EVANSVILLE, Ind. –  The University of Evansville baseball team used seven strong innings from graduate starter Donovan Schultz and three home runs to grab an 8-4 lead early on Saturday, and then the Purple Aces held off a hard-charging Missouri State squad to post an 8-7 victory at German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium in Evansville.

“We found a way today in a pretty wild game,” said UE head coach Wes Carroll.  “The wind was definitely a factor today, as the ball was really flying well, but thankfully, we were able to take advantage of it and grab an early lead.  And, outside of one inning, I thought that Donovan Schultz was spectacular on the mound to help us earn another series victory.

“We have to come to the park ready to compete tomorrow, as I know that Missouri State will be ready to try and salvage a game on the weekend.”

Schultz equaled a career-high with 7.0 innings of work for the fourth-straight start on Saturday, and he had only one bad inning.  Missouri State first baseman Cody Kelly hit an opposite-field three-run home run to left field to open the scoring, before third baseman Curry Sutherland took advantage of the wind blowing out to left field to add a solo home run in a four-run second inning.

From there, Schultz buckled down and retired 11 of the next 12 men he faced, with the only batter who reached base doing so on an error.  His teammates quickly tied the game in the third inning, taking advantage of the wind as well.

Graduate catcher Brendan Hord opened the scoring in the third inning with a solo home run that took advantage of the wind to left-center field.  Senior shortstop Simon Scherry then followed with a no-doubt home run to left field to cut Missouri State’s lead to 4-2.  Senior outfielder Kip Fougerousse then tied the game three batters later with a laser-shot two-run home run down the left-field line to tie the game at 4-4.

UE would take the lead for good in the fourth inning on a two-run double off the wall in center field by Hord.  After a single by Scherry, Hord would score on a run-scoring fielder’s choice by junior outfielder Harrison Taubert to push the lead to 7-4.  UE would add another run in the fifth inning on another run-scoring fielder’s choice by Scherry to take an 8-4 lead.

Schultz (3-1) would take the 8-4 lead through seven innings, as he held the Bears to the four runs on just five hits.  Missouri State would quickly strike for three runs in the eighth inning though against the UE bullpen on a pair of home runs by Zack Stewart and Dylan Leach to cut the UE lead to 8-7.  Senior Jakob Meyer would come on though to get out of the eighth inning, and then worked a perfect ninth inning with a pair of strikeouts to nail down his third save of the year.

Hord went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and three RBI to lead UE offensively.  Scherry and graduate third baseman Brent Widder also had two-hit afternoons, while Scherry and Fougerousse both added two RBI.

With the victory, Evansville improved to 24-18 overall and 12-5 in the MVC, as the Purple Aces earned their fifth-straight MVC series victory.  Overall, UE has won 15 of its last 18 games.  Missouri State, meanwhile, dropped to 17-24 overall and 6-11 in the MVC with the loss.  The series will conclude on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m., as senior right-hander Shane Harris (4-4, 3.27 ERA) is expected to get the start.

VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University baseball team returned home to begin their Mid-West Athletic Conference weekend series with John Wood Community College Saturday afternoon.

The Trailblazers came up on the wrong side of an 8-0 score in game one before dropping game two of the day 14-4 to John Wood.

Vincennes had to play from behind early in game one, with John Wood breaking onto the scoreboard with a run in the second and two runs in the third to take an early 3-0 lead.

The Blazers would get runners in scoring position in each of the first three innings, including doubles by sophomore Trevor Newman (Fort Wayne, Ind.), freshman Bryce Gross (Bridgeport, Ill.) and sophomore Jack Robinson (Mooresville, Ind.).

VU was unable to get a run across out of these hits however, as John Wood extended the lead by scoring a run in the fifth, sixth and seventh to take a 6-0 lead, before adding on two more in the eighth to take an eight-run lead.

The Trailblazers continued to battle, getting a runner on base in every inning, getting seven hits, including five doubles but were held off the scoreboard as John Wood closed out the 8-0 victory in game one of the day.

Freshman Carson Allen (Louisville, Ky.) got the start in game one, throwing five plus innings, allowing five runs, three earned, on nine hits and striking out three.

Freshman JD Bowser (Mt. Carmel, Ill.) was the first out of the pen for VU, throwing two and two-thirds innings, allowing three runs on three hits and striking out two.

Sophomore Christian Pinson (Elizabethtown, Ky.) came in to get the final out of the eighth inning, retiring the only batter he faced on just two pitches.

“Game one is pretty simple,” VU Head Baseball Coach Chris Barney said. “We had runners in scoring position in seven out of the eight innings and didn’t come up with a big hit. That’s the bottom line and that’s how you lose games.”

VU looked to bounce back in game two but John Wood clearly had other plans as the visiting Blazers opened up game two of the day with a big nine run first inning.

The scoring would slow down in the next few innings, with John Wood tacking on runs in the second and third to increase their lead to 11-0.

Vincennes would get on the scoreboard for the first time in the third inning on an RBI double by Jack Robinson, after freshman Jaydon Bradbury (Terre Haute, Ind.) led off the inning with a walk and sophomore Carter Whitehead (Huntingburg, Ind.) reached on an error.

Whitehead would come in to score on a ground out put in play by sophomore Blake Heyerly (Monroe, Ind.) and Robinson would score the third run of the inning on a successful double steal.

John Wood would get all three runs back in the next half inning before VU scored again in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single by Carter Whitehead. Whitehead reached base in all three of his plate appearances in game two, with a single and a double.

Vincennes held John Wood scoreless in the fifth and looked to extend the game in the bottom half after a leadoff single by freshman Corbin Napier (Indianapolis, Ind.).

Unfortunately Vincennes was unable to get a run across to extend the game as John Wood closed out game two of the day by the final score of 14-4.

Freshman Kaleb Marrs (Terre Haute, Ind.) had a tough outing in game two, allowing nine runs on eight hits in one-third of an inning, while striking out one.

Freshman Alex Wandersee (Centerville, Ind.) was called out of the pen and threw four and two-thirds solid innings of relief, allowing five runs, two earned, on six hits and setting a new career-high by striking out seven.

Bears take second game by 4-3 final

 EVANSVILLE, Ind. – One day after staging a dramatic 7^th-inning rally, the University of Evansville softball team was primed to do the same on Saturday, but Missouri State held on for a 4-3 win at Tri-State Orthopaedics Field at Cooper Stadium.

Trailing by a 4-1 tally entering the bottom of the 7^th, the Purple Aces registered five hits and two runs as the bases were loaded with two outs.  Interference was called on the final play with finishing with the win.

Saturday marked Senior Day for UE with its 2024 class being recognized.  Hannah Hood, Megan Brenton, Alexa Davis, Mikayla Jolly, Brooke McCorkle, Jenna Nink and Marah Wood were honored following the game.

Evansville looked to jump out to an early lead as Zoe Frossard and Brooke Voss reached on consecutive singles before Jenna Nink was issued a 2-out walk to load the bases.  A groundout ended the threat to send the game into the second.

Missouri State scored three times in the third to open the scoring.  Chloe Merced had a triple while Annie Mueller had a solo home run in the frame.  Another run crossed the plate in the top of the fourth as the Bears picked up three more hits to make it a 4-0 game.

Lacy Smith brought in the first UE run of the game with a single through the left side to score Marah Wood in the bottom of the fourth.  Megan Brenton came into the game and tossed three scoreless innings to give the Aces a chance in the bottom of the 7^th.

Alexa Davis led off with a single to get things rolling.  With one out, Brooke Voss, Jess Willsey and Jenna Nink each hit singles of their own, plating two runs.  With two outs, Marah Wood singled to left to load the bases.  On the final play, a runner interference ended the threat and MSU took the win.

Sunday’s series-deciding game will begin with a 12 p.m. first pitch.

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball announced the signing of junior guard Braxton Jones (Monroe, New Jersey) for the 2024-25 season. Jones is the first player to sign with USI and Head Coach Stan Gouard this spring.
 
“USI is extremely excited to welcome Braxton and his family to the Screaming Eagles family,” said Gouard. “We have been recruiting Braxton and his family hard and cannot wait to watch him knock down threes in front the of the best fans and student section in all of college basketball.”
 
“I know Braxton is excited to uphold the standards of all the USI greats that have come before him,” continued Gouard.  “He embodies our culture both on and off the court.”
 
“Braxton is an absolute gym rat who has an immense amount of pride in how he plays and competes on a daily basis. I cannot wait to get to work with him and have him here in Evansville this summer,” concluded Gouard.
 
Jones comes to USI from Garden City Community College where he was named second-team All-Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference. He posted 18.9 points, 2.5 assists, and 3.7 rebounds during his only season with GCCC, posting a season-high 33 points versus Seward County Community College and 10 assists versus Dodge City Community College.
 
The 2023-24 sophomore guard shot nearly 35 percent from beyond the arc, hitting a school-record eight triples vs. Sterling College and drained five or more three-pointers in a game nine times. He also posted a triple-double, finishing with 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 109-72 victory over Dodge City in January.
 
Jones ranked as high as 15^th in JucoRecruiting.com, finishing the year 31^st.
 
Prior to playing at GCCC, Jones began his collegiate career at the University of Harford where he averaged 4.5 points and 1.3 rebounds in 28 games during 2022-23. He posted a season-high 24 points and eight rebounds versus Fairleigh Dickinson University.
 
A graduate of Roselle Catholic High School, Jones helped the Lions to the 2022 NJSIAAA Tournament championship. He played a pivotal role the title game, hitting the go-ahead bucket on the way to the championship.
 
The Screaming Eagles reached the Ohio Valley Conference Championship post-season in 2023-24 marking the second-straight season since USI made the transition to NCAA Division I.