Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Travels to Evansville for Showdown with Purple Aces
4/3/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 3, 2006
The Evansville Game (April 4)
Download Free Acrobat Reader
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - For the first time since 1993, the Indiana baseball team (8-14) will take on Evansville (16-14). The two teams will meet on Tuesday, April 4, at Braun Stadium in Evansville, Ind. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. (CDT).
After getting swept at Missouri State this past weekend, Evansville sits at 16-14 overall and 2-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference. At Braun Stadium, the Purple Aces hold a 10-6 record, including victories in seven of their last nine home outings.
UE is led by a stingy pitching staff, which boasts a 3.74 ERA. The Hoosiers will see junior southpaw Kai Tuomi, who shares the team lead with three victories in four decisions. Tuomi owns a 3.91 ERA and has only walked four batters with 14 strikeouts in 25 1/3 innings of work. Out of the pen, junior right-hander Mark Murray has secured the only two saves the Aces have recorded this season.
Offensively, junior first baseman Kasey Wahl leads the club with a .344 average to go along with 15 RBI and a team-best six doubles. Junior left fielder Pat Tumilty and senior right fielder Jim Viscomi supply the power with each player pounding four home runs. Tumilty also has driven in 16 runs and leads the team with 24 runs, while Viscomi holds the team lead with 19 RBI to go along with 17 runs. Evansville is averaging just over five runs per ballgame.
Although the Hoosiers opened Big Ten play losing three out of four games against Michigan State, several good things came out of the weekend. Seeing his first significant playing time of the season, freshman Cameron Satterwhite went 5-for-11 with his first collegiate home run, three RBI, six runs, a pair of doubles and a steal.
Junior second baseman Keith Haas led IU with a .538 average, going 7-for-13 with four stolen bases in five attempts, and senior outfielders Jay Brant (.400) and Reggie Watson (.375) continued their stellar play. Both Brant and Watson swiped four bags, helping the Hoosiers steal 20 bases on the weekend.
On the mound, senior southpaw Clint Crosier continued to prove he belongs in the starting rotation. The Corydon, Ind., native surrendered one earned run on three hits with one walk and five Ks in a tough 2-1 defeat in game two (April 1). Freshman lefty Joe Vicini earned his third victory of the season, and sophomore Chris McCombs picked up his second save in Indiana's 12-7 win in game three (April 1).
