WSU 17, UE 2 – Final.
The word on Charlie Lowell, from WSU director of baseball operations Shane Dennis, is forearm tightness. My experience with baseball injuries leads me to say that could mean almost anything. It’s not the worst news. But it may mean something else bad is going on.
WSU 17, UE 1 – Springer’s two-run double adds to the lead.
WSU 15, UE 1 – top 6th. Travis Bennett’s three-run homer highlighted a six-run fifth for the Shockers.
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WSU 9, UE 1 – top 5th. Fick homers to left, Evansville’s first hit. Guy has struck out six and allowed three runners, one on an error.
WSU 9, UE 0 – bottom 5th. O’Brien drives in his fifth run of the game with a two-out single. Drew Moffitt has the WSU record with 10 RBI in a game.
WSU 8, UE 0 – bottom 2nd. Bascue continues to hit lefties. His RBI single scores Lassley.
Pitching change for UE after Lassley’s triple drives in Grimes to make it 7-0.
Guy finishes off the inning with a strikeout.
Charlie Lowell comes out with what appears to be some kind of elbow problem. He threw a 2-0 pitch and indicated something was wrong. After the coaches and trainer Corey Wood checked him out, he threw one warmup pitch. WSU pitching coach Brent Kemnitz immediately motioned to Cobey Guy to warm up. Guy is in.
WSU 6, UE 0 – bottom 1st. O’B hit his first home run of the season for a grand slam to make it 6-0. UE starter Seth McCabe gave the Shockers a bunch of high fastballs and O’B mashed one. McCabe walked two, hit two and gave up three hits in the inning. Aces leadoff hitter Eric Stamets is hitting .833 with a .900 on-base percentage in the series.
WSU lineup – 2B Baez, SS Grimes, 1B Springer, DH Lassley, LF Bascue, RF Jones, C O’Brien, 3B Goro, CF Hall.
Bascue is hitting .615 vs LHP. I’m a little surprised McKeever isn’t in the lineup. He hit the ball up the middle yesterday, looking like the McKeever of the past two seasons. Perhaps it’s a sign he’s getting his timing back.
The Shockers, despite Friday’s loss and Saturday’s struggles, are in a good spot with a win today. WSU is 4-1 in the MVC and every other team except Illinois State (playing out of conference) has at least two losses. A series win against Evansville, which started MVC play with a series win at Missouri State, would be a good step for WSU. I’ve been impressed with the Aces, who look sharp defensively and play aggressively. I don’t think many teams will leave Braun Stadium with a series victory. If the Shockers can, they will be in good shape.