAME ONE

Both teams were able to score in the first inning of game one.  Lindsay Renneisen got the scoring started with her fifth home run of the season in the first inning, but Indiana State took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the frame.  Brooke Mann had the big hit for ISU, bringing home both runs with a double to right-center.

McKenzie Johnson helped her squad tie it back up in the top of the third as McKenzie Johnson sent her sixth home run out of the park to knot it at 2-2.  The game remained that way until the bottom of the fifth when Indiana State made its big run.  Four runs came home as Bailey Martin started it off with an RBI single before Shaye Barton hit a bases clearing double to extend their lead to 6-2.

Evansville threatened in the top of the sixth when a bases loaded walk by Morgan Florey gave UE its third run of the game.  With one out and the bases loaded, ISU was able to record the final two outs and hold on for the 6-3 win.  Eryn Gould notched three of the Aces six hits in the game.   Florey threw all six innings and accumulated five strikeouts.

GAME TWO

Jaime Nurrenbern was in the circle for the second matchup and continued to pitch well, allowing just four hits through the opening four frames.  Her offense came out swinging, scoring twice in the bottom of the first.  Fresh off of a 3-hit game, Eryn Gould led off with a double to center.  With two outs, Brittany Hay singled to right to score Gould.  A single by Elyse Hickey brought home the second run.

Indiana State looked to be in good shape to finish off the fifth inning.  The first two Sycamore runners reached base, but Nurrenbern buckled down, forcing a double play and a groundout to keep ISU off the board.  The Aces added a pair of runs in the sixth as Nurrenbern helped her own cause.  With two outs, she singled to right to score Lindsay Renneisen and Elyse Hickey, who each singled earlier in the inning.

Those runs proved to be huge as ISU plated two runs of its own in the bottom of the sixth to get within two runs.  UE never relented as a Florey single in the top half of the 7^th scored two runs as the lead was pushed back out to four at 6-2.  That was the end of the scoring as the Aces halted an 8-game losing streak.

Renneisen, Hickey and Nurrenbern each had two hits apiece as the squad finished with 10.  Nurrenbern picked up her second win of the season, throwing seven innings while allowing two runs, one earned, on seven hits.