May 11, 2018

 
Wright doubles twice in 10-6 loss to Evansville

By Timothy McCaughan
Indiana State Athletics

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Indiana State baseball dropped its series opener to Evansville Friday night at Bob Warn Field, 10-6. ISU led 4-1 after four innings, but the Aces scored nine-straight runs, including five runs in the sixth inning to secure the victory.

The Aces (10-33, 2-14 MVC) came into the game hitting just .244 on the year but outhit Indiana State, 14-10 in the game. Nine Evansville batters recorded base hits while Craig Tanner and Even Aders each tallied three hits. Aders hit two solo home runs in his first two plate appearances after entering the game with a .127 average in 23 games. 

The two squads traded runs in the third inning. After UE scored in the top half, Max Wright (Toronto, Ont.) tallied the first of two doubles on the evening on a ball down the line in right. He would come home two batters later when CJ Huntley singled to left.

Indiana State (24-21, 6-10 MVC) scored three more runs in the home half of the fourth, first on leadoff home run from Romero Harris -- his eighth of the season. Jarrod Watkins singled and Jake Means reached on a hit-by-pitch to setup Wright for his second double of the day to put ISU ahead 4-1.

Sycamore starting pitcher Tristan Weaver gave up a leadoff solo home run to Aders in the fifth before a one-out double would come around to score later in the inning. Evansville would go on to load the bases after two hits and a walk, but Weaver would get a groundout to third to end the UE threat.

Donnie Ames entered from the bullpen to begin the sixth inning and allowed five runs on five hits to the Aces on three-straight singles, a double, a balk, an RBI groundout and a solo home run. Tyler Whitbread entered with a runner on and one out to get the Sycamores out of the inning.

Evansville added insurance in the ninth inning on a pair of runs that would be needed as the Trees rallied in the home half. Dane Giesler moved into fifth all-time in school history in career home runs with 30 after launching a one-out bomb to left center. Romero Harris followed with a single up the middle while Jarrod Watkins singled to put runners on first and second with two outs.

Jake Means drove in two runs on a ball to left-center to make it 10-6 in favor of the Aces, but that would be how the game would end.

Giesler, Harris, Watkins and Wright each finished with two hits apiece for Indiana State.

Donnie Ames took the loss to fall to 3-2 on the season. Tristan Weaver allowed three runs in five innings, striking out six on the night.

UE starting pitcher Austin Ruesch picked up the win to move to 2-3 after tossing five innings and allowing four runs. Evansville reliever Lukas Adam was sharp out of the bullpen, not allowing base hit in two innings while striking out four Sycamores.