Box Score

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Scoring 13 runs on 13 hits Wednesday evening at Braun Stadium, the University of Evansville baseball team raced past the Murray State University Thoroughbreds, 13-2. The win improves the Aces’ record to 25-16 on the season, while the Breds fall to 19-23.

Sophomore Ryan Billo (7-1) earned his seventh win of the year, scattering two runs, four hits, two walks, striking out one in seven innings of work. Combining to allow just five hits, Sam Johns came out of the bullpen to toss a scoreless eighth and ninth with two strikeouts.

Offensively, five Purple Aces recorded multi-hit games, led by Eric Stamets’ 3-for-4 performance with three runs, two RBI, and two stolen bases. Kevin Kaczmarski was also stellar at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI, while Trentt Copeland went 3-for-5 with a home run, two runs scored, and three RBI. Sophomore Jake Mahon (2-for-3, 3 RBI) and junior Jason Hockemeyer (2-for-4, 2 RBI) were also offensive sparks for UE.

Combining a double and single together with one out in the first, Murray State took a quick 1-0 head start. However, the Aces countered in the bottom half of the frame, with four runs of their own. After Stamets led off with a single and scored on Pollock’s sacrifice fly in foul territory, Kaczmarski doubled, Hockemeyer walked, and Copeland belted his third home run of the season over the left field wall for a 4-1 lead.

In the second, Stamets crossed the plate on Mahon’s sac fly to centerfield for a 5-1 advantage.

While Billo continued to sit the Breds down, the Aces continued to swing the bats, scoring four runs in the fourth. In the frame, Stamets knocked home Michael Eckstein with a sacrifice fly and after Murray State registered two walks with two outs, Kaczmarski doubled and Hockemeyer tripled, plating three more for a commanding 9-1 lead.

Evansville tacked on another run in the sixth before the Breds ended their scoring drought in the seventh with one run following a hit batter and a single.

However, the Aces didn’t let up, stringing together two walks and three hits, including Copeland’s 56^th career double that moved him into sole possession of sixth place all-time at UE. The Aces scored three runs in the frame, stretching the final margin to 11 runs.

Vonder Haar (1-5) took the loss for Murray State, as the Breds threw five arms in the game.

After a five-game hiatus, the Aces resume Missouri Valley Conference play this weekend, bringing the Bradley University Braves to Braun Stadium for a three-game series. The contests will be played Friday at 6:00 p.m. CT, Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and Sunday at 1:00 p.m.