March 1, 2006

Box Score

EVANSVILLE, Ind. - (Wednesday, March 1, 2006) The Redhawks knew it was coming, unfortunately for the Redhawks the Purple Aces' Kyle Smith executed the perfect squeeze play in the bottom of the ninth to score Robbie Minor for the 7-6 victory at Braun Stadium in Evansville, Indiana. The loss ruined a Redhawks comeback from a 6-1 deficit.

The Redhawks (4-4) trailed despite scoring the games first run in the first inning. Jordan Payne led off with a walk and moved to third on a single by Daniel Schuh. Payne would later score when Phillip Riley grounded into a 6-4-3 double-play.

The Purple Aces (7-4) roughed up Redhawks starter Derek Herbig as they scored three runs in their half of the first and three more runs in the third.

In the fourth the Redhawks scored three runs of their own when Aaron Rave led-off the inning with a walk to extend his streak of reaching base safely to seven games. Jim Clayton drew a walk and Omar Padilla was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Levi Olson drew a walk from Kerrik Cron to plate Rave. Cron was immediately replaced by Jeremy Kuester who proceeded to walk Payne and force in Clayton. Schuh knocked in Padilla when he grounded into a fielder's choice. Asif Shah struckout to strand two Redhawks.

Trailing 6-4 the Redhawks tied the game in the eighth inning when Brent Lawson hit the first Redhawks homerun of the season knocking in pinch-runner Sean Zollner.

The Purple Aces scored the winning run when Minor hit a one-out triple to right field off of Schuh (0-2) which set the table for Smith's heroics.

Herbig lasted only 2.1 innings allowing six runs on three hits and three walks. The Redhawks middle relief was near hitless as Josh Parham pitched three scoreless innings and Anthony Maupin, Michael Taylor and James Hibbard combined for two more scoreless innings.

Matt Brinkman (2-1) was credited with the win as he pitched 1.2 innings of scoreless relief for the Purple Aces.

Shah went 2-4 with a double to lead the Redhawk hitters. Padilla went 1-2 with a walk and a run scored. Payne reached base two times on walks and drove in a run and scored.

For the second-straight season Lawson hit a homerun off of Purple Aces pitching.

Kasey Wahl went 1-4 with a double and three RBIs. Jeff Fontaine went 1-3 with a two-run homerun in the first inning.

The Redhawks return home to host the Little Ceasars Pizza Classic at Capaha Field this weekend starting with a double-header on Friday, March 3. They will face Indiana State at noon before taking on Southeastern Louisiana at 4:00 p.m. On Saturday the Redhawks will face the Sycamores again this time at 4:00 p.m. Prior to that game Southeastern Louisiana will face Creighton in the noon game. The Classic wraps up on Sunday with Southeastern Louisiana facing Indiana State at noon with the Redhawks closing the Classic by facing Creighton at 4:00 p.m.

All four Redhawk games can be heard live on ESPN 1220 KGIR or can be accessed live via the web through gosoutheast.com or kgir.com.