Box Score

WICHITA, Kan.- Evansville (29-16, 10-7) evened the series with a 4-1 win over Wichita State (35-12, 14-3) Saturday afternoon.

Both teams put their lead-off batters in scoring position in the first inning, but neither managed to cross a run.

Evansville again got the lead-off man on in the second and sacrificed him to scoring position. Wichita State forced a fly out and ground out from the next two batters to end the threat.

Wichita State broke through with one run in the bottom half of the frame. Matt Brown led off with a line drive to left field and advanced to second on a ground ball by Conor Gillaspie. Tyler Weber hit a high fly ball to center field where Jim Viscomi corralled it for the out, but his throw was wild, allowing Brown to tag and move to third. Bret Bascue pushed a single through the hole between short and third to drive in the run.

Kasey Wahl doubled down the left field line to start the fourth before Musgrave and the Shocker defense retired the next 10 consecutive hitters.

Pat Tumilty singled to shallow left field and Kern Watts drew a walk, putting two Aces on board with two outs in the seventh. Andy Smith and Ryan Barrett pounded out back-to-back singles to plate both runners and take a 2-1 lead. Noah Booth took over on the bump and got a ground out from Viscomi to end the inning.

Damon Sublett committed an error in the top of the ninth that would have ended the inning, but instead led to two unearned runs against Booth. Watts and Smith had singled previously and moved to scoring position on a sacrifice.

UE starter Kai Tuomi kept WSU hitters off balance through 8.1 innings. The senior lefty gave up a lead-off double to Danny Jackson in the bottom of the ninth. Jackson sent one sailing into the left-center gap and cruised into second. Brown hit a fly ball to left field and Watts slipped, but recovered in time to make the out. Gillaspie lined to shallow center field, placing runners at the corners.

Matt Brinkmann came in for Tuomi and won a nine-pitch at bat with Weber, who grounded into a double play to end the game.

The series-deciding game takes place tomorrow at 1 p.m. The first 2,000 fans will receive Shocker trading cards and stick around after the game for autographs.

-Wichita State-