FOOTNOTE: EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.
USI Women’s Basketball adds transfer Amiyah Buchanan
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball has added Amiyah Buchanan, a 6-0 forward from Evansville, Indiana, who is transferring from Southeast Missouri State University.
Buchanan is coming off a freshman campaign with SEMO in 2023-24, making 12 starts in 27 games played. Buchanan averaged five points and five rebounds per game for the Redhawks. The forward recorded a team-high 22 blocks on the season and shot the basketball at just over 45 percent (53-116) from the floor, which was second-best among those with at least 50 field goal attempts for the Redhawks. Buchanan averaged nearly 22 minutes per contest for SEMO. The incoming sophomore scored in double figures three times and pulled down 10 boards in two contests. In seven starts and 16 appearances in Ohio Valley Conference play, Buchanan averaged five points and five rebounds while shooting over 49 percent overall.
“We are very excited to have Amiyah join our team and USI family,” USI Women’s Basketball Head Coach Rick Stein said. “Amiyah brings to our team a year of Division I and Ohio Valley Conference experience. Amiyah will impact our team immediately on both ends of the court with her athleticism, size, and play in the paint.”
Prior to 2023-24 at SEMO, Buchanan played for Evansville North High School, where she was a two-year starter and an all-conference selection. Buchanan played club basketball for the Nike Lady Gym Rats.
Otters capitalize to grab series finale
EVANSVILLE, IN – The Evansville Otters closed out their series against the Gateway Grizzlies tonight with a 6-2 win at Bosse Field. Situational hitting was a virtue for the Otters (2-5), capitalizing on the Grizzlies (3-3) mistakes to earn their first home win of the 2024 regular season.
Evansville saw dominant pitching throughout the game. Right-hander Parker Brahms (1-1) saw six frames of control on the hill, allowing just a pair of runs on seven hits with no walks and six strikeouts.
Tyler Driver, Leoni De La Cruz and Michael McAvene then threw one scoreless inning each out of the bullpen, allowing just one baserunner the rest of the way with another three strikeouts.
Offensively, the Otters swung the bats into action early, plating one run in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly from David Mendham.
Gateway answered in the third inning and briefly took a 2-1 lead in the fourth off a solo home run.
Punching back quickly, the Otters answered with a run in the bottom of the frame. After reaching on an error and being moved to third on a separate error, Jomar Reyes scored on a wild pitch that was blocked by the Gateway catcher. The ball hit the bottom of the mask, lodging itself inside his chest protector, bringing in a run on the dead ball to tie the game.
The Otters put the game out of reach with a four-run fifth inning. After a one-out double from Patrick Lee and a fielder’s choice, Lee came in to score on a double-steal throwing error into center field by the catcher, giving Evansville a 3-2 advantage.
They added on with a Mendham run-scoring double. Two batters later, Randy Bednar hit his second bomb in two days to left field, making it 6-2 to finalize the scoring.
Jake Green had another multi-hit game for Evansville. Bednar led the way with two RBIs and Lee scored twice.
Evansville’s six-game home stand will continue tomorrow against Joliet. The Slammers roll in for the weekend series set to begin at 6:35 PM CT.
FLAMES RALLY FOR 5-4 WIN OVER BASEBALL ACES
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – After being held in check nearly all game long on Thursday night, the visiting UIC Flames rallied for two runs in the top of the ninth inning and one in the tenth to grab a 5-4 victory over the host University of Evansville baseball team at German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium in Evansville.
UE freshman starter Kenton Deverman and sophomore reliever Max Hansmann combined to limit the Flames to just two runs on three hits, all in the fourth inning, before UIC rallied to tie the game in the ninth inning.
With UE leading 4-2 going to the ninth inning, back-to-back singles by catcher Jackson Bessette and Kendall Ewell opened the frame for UIC. Then, after a sacrifice bunt, a sacrifice fly brought UIC back within a run at 4-3. A walk put runners on the corners with two out, before outfielder Rayth Petersen tied the game at 4-4 with an RBI single to center field.
After UE was retired in order by reliever Zack Millsap (3-0) in the bottom of the ninth inning, UIC got an RBI double by Bessette off the wall in right field in the tenth inning to take a 5-4 lead. UIC closer Reece Lawler then worked around a one-out walk to post a scoreless tenth inning to record his 12th save of the season.
The loss spoiled a stellar outing by UE freshman pitcher Kenton Deverman. Deverman allowed only four base runners in 7.0 innings of work, with three of them coming in the fourth inning when the Flames strung together three two-out hits to score a pair of runs. Outside of that, Deverman retired 21 of the other 22 men he faced in order, with the lone other runner reaching base on a UE error. Deverman recorded nine strikeouts and did not walk a batter in the outing.
UE scored first in the third inning on a lead-off double by graduate catcher Brendan Hord, a single by junior designated hitter Evan Waggoner, and an RBI double by senior shortstop Simon Scherry.
After UIC took a brief 2-1 lead against Deverman in the fourth inning, Evansville answered back with two runs in the fifth inning on an RBI fielder’s choice by senior first baseman Kip Fougerousse and an RBI single by junior second baseman Cal McGinnis. UE would add a run on an RBI single by graduate third baseman Brent Widder in the seventh inning to take a 4-2 lead. The game would remain 4-2 until the ninth, when UIC rallied.
McGinnis and Scherry both had three-hit nights for UE, while Waggoner added a pair of hits as well. Evansville out-hit UIC, 12-8, but the Purple Aces also stranded 12 runners on base.
With the victory, UIC moves into sole possession of second place in the Missouri Valley Conference standings with a 33-16 overall record and 16-9 Valley mark. Evansville, meanwhile, falls into a tie with Murray State for third place with a 29-23 overall record and 15-10 MVC mark. The series will continue on Friday night at 6 p.m. with graduate LHP Donovan Schultz (3-2, 6.31 ERA) scheduled to get the start for UE. Friday’s game can be seen live on ESPN+ and heard live in the Tri-State area on 107.1 FM-WJPS.
USI opens series with 8-1 win
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball opened Alumni Weekend with an 8-1 victory over Western Illinois University Thursday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. The Screaming Eagles are 23-30 overall and 12-13 OVC, while Leathernecks go to 13-35, 8-17 OVC.
With the win, USI rises into a tie for fifth in the OVC standings at press time. The Eagles, 12-13 in the league, are tied in the standings with the University of Tennessee at Martin and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. The Cougars could rise or fall out of the tie pending the conclusion of the doubleheader nightcap versus Morehead State University that started at 5 p.m.
The OVC Championship, presented by SERVPRO, is scheduled for May 22-25 at Mtn Dew Park in Marion, Illinois.
The Eagles used a two-run second inning to take command of the game, 2-0, early. USI junior catcher Logan Mock (Livermore, California) started the scoring by driving in junior leftfielder Thomas Emerich (Ava, Missouri), who had doubled to start the frame.
Mock would come around to score one batter later when junior second baseman Lane Crowden (Jackson, Missouri) tripled down the right field line for the 2-0.
USI expanded the lead to 6-0 with a 4-run fourth inning. Mock struck again for the first run of the inning with a sacrifice fly, while Crowden made the score 4-0 with a RBI-single to left. Junior third baseman Ricardo Van Grieken (Venezuela), after a single by senior rightfielder Ren Tachioka (Japan), capped off the four-run frame with a two-run double to right field for the 6-0 lead.
Following an Emerich single to start the seventh, junior centerfielder Terrick Thompson-Allen (Sioux City, Iowa) smacked a RBI-triple to left center and scored on a wild pitch to give USI an 8-0 advantage. The Leathernecks closed the gap in the ninth with a tally before the Eagles closed out the 8-1 victory.
USI junior right-hander Peyton Brown (Clemmons, North Carolina) was dominating through six innings and picked up the victory. Brown (2-2), who posted his longest outing of the season, blanked the Leathernecks on two hits and two walks, while striking out four.
USI senior right-hander Trent Robinson (Louisville, Kentucky) picked up the save after throwing the final three innings. Robins allowed one run on one hit and two walks, while striking out two.
EPD K9 Orkan apprehends auto theft suspect
On May 16th around 8 a.m. officers were dispatched to a business on North Greenriver Road for an auto theft in progress. Officers arrived within minutes and found the suspect, later identified as 35-year-old Shawn M. Grigsby, trying to flee in a stolen truck. Grigsby had wrecked the vehicle, striking several poles, so the vehicle was inoperable. Grigbsy then refused to exit the truck.
Officers attempted to negotiate with Grigbsy for nearly an hour before utilizing less lethal options to end the standoff. When pepperball munitions were projected into the vehicle Grigsby exited the truck and fled on foot from officers. K9 Orkan, along with his partner Officer Blair, immediately apprehended Grigsby.
Officers responded quickly and worked together to help end this situation as safely possible. The collaborative effort by patrol, drone operators, negotiators, K9 units and detectives is to be commended.
Grigsby was treated at a local hospital and then booked into the Vanderburgh County Confinement Center with multiple charges including Auto Theft, Resisting Law Enforcement, Criminal Recklessness with a Deadly Weapon and Possession of Methamphetamine.
Former Cleaners Site Eyed For Housing Project
Former CLeaners Site Eyed For A Housing Project
By Jay Young
STAFF WRITER
MAY 17, 2024
A local non-profit organization is working with the owner of the former Pearl Cleaners site on a possible affordable housing project, HOPE of Evansville’s executive director said Thursday.
HOPE’s Joshua Calhoun said he’s corresponded with the property owner about a development at 428 NW Third St. The property is owned by an entity controlled by Eric N. Morgan of Evansville.
The Evansville Building Commission recently cited the property because a recent demolition of the burned-out structure didn’t include debris removals. The city could be stuck with a bill to remove the mountain of bricks and debriis that have covered the site since January. Morgan has not responded to interview requests made since that demolition.
The property is located on the edge of the Downtown Improvement District.
“I think it’s a great area for affordable housing,” Calhoun said. “I think it’s an up-and-coming area.”
Beyond the immediate cleanup, the site faces multiple challenges that include years of unpaid taxes and fees that total $46,590 and potentially a $103,000 lien from the company that demolished the walls.
Calhoun said Morgan originally reached out to HOPE about a possible project and shared renderings. He said his organization has applied for funding from the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership (E-REP} , which administers money from the state and partners with the Downtown Evansville Improvement District.
This is a developing story.