TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Vincennes University golf team got their top two scorers back this weekend for the two-day Battle of the Woods tournament at Hulman Links in Terre Haute.

While they were still battling lingering injuries, the Trailblazers showed tremendous improvement on another tough course in windy conditions to come away with a third-place finish as a team.

The two-day, 36-hole tournament began Saturday morning with the first round and the Blazers looked to be in great shape after the first 18 holes of the tournament.

Freshmen Alex Nealis (Olney, Ill.) and Andy Clark got off to a great start, finishing the first round with a six-over 78, placing them in a tie for fifth on the individual leaderboard.

Sophomore Aaron Brink (Nashville, Ill.) returned to the course after an injury to shoot a first round 80, good for a tie for 10th after the first day.

Sophomore Preston Broce (Indianapolis, Ind.) also returned to the links after an injury and was ablet to come away with a first day 81 for a tie for 13th.

Freshman Xavier Brown (Franklin, Ind.) rounded out the VU golfers Saturday with an 89, putting him in a tie for 24th overall.

The Trailblazers looked to be well within striking distance of top spot on the team leaderboard, ending the first round with a team score of 317 in second place, nine shots out of first.

The Blazers returned to Hulman Links Sunday morning for the final round of the tournament and the windy conditions and injuries again looked to get the better of VU.

Preston Broce led the Blazers Sunday with an 80, giving him a tournament score of 161 and a tie for 5th place finish overall.

Broce tied with fellow VU sophomore Aaron Brink, who finished his round Sunday with an 81, giving him a tournament score of 161 as well.

Alex Nealis slid a little in the windy conditions, shooting an 84 on Sunday but was still able to place in the top-10 in a tie for 8th.

Andy Clark shot an 88 on Sunday, giving him a tournament score of 166 and a tie for 15, before the Blazers were rounded out by Xavier Brown, who had the biggest improvement from round one with an 86 on Sunday and a tournament score of 175 for a tie for 22nd place finish.

The Trailblazers as a team shot a 331 on Sunday, giving them a tournament total of 648 which was good for a third-place finish as a team.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. –  Belmont starting pitcher Joe Ruzicka tossed a complete-game, three-hit shutout on Sunday, and the Bruins launched five home runs, as Belmont salvaged the series finale over the University of Evansville Purple Aces with a 12-0 victory at E.S. Rose Park in Nashville, Tennessee.

Belmont would get all of the offense that it would need just two batters into the contest, as after a lead-off walk by Sam Slaughter, second baseman Jack Rando launched a two-run home run to left field to give the Bruins a 2-0 lead.

Belmont would add a solo home run in the second inning, and a three-run home run in the fourth inning off of UE starter Nick Smith (2-5) to build a 6-0 lead.  Smith suffered the loss after giving up six runs on five hits, including three home runs in 3.1 innings.

Belmont would add a pair of solo home runs in the fifth inning, as Ruzicka held UE without a hit until the sixth inning, when senior shortstop Simon Scherry roped a ball through the left-side of the infield for UE’s first hit of the game.  UE put the first two men on in the sixth inning, but a strikeout and a double-play ground ball ended the UE threat.  Belmont would tack on four runs in the home-half of the sixth inning to provide the final margin of victory and enact the mercy rule in the series finale.

Outfielder Michael Lareau went 3-for-3 with a double and a home run out of the bottom spot in the Belmont batting order to lead the Bruins offensively.  Evansville was limited to just three hits overall, with Scherry, graduate third baseman Brent Widder, and graduate first baseman Chase Hug each collecting a hit on the day.

With the victory, Belmont improves to 17-15 overall and 5-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference.  Evansville, meanwhile, sees its four-game winning streak snapped and falls to 14-17 overall and 4-5 in the Valley with the loss.  The Purple Aces will hit the road briefly on Tuesday with a mid-week game at Butler at 3 p.m. central time, before returning home to German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium next weekend for a three-game series against Illinois State beginning on Friday.

Evansville, In.:  In a game that served as the final preview between the Thunderbolts and Bulls before they meet in the playoffs, the Thunderbolts were unable to hold off a late Bulls rally, as Birmingham came back to defeat Evansville 3-2 in a shootout on Saturday at Ford Center.   The Thunderbolts’ next home game will be on Thursday, April 11^th against the Birmingham Bulls, puck drop at 7:00pm CT.

The Bulls struck first, only 16 seconds into the game, as Scott Donahue put Birmingham ahead early.  Evansville rallied well, tying the game at 14:12 as Adam Pilotte scored from Brendan Harrogate and Grant Spence to tie the game at 1-1.  Only 21 seconds later, Evansville took a 2-1 lead as Myles Abbate wired a shot past Drennen Atherton at 14:33 from Lincoln Hatten and Matthew Hobbs.  The score remained 2-1 until the final minute of the third period, when Atherton was pulled by the Bulls, who scored with 33 seconds remaining in regulation with a Drake Glover goal to force overtime.  In the shootout that followed a scoreless overtime, MacGregor Sinclair and Taylor Brierley scored for the Bulls while Hobbs provided the lone Evansville tally, as the Bulls took the shootout 2-1 and the game 3-2.

Pilotte and Abbate scored Evansville’s regulation goals, while Hobbs scored Evansville’s lone shootout goal, as well as an assist in regulation.  In goal, Ty Taylor finished with 26 saves on 28 shots in regulation and overtime, and 4 of 6 in the shootout.  These two teams will face off in the first round of the President’s Cup Playoffs this coming week, Game One at Birmingham on Wednesday, April 10^th, Game Two at Ford Center on Thursday, April 11^th, and Game Three (if necessary) at Birmingham on Saturday, April 13^th, all games beginning at 7:00pm CT.

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball allowed three runs in the top of the ninth in losing to Lindenwood University, 7-6, Saturday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. USI is 14-17 overall and 4-4 OVC, while Lindenwood goes to 9-21, 3-5 OVC.
 
The Screaming Eagles trailed 1-0 after the second inning, but tied the game 1-1 in the third on a RBI-single by senior designated hitter Jack Ellis (Jeffersonville, Indiana). Lindenwood responded by regaining the lead in the top of the fourth with three-run frame to lead, 4-1.
 
USI got the momentum back in the fifth with a five-run frame to lead 6-4. Ellis struck again to get the rally going with a RBI-single through the right side before junior catcher Logan Mock (Livermore, California) tied the score with a two-run double down the left line.
 
The Eagles continued the rally to get the two run lead on a run scoring single by junior centerfielder Terrick Thompson-Allen (Sioux City, Iowa) and a RBI-double by junior third baseman Ricardo Van Grieken (Venezuela).
 
USI would hold the two-run lead until the ninth when Lindenwood scored three times on three hits and three walks against four Eagle hurlers.
 
On the mound, junior right-hander Tyler Hutson (Villa Hills, Kentucky) picked up the loss in relief. Hutson (0-3) allowed three runs on one hit and two walks in the final frame.
 

MARTIN, Tenn. – University of Southern Indiana Softball responded to a 6-5 comeback win by the University of Tennessee at Martin early in the day on Saturday by bouncing back with a 3-1 series finale victory, giving the Screaming Eagles the series win against the Skyhawks.
 
Southern Indiana concluded the weekend at UT Martin with a 16-14 overall record and a 10-5 conference record. Through Saturday’s doubleheader for USI, the Screaming Eagles will at minimum be tied for the most conference wins in the Ohio Valley Conference by the end of the day. Depending on results elsewhere, USI could end up in first place in the conference standings. For UT Martin, the Skyhawks leave the series with a 21-17 season record and a 7-8 mark in the OVC.
 
The Screaming Eagles started the day by taking advantage of early miscues by the Skyhawks’ defense. The first three in USI’s batting order reached base, loading the bases before an RBI single from senior first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) to give USI a quick 1-0 lead. With the bases still full, senior catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana) cleared the bags with a grand slam to right field, increasing USI’s advantage to 5-0. The big fly was Kihega’s third home run of the season to lead the team.
 
In the fourth inning and trailing 5-1, UT Martin made some noise toward a comeback effort. The Skyhawks pulled within one run following a two-RBI double and an RBI single in the fourth.
 
UT Martin scored twice more in the bottom of the sixth inning to grab a 6-5 lead and then finished off the come-from-behind bid by keeping USI off the scoreboard in the top of the seventh.
 
Southern Indiana tallied its five runs on five hits. Fair was 2-3 with a run and an RBI in the contest, while Kihega recorded four RBIs in the game off the grand slam. UT Martin posted its six runs off nine hits.
 
UT Martin’s graduate pitcher Kierston Nixon was credited with the win, going to 4-4 this season, after pitching the last two innings and following senior starting pitcher Anna Hazlewood. Hazlewood tossed the first five innings in the no-decision.
 
Southern Indiana’s junior pitcher Whitley Hunter (Nashville, Illinois) was handed the loss, moving to 2-5 this season. Hunter struck out a pair and allowed six runs – four earned – in 5.1 innings of work.
 
In the second game of the afternoon, Southern Indiana struck first again, as Fair doubled home junior infielder Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) for a 1-0 USI lead. Gotshall added to the Eagles’ lead with a sac fly in the third inning.
 
Meanwhile, junior pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) was in her bag of tricks once again in the pitching circle. After Newman held UT Martin hitless through four innings and struck out 17 batters on Friday, the right-hander picked up where she left off in Saturday’s series finale.
 
In Saturday’s outing, Newman carried a no-hitter into the bottom of the sixth inning against the Skyhawks. That’s when UT Martin scored an unearned run on an RBI single, making the score 2-1 USI.
 
The Screaming Eagles made it a two-run lead again in the top of the seventh when Fair singled home sophomore outfielder Caroline Stapleton (Shirley, Indiana) toward the 3-1 victory.
 
Newman earned win number 14 of the season after striking out 14 batters in the complete-game effort. Newman gave up only one hit.
 
The junior racked up 31 strikeouts in the series, bringing her season total to 166. As a reclassifying program to NCAA Division I, USI does not qualify for the official NCAA statistical rankings, but Newman would rank second in the nation with 166 total strikeouts this season through Saturday’s action. Newman does rank first in the Ohio Valley Conference in strikeouts, wins, complete games, and innings pitched following Saturday’s doubleheader.
 
UT Martin senior pitcher Brooklyn Linneman dropped to 7-5. Linneman lasted a third of an inning after one run allowed on three hits before handing the ball off to the bullpen.
 
At the plate, USI notched 10 hits toward its three runs. Stapleton went 3-4 with a run for Southern Indiana. Fair had two hits and two RBIs, and Newman also had two hits with the bat.
 
The Screaming Eagles return home next weekend for Alumni Weekend at USI Softball Field. All USI Softball alumni are welcomed back with free admission, as Southern Indiana hosts Eastern Illinois University.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. –  University of Evansville graduate outfielder Mark Shallenberger launched two home runs on Saturday, and graduate catcher Brendan Hord added a home run of his own, as the visiting Purple Aces powered past the host Belmont Bruins, 8-3, at E.S. Rose Park in Nashville, Tennessee to win the Missouri Valley Conference series.  UE will go for a series sweep on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.

“I am really proud of our overall effort today,” said UE head coach Wes Carroll.  “It really started on the mound for us, as Donovan Schultz was electric today and really stepped up big for us to help get us the series win on a Saturday.

“Offensively, we had a lot of different guys step up today.  Obviously, Mark Shallenberger hitting two home runs today was huge for us, but Harrison Taubert had some great two-strike hits today, and I really want to commend Brendan Hord on the job he did today both offensive and behind home plate.  Brendan really did a tremendous job for us today.”

Hord got Evansville on the board first in the second inning with a three-run home run down the left-field line.  Shallenberger then added a two-run blast to right-center field in the fifth inning to give UE a 5-0 lead.  Then, after an RBI double by junior outfielder Harrison Taubert in the sixth inning, Shallenberger crushed a mammoth home run to right field to give UE an 8-0 advantage.

The eight runs were more than enough for graduate left-hander Donovan Schultz (1-1), who earned his first victory of the year with seven strong innings on the mound.  Schultz held the Bruins scoreless through the first six innings on just two hits.  Belmont would finally scratch across two runs against Schultz in the seventh inning, but the graduate left-hander equaled a career-high with 7.0 innings of work, allowing just two runs on four hits, while striking out six.

Taubert led UE offensively by posting his second four-hit game of the year, with a double, two runs scored and an RBI.  Shallenberger also went 3-for-5 with a double, two home runs, and four RBI.  Evansville out-hit Belmont, 12-5, on the afternoon.

With the victory, Evansville improves to 14-16 overall and 4-4 in the MVC, while extending its winning streak to four-straight games.  Belmont, meanwhile, suffers its second-straight loss and drops to 16-15 overall and 4-4 in the Valley.  The series will conclude on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.  Evansville has not yet announced a starter for Sunday’s contest.  Sunday’s game can be heard live in the Tri-State area on 107.1 FM-WJPS and can be seen on-line on ESPN+.

Aces take weekend finale in Des Moines

 DES MOINES, Iowa – Freshman Brooke Voss went 4-for-4 with two runs to pace the University of Evansville softball team to a 7-2 win over Drake in the weekend finale at Ron Buel Field.

Voss accounted for four of the Purple Aces 13 hits in the contest.  Alexa Davis went 3-4 with three runs and two RBI while Taylor Howe had two hits, four RBI and a run.

Drake plated the first run of the game in the bottom of the first before Evansville countered with a 2-run second.  Voss and Davis both reached on singles and would score on a 2-run double from Howe.

After the Bulldogs tied it up at 2-2, UE took control with a 3-run top half of the fourth.  Voss and Marah Wood recorded singles and would each score on a 2-run double to right field by Davis.  Zoe Frossard added a 2-out triple that scored Davis to make it a 5-2 game.

Taylor Howe put the finishing touches on the day with a 2-run home run in the sixth.  After Davis led off with her third hit of the afternoon, Howe’s long ball pushed the lead to 7-2 and that would be the final score.

Sydney Weatherford got the job done in the circle once again.  She gave up two unearned runs on six hits while walking just one batter.  Weatherford struck out four Bulldogs.

Next weekend, the Aces take to the road once again for a 3-game series at Southern Illinois.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Vincennes University men’s and women’s Track and Field teams were back in action Friday at the 2024 Jim Vargo Invitational hosted by Bellarmine University in Louisville.

The VU throwers stole the show for the Blue and Gold at Friday’s meet, led by sophomore Madison Davis who had the best finish of the meet by taking second place in the shot put with a throw of 12.17 meters.

Davis also completed the daily double by taking 15th overall in the discus with a best throw of 31.13 meters.

On the men’s side, sophomore and Indoor Heptathlon National Champion Olegs Kozjakovs led the way in the discus with a throw of 46.26 meters to take fifth.

Kozjakovs would also place in the top-10 in the shot put in a field of several NCAA Division I throwers, placing seventh with a throw of 14.21 meters.

Freshmen Jeremiah Ziebart and Jacob Wickman followed Kozjakovs in the discus throw with Ziebart posting a best throw of 43.86 meters for seventh and Wickman taking 16th with a throw of 35.52 meters.

Wickman also completed the daily double by taking 14th overall in the hammer throw with a throw of 37.19 meters.

“We had a really good meet with those that competed,” VU Head Track and Field Coach Marty Rogier said. “I pulled our sprinters and vaulters because of the cold conditions. I thought the risk of getting someone hurt outweighed any rewards. We are hoping for some big things with this group at the National level and we need everyone healthy to reach those goals.”

“Our throw group performed well and scored the majority of our points,” Rogier added. “Jeremiah and Olegs had some very good throws in the discus. They look like they have some big throws coming. Madison had a good series of throws and our highest finish of the day with a second place finish.”

Friday was also a big day for several of VU’s runners as well, led by freshman Emilly Barbosa (Sao Paulo, Brazil) who placed seventh in the 800 meters with a final time of 2:17.77.

Freshmen Adi Fuller (Evansville, Ind.), Jasmyn Self (Casey, Ill.) and Grayson Haynes (Sebree, Ky.) also posted some good times in a very competitive field of Division I runners.

Fuller took 20th with a time of 2:26.86, Self placed 30th at 2:34.99 and Haynes came in 39th overall with a final time of 2:50.53.

Adi Fuller also took part in the 1500 meter race, placing 32nd at 5:04.57 and Barbosa, Self and Haynes teamed up with freshman Zinzile Gumpo to place 10h in the 4×400 relay with a time of 4:37.63.

Gumpo hit the track again to post a time of 15.86 seconds in the 100 meter hurdles, good for 10th overall.

The VU men’s runners were led by the 4×400 relay team of freshmen Tanner Spence (Carmi, Ill.), Brahym Sakka (Tunisia), Alex Kwizera (Indianapolis, Ind.) and sophomore Matthew Gray (Washington, Ind.) who combined to take eighth with a time of 3:40.93.

Individually, Sakka led the way competing in three events on the day, posting a time of 1:58.89 in the 800 meters and a time of 4:04.08 in the 1500 meters, taking 25th and 18th in the respective events.

Matthew Gray and Tanner Spence followed Sakka in the 800 meters with Gray posting a time of 2:00.27 for 30th and Spence coming in at 2:01.69 for 36th.

Freshman Max Pendley (French Lick, Ind.) rounded out the VU finishers in the 800 meters with a time of 2:11.13 for 52nd overall.

In the 1500, Sakka was followed by Alex Kwizera who crossed the line with a time of 4:38.69 for 59th overall.

The Trailblazers continued to post good times on the track with sophomore Isaac Stanford (Flora, Ill.) taking 11th in the 5000 meters with a time of 15:05.96.