EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Evansville graduate first baseman Chase Hug (Indianapolis, Ind./Olney Central/Pike) was ranked among D1Baseball.com’s Top 50 first basemen entering the 2024 season on Friday. Evansville also had its series-opening game at Indiana State on Friday, May 10 selected for coverage on ESPNU, per an announcement from the Missouri Valley Conference.
Hug ranked 29th among the country’s top first basemen according to D1Baseball.com, one of the premiere collegiate baseball websites. Hug earned first team all-Missouri Valley Conference honors and MVC All-Defensive team accolades last year after hitting a team-best .311 with 15 doubles, three triples, 14 home runs, 48 RBI and 51 runs scored. Hug was also named to the MVC All-Tournament Team last May after hitting a pair of home runs in the conference tournament, including his dramatic two-strike, two-out grand slam against Indiana State to win the first of two MVC Tournament finals.
With Evansville and Indiana State squaring off in the Valley Tournament final last year, and with both teams featuring veteran rosters who could potentially vie for the MVC regular-season title this year, the MVC announced on Friday that the series-opener between UE and Indiana State on Friday, May 10 in Terre Haute will be broadcast on ESPNU nationally. It marks the second year in a row in which the Purple Aces have been selected to play in an ESPNU broadcast. Evansville returns seven position starters from last year’s 37-24 squad which advanced to the MVC Tournament final, while Indiana State is coming off of a 45-17 season in which they advanced to the NCAA Super Regionals.
Season tickets for UE baseball are currently on sale. Tickets can be purchased by phone by calling the UE Athletic Ticket Department at 812-488-2623. Tickets can also be purchased on-line at GoPurpleAces.com/Tickets through HomeTown Ticketing.
The 2024 UE baseball season will kick off February 16 at 2023 College World Series participant Oral Roberts.
