OSA Salad for Scholarships Sale is today (Wednesday, April 18) from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. on the East Plaza in front of Ridgway University Center (Rain location will be the lobby of Olmsted Hall).  You can purchase a Salad Trio, dessert and drink for $5.00.  Proceeds are used for scholarships awarded to UE students by the Office Staff Association each year.

The Creative Writing Coffee Hour Senior Reading is set for today, Thursday, April 19, at 4:00 p.m. in the Melvin Peterson Gallery. Each spring the graduating creative writing majors read from their poetry and prose, and the Department of Creative Writing announces the winners of the Virginia Grabill Writing Awards. Please join us for a delightful and often moving send-off to the University’s seniors.
 

Design a logo for UE’s new Center for Innovation Engineering! This competition is open to all UE students! Cash prize!

The Center for Innovation Engineering (CIE) was founded in the summer of 2011 with the goal of instilling an entrepreneurial mindset in UE engineering students through the transformation of undergraduate engineering education. The CIE will aspire to enhance the skills of graduates of the College of Engineering and Computer Science and to foster direct collaboration with regional business.

CONSIDERATIONS
This will be the visual voice of what the Center for Innovation Engineering is. It must be unique and aesthetically pleasing. Keep it simple. The center serves to encourage and support innovation and invention in all UE students. It will provide opportunities for experiential learning and the development of new ideas and the furthering of technology throughout all disciplines.

The logo must be flexible.
• Must be able to enlarge or shrink the logo
• Must work well on the web
• Must service a wide range of applications

The logo will be used for letterhead, business cards, #10 envelopes, and additional marketing pieces.

The logo must be produced as a vector image, so only Adobe Illustrator may be used to create the logo. The dominant colors should be purple and gold.

TO SUBMIT:
Burn your files onto a CD marked clearly with your name, e-mail address, and telephone number. Bring your CD to the Office of Publications (Sampson Hall) by 5:00 p.m. on April 20.

If you have any questions, please e-mail publications@evansville.edu.

The center serves to encourage and support innovation and invention in all UE students. It will provide opportunities for experiential learning and the development of new ideas and the furthering of technology throughout all disciplines.
 

The ISEA Scholastic Book Fair will be held today from 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. on the first floor of Ridgway University Center There will be many kinds of books as well as regular Scholastic merchandise. The fair will also be open tomorrow and Friday.

Senior Jenna Rice will be giving her honors project presentation this Wednesday, April 18 on American costume jewelry and its value in the modern market. There will be items on display, and the discussion will be based on a combination of market research and the presenter's own business experience. All are welcome to attend from 6-7 p.m. in Room 173, Schroeder Family School of Business Administration Building.

Would you like to be featured in AcesTV All Access? AcesTV invites the graduating seniors to give their 10 to 20 second thank you's/farewell to UE. Filming will take place Wednesday, April 18 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. by Dunigan Lounge in Schroeder Family School of Business Administration Building, and Thursday, April 19 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. outside the Vectren Executive Board Room (Room 270) in Schroeder Family School of Business Administration Building. These video testimonials will be included as part of a special senior edition of AcesTV All Access. This will air at the Ford Center before commencement on May 5. Students should come prepared. Please rehearse and dress appropriately. We hope to see our seniors there!
 

Even if you cannot join our UE team at the March of Dimes, March for Babies walk on April 28, please consider making a donation in support of our UE team. To make a donation online, go to http://marchforbabies.org/ue and click “join this team.” If you prefer, you can drop off your cash or check donations in the Office of Student Accounts.

Remember, your participation and support will save babies.

The Crescent Magazine staff is interested in learning your general feelings and impressions about this year’s magazine. The survey will take just a few minutes to complete. It is anonymous, but by completing the survey and including your name and e-mail address at the end of the survey, you will be entered to win a Kindle Touch just for participating. One entry per UE student. Non-students and Student Publications staff are not eligible.
 

Sunset tickets are still available. If you did not reserve your ticket, you can still pick up tickets at the Carson Center ticket office Monday through Wednesday by showing a valid student ID. Students can request guest tickets while supplies last. All tickets given to students are FREE!

After Friday, tickets can be claimed at the Ford Center Will Call ticket window with your student ID.

For further questions contact Geoff Edwards at ge21@evansville.edu
 

The annual Bookstore sidewalk sale will be Wednesday, April 18 outside the Ridgway University Center on the east side.  Great savings to be had on one-of-a-kinds, discontinued merchandise, odd sizes and other UE merchandise.  Come early for best selection.  Hours are 10 a.m.- 3 p.m., weather permitting.

 

Rick Roop, a vice-president and portfolio manager of Donaldson Capital Management, will be talking to UE students in Room 170, Schroder Family School of Business Administration Building, at 4.00 p.m. on April 18. Donaldson Capital Management is an Evansville based money management firm which manages assets worth nearly 550 million dollars. Rick manages nearly 120 million dollars. He graciously accepted an invitation from Walayet A. Khan, professor of finance, to give a presentation titled, “Financial Markets in the 21st Century”. The event is open to the UE community and the public.

The Medieval Society will be having a free Renaissance Faire on Saturday, April 21 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.. It will be located on the lawn between Neu Chapel and Morton Hall. There will be apothecary, tarot readings, weaving, dancing, fighting, and more.     

To show support and care for LGBT youth who, due to fear of abuse, cannot come out to anyone in their lives, UE PRIDE will be participating in the Day of Silence march, together with schools all over the nation.  Any student who shares interest in this cause is welcome to meet on Friday, April 20 at 5:00 p.m.in the Ridgway University Center's East Terrace (Grassy Knoll).  The group will march once in silence around campus, then meet back on the East Terrace to break the silence in the form of one big, group scream.  There will be buttons, stickers, signs and streamers available for free as well!
 

Interested in becoming a member of the International Club Executive Board? Then join us for elections on Thursday at 8:00 p.m. in Eykamp 255 in Ridgway University Center. Positions available include: president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, SGA representative, publicist, social Chair, and intramural coordinator.

The UE community is invited to view the John Wesley Gallery and Commemorative Collection this Thursday, 11:00 a.m.– 4:00 p.m.

Understanding that schedules are crowded this time of year, the Neu Chapel Society is sponsoring an informal Open House for the UE campus community and for those who have not yet had time to view the Wesley Collection. The Open House is a come-and-go opportunity so you may stay as long as your schedule permits anytime between 11 a.m.and 4 p.m. The John Wesley Gallery is located in the lower level of Neu Chapel. For more information please contact University Chaplain Tamara Gieselman, tg85@evansville.edu.

The Collection, which includes paintings, ceramics, plates, silverware, busts, and more, is a gift to the University from R. Wayne and Sally Perkins. Wayne is a UE professor emeritus of philosophy and religion; Sally earned a master’s degree from UE in 1977.  It is believed to be the second largest private collection of items related to John Wesley and Methodism in the world. Virtually all of the commemoratives were acquired in England; many are between 100 and 200 years old, with the oldest dating back to 1765.

Join us Thursday for I-House: Hungary with sophomore cognitive science major Karolina Toth. Learn about her fascinating country and lively hometown, Budapest. Bring your friends to enjoy the final I-House presentation and a special end-of-semester surprise on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. in the Class of 1959 Gallery upstairs in Ridgway University Center.
 

Support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF)! The JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes is Saturday, May 19 at Holiday World.  There is no charge to register – and walkers who raise $100 will receive an event T-shirt, lunch, and free admission to Holiday World for the remainder of the day!

There are two ways you can help:
1. Sign up to walk or to be a virtual walker at walk.jdrf.org. Make a donation and solicit donations from others, or                                 
2. Make a donation to the “UE Health Sciences” team. You can do this on line at walk.jdrf.org.

JDRF raises money for research on type 1 (juvenile) diabetes which affects more than 150,000 persons under the age of 20 and requires a lifetime of blood tests, restrictive diets, and multiple daily injections of insulin. There is currently no cure for this disease.

Contact Lynn Penland at 1134 for more information.

The Venturing Crew is going hiking Saturday afternoon. Meet at Ridgway University Center at noon to carpool to this event, which is free for members. You must fill out an activity waiver on WebAdvisor prior to departure. If you would like to become a member contact Nicky at nl22@evansville.edu.

Any other questions e-mail Kevin at ku18@evansville.edu.

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/367857413258665/#!/events/301509066566895/

On Saturday April 21, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., the University of Evansville’s chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon will host its Eighth Annual Luau Car and Bike Show.  The show will be held in the parking lot of the Arby’s Restaurant at the corner of Burkhardt and Lloyd Expressway in Evansville. Prizes will be given at this event, including trophies for top vehicles in over a dozen categories, door prizes, half-pot drawing and much much more. Additionally, a prize package along with a trophy will be awarded to the largest car club in attendance! Preregistration for this event is $10 per vehicle and $12 on the day of the event. The first 100 cars to register will receive a free dash plaque! All proceeds from this event will be donated to Children’s Miracle Network.
 

UE senior Neeley Koester will be the featured artist at the Ceramic Art Auction planned to benefit the Evansville Children's Center on Tuesday, April 24. Other artists whose work will be auctioned include Mark Schoenbaum, David Rodenberg, Les Miley and Lenny Dowhie. The auction - which will be held at the Rapp-Owen Granary in New Harmony, Ind. - begins at 7:30 p.m. There will be a reception and viewing of the auction pieces before the auction from 6-7:30 p.m.

This event is being hosted by the University of Evansville Clay Club, Dan and Connie Koester, Jenni Koester, Jeremy and Tara Overton, Mark and Sondra Schoenbaum, and Andrew and Amanda Wilson.

If you wish to attend, please RSVP by April 18 at EPCCauction@gmail.com.

The University of Evansville Aces Dance Team invites all eligible students to audition for the Dance Team for the 2012-2013 season. Auditions will be held on April 21 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and April 22 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The first day of auditions will consist of learning a short, choreographed dance and practicing technique. The second day will consist of showing examples of required technique, preforming the choreographed routine, showcasing 1 minute of original original choreography to music (this should be prepared prior to auditions), and a short interview. Auditions will be held in the Small Gym of the Carson Center.

Information about the 2012-2013 season will be provided at the call out meeting on April 16 from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Room 113 of the Carson Center.

A private or video audition may be arranged if needed and will be allowed at the discretion of the coaching staff.

There is a $20 audition fee. Please refrain from wearing baggy clothing during auditions. Footwear is required.

More information is available at gopurpleaces.com. Please contact Coach Arata at ma112@evansville.edu  or 502.689.4085 with any questions or concerns.

We hope to see you at auditions!
 

Family Weekend is scheduled for September 28–30. The Office of Alumni and Parent Relations has started working on event planning for this weekend. If your department or organization would like to have an event during Family Weekend, please complete a newly developed “Family Weekend Event Form” by clicking on this link http://acelink.evansville.edu/Areas/Alumni/, or by e-mailing the information to: alumni@evansville.edu.  

Like last year’s successful weekend, we would love to have a lot of student and department participation!  If you have any questions, please contact Angela Williams, assistant director of Alumni and Parent Relations, at 488-2900 or Donna Jones, at 488-2586.
 

The Institute for Global Enterprise in Indiana has announced the 2012-13 Recipients of the UE Global Scholar Award.

As a UE Global Scholar, the recipients of this award will engage in scholarship, curriculum development, travel and/or research activities related to the impact of globalization on our learning environment.

Professor of Creative Writing William Baer will travel to Portugal this summer to research the life, work and various manuscripts of Natalia Correia (1923-1993), in preparation for translating her poetry.  Natalia Correia is one of the most renowned poets in Portuguese history, and she was also, for many decades, at the very center of intellectual life in Lisbon.  A fearless social activist, Natalia was sentenced to three years in prison under the Salazar dictatorship.  Eventually, her sentence was suspended, and after the “Bloodless Revolution” of 1974, she was elected to serve in the Assemblia da República (the Portuguese Parliament) for over ten years.  Regarding her literary reputation, The New York Times wrote at the time of her death that “Ms. Correia’s anthology of poetry, Sonetos Românticos, is considered one of the most beautiful contemporary literary works in Portuguese.” 

Assistant Professor of English Mark Cirino will use his Global Scholar grant to travel to Italy to research the setting of Ernest Hemingway’s novel Across the River and into the Trees by visiting sites in and around Venice and the Veneto where Hemingway traveled and composed the novel.  The work will make an immeasurable contribution to his teaching by providing a global perspective to his work and research.

Associate Professor of Political Science Young-Choul Kim will apply his Global Scholar award to study why China’s youth have negative perceptions towards the U.S.  Is it possible for this perception to change in the future? In order to explore this complex nature, he will conduct an empirical survey research in China. Summarily, the surveys will ask Chinese college students’ opinions on current controversial issues between the two countries such as US-China economic relations, military competition, political status of Taiwan and Tibet, roles of the U.S. and China in the 21st century, etc. In preparation of this field research in China, Dr. Kim has been studying the Chinese language since 2009. He has also taken Chinese courses (Chinese 111 and 112) at UE. With this research project, he is planning to visit several universities in China including our partner university, Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, to conduct these surveys and intensive interviews.

Professor of Marketing Robert Montgomery will conduct survey research to determine differences in who, why, where, what and how frequently American and Chinese consumers use Social Networking Media.  The Global Scholar award will be used to collect data for a cross-cultural comparison of American and Chinese social-network users.  The results will pinpoint marketing strategies that can be standardized across cultures and strategies that need to be tailored to a specific culture.  Furthermore, the impact of individualism vs. a collective culture and censorship vs. the free flow of information on the use of social network media will be ascertained.

Assistant Professor of Exercise and Sport Science/Director of Public Health Payal Patel-Dovlatabadi plans to utilize her Global Scholar grant to expand her experience in the area of global health with a year-long comparative study of health systems in a low-income and high-income country, specifically India and the U.S., respectively.  Reducing health disparities is an essential component to address when observing health care globally. From a global health perspective, the structure of health systems in countries with relation to social and economic development differ significantly leading to access to and quality of care issues. By comparing and contrasting health systems of countries differing in social and economic development, population health statistics such as differences in malnutrition, infant mortality rates, maternal mortality rates, and prevalence of communicable and non-communicable diseases may be better explained.

Spring and summer graduates need to stop by the Registrar’s Office in Room 106 in Olmsted Hall to pick up their May commencement line cards.  The cards contain important information for commencement day and should be brought to the graduation ceremony.  Cords will also be distributed to students earning Latin honors.

All UE residential facilities officially close at noon on the Thursday, May 3. However, students must officially check out of housing within 24 hours following their last exam. If you need to stay later, an Online Extended Request Form must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Reading & Study Day. These forms are available on the Residence Life Web site. There may be a $35 per night fee depending on the reason for staying. Graduating seniors and those participating in graduation may remain in housing until noon the day following commencement (but still must submit an extended stay request).
 

Consider taking a UE online course this summer. Check out these online courses to meet your needs. Visiting students can contact the Center for Adult Education Department (812-488-2981) for registration assistance.  For a detailed listing of ALL summer course offerings at UE, please visit http://www.evansville.edu/summersessions/

Summer I Online Courses:
ART 105 – Introduction to Visual Arts
ARTH 209 – Survey of Art II
BUS 380 – Leadership
CHEM 108 – Elementary Chemistry
COMM 380 – Intercultural Communication
EDUC 100 – History & Found of Amer Educ
EDUC 320 – Teach Strategies in K-12 Schools
EDUC 322 – Spec Need Stud K-12
EXSS 190 – Intro to Public Health
MATH 105 – College Algebra
MATH 221 – Calculus I
MATH 222 – Calculus II
MGT 280 – Leadership
MGT 311 – Mgmt Information Systems
MGT 377 – Organizational Behavior
MKT 325 – Principles of Marketing
PSCI 100 – World Politics
QM 227 – Introduction to Statistics
REL 150 – Intro New Testament
SOC 105 – Intro to Sociology

Summer II Online Courses:
ACCT 211 – Principles of Accounting II
ART 105 – Introduction to Visual Arts
BUS 380 – Social Media Strategy
COMM 130 – Intro to Communication
EDUC 320 – Teach Strategies in K-12 Schools
EDUC 516 – Adv Educ Technol & Application
EXSS 195 – Global Health Issues
HSA 414/514 – Health Care Mgmt & HR
HIST 111 – World History to 1500
MGT 310 – Production/Operations Mgmt
NUTR 280 – Nutrition in Health & Disease
PSCI 100 – World Politics
PSYC 416 – Human Sexuality
REL 130 – Christian Thought
SOC 230 – Social Problems Modern World
 

The last day of UE Mail Services’ delivery and pick-up of mail for all students who have been living in campus housing during the 2012 spring semester will be Wednesday, May 2. Please follow mail procedures recommended by the Office of Residence Life located on their website prior to departure especially the forwarding of your mail.

You are strongly encouraged to contact financial institutions, etc. directly. The University is not responsible for fines or penalties due to delayed mail delivery.  If you are expecting packages shipped via other couriers that may arrive after your departure, please contact Mail Services at extension 2197 or email mailservices@evansville.edu. Please note that Mail Services will not be able to forward items such as mail, packages, etc. and you will need to make alternative arrangements.

Feel free to contact the University mailroom at any time with questions or concerns by contacting Doris Cook, Distribution Services Supervisor, at extension 1067 (email at dc47@evansville.edu) or Tammy Burgess, Mail Technician, at extension 2197 (email at tb74@evansville.edu).

Students, will you be taking classes in Evansville or staying during the summer to work? If you need summer housing, come by the Office of Residence Life to pick up a summer housing application. UE summer housing will be located in Schroeder Hall. For more information about on-campus summer housing ask the Residence Life staff or visit the summer housing website. Applications for summer housing are due April 20. 

Matthew Knoester, assistant professor of education, and Mari Plikuhn, assistant prrofessor of sociology, presented a paper titled, "First-Generation College Graduates and the Discourses Needed for Academic Success" at the Annual Meetings of the American Educational Research Association in Vancouver, BC on April 14.

James Michael McMullan, father of  Margaret McMullan, professor and Melvin M. Peterson Endowed Chair in Literature and Writing, died Monday, April 16, surrounded by his family at his home in Lake Forest, Illinois.  There will be a memorial service at the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Forest on Saturday, April 21 at 10:30 a.m. Graveside services will be held at the McMullan family plot in Newton, Mississippi. In memory of Jim McMullan, contributions may be sent to the Eudora Welty Foundation, P.O. Box 55685, Jackson, MS 39296-5685.

The University of Evansville baseball team looks for a home-and-home series sweep Wednesday when the Aces host SIU Edwardsville of the Ohio Valley Conference at 6:00 p.m. CT at Braun Stadium. Evansville overcame the Cougars, 8-6, in Edwardsville on April 3rd.

Evansville comes off an exciting series win over conference foe Wichita State, winning games one and two by scores of 4-1 and 5-4. The Shockers came back to top the Aces, 14-9, in the Sunday finale, preventing the sweep. Hitting .254 has a team, freshmen Kyle Pollock (.309) and Kevin Kaczmarski (.302) lead the squad offensively, followed by junior Jason Hockemeyer’s .298 average. Defensively, Evansville’s pitching staff owns a 4.00 earned run average and is backed by a team fielding .977.

Sophomore Cole Isom’s three-hit, complete-game gem steered Evansville to a 4-1 victory over Wichita State Friday evening at Braun Stadium and set up the Aces for their first series win over the Shockers since 2006. The southpaw struck out a career-high 11 batters in his first Valley victory of the season and did not allow a hit until the seventh inning. Isom also had a shutout into the ninth, giving up just a solo shot. In his ninth season appearance, Isom held the Shockers to a .094 batting average and lowered his season earned run average to 3.75. The performance garnered MVC Pitcher of the Week honors for Isom.

Freshman Kyle Pollock extended his hitting streak to 11 games, the longest of any Ace this spring, leading Evansville to their first series win over Wichita State since 2006. On the week, Pollock hit .400 as the designated hitter with a .667 slugging percentage. In UE’s Friday night victory, Pollock hit a team-best 2-for-2 and scored what would be the winning run in the fourth inning. The Clinton, Ohio native kept his hitting streak intact in the series clincher with a single in the first inning, and recorded his second home run of the season, finishing with two hits in the series finale game with the Shockers. Pollock elevated his batting average in Valley play to .333 and a team-high .309 on the season.

The Aces came away with an 8-6 victory over SIUE at Roy. E Lee Field on April 3rd. Evansville scored two runs in the first inning and led the rest of the way. Ryan Billo improved his record to 5-0 in that game, tossing 5.1 innings, allowing four runs, eight hits, a walk, and struck out four to earn the win. Jake Naumann hurled 1.2 frames out of the bullpen, giving up a run, two hits, and struck out one, while Sam Johns earned his first save of the season, holding off the Cougars in the eighth and ninth innings. He allowed one run, one hit, two walks, and struck out two. Offensively, Kyle Pollock (3-for-4), Trentt Copeland (2-for-5), and Jason Hockemeyer (2-for-5) led the Aces with multiple hits, as UE combined for 10 total. Kevin Kaczmarski’s two and Hockemeyer’s three runs batted in represented five of Evansville’s seven RBI in the game.

Evansville leads the all-time series, 11-9. UE won the first meeting this season, 8-6, on the road April 3rd. Last year, the squads split the home-and-home series with UE winning the first clash at Braun Stadium, 5-3, on April 6th, but fell in Edwardsville, 4-1, on May 17th.

Evansville doubled their home run output for the season in Sunday’s game versus Wichita State, as senior Trentt Copeland blasted a grand slam in the second inning and freshman Kyle Pollock went yard in the sixth. UE entered the contest with two long-balls total this spring -- both also hit by Copeland and Pollock.

Making two appearances versus Wichita State, senior Zach Taylor moved into second place all-time at UE with 82 career appearances on the mound. Not allowing a run in either outing, Taylor (3-2) earned the win out of the bullpen in UE’s 5-4 series clincher and tossed a scoreless ninth Sunday. The Fort Wayne, Ind. native is tied with Corey Davisson (2008-10) in second place behind Willie Glen’s (1998-01) 97 career appearances.

Evansville’s series win versus Wichita State marks the Aces’ first over the Shockers since the 2006 season. Two weeks ago, the Aces won the series at Creighton, also marking the first time since ’06. That season, Evansville was Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Champions and won three NCAA Regional Tournament games.

UE’s bullpen has inherited 38 runners this season and allowed just 12 of them to score. Josh Biggs and Jake Naumann have been the most efficient mid-inning relievers, as Biggs has inherited 15 runners and allowed only two to score. Naumann has taken over 14 base runners, allowing five to come in.

The Aces are 16-0 this spring when they lead after the seventh inning. UE has given up just six runs in the ninth inning, while scoring 25 runs themselves in the frame – the most of all innings.

Freshman Kyle Pollock enters the week riding an 11-game hitting streak, marking the longest streak of any Ace this season. In addition, Pollock has hit in each of the last 11 Valley contests. Jake Mahon (14), Jason Hockemeyer (12), and Pollock (11) have all reached base in double-digit consecutive games.

Evansville ranks second in the Missouri Valley Conference with 60 stolen bases in 77 attempts. Eric Stamets leads the conference and also ranks 17th in the nation with 21 swiped bags in 25 tries.

The Aces were in position to sweep Wichita State this past weekend, but the Shockers came from behind to score 10 runs across the seventh and eighth innings for the win. On the other hand, faced with their first possible sweep, Evansville bounced back to top Southern Illinois (4/8), 6-2, to hold UE’s longest winless streak to just two games this spring. Evansville is 4-3 in weekend series of three or four games, neither sweeping nor being swept in any of them.

The Aces are amidst a 12-game home stand after playing eighth straight contests on the road. Evansville owns a 12-9 record on the road and 10-5 mark in Evansville.

Evansville owns a 7-1 record this season on games played on Tuesday or Wednesday. UE is 3-0 on Tuesdays and 4-1 on Wednesdays.

Senior Trentt Copeland enters the week with 194 career hits. He needs six more to become the 24th member of UE’s 200-hit club.

The Aces lead the MVC and rank 8th in the nation with 47 sacrifice bunts this season and also ranks second in the Valley for stolen bases with 60. Tim Bodine leads the league with eight sac bunts while Eric Stamets leads the MVC with 21 swiped bags.

With one out in the top of the ninth, UE brought the go-ahead run to the plate, but the hosting Murray State Thoroughbreds drew the double play ball, taking a 3-1 victory over the Aces last Wednesday afternoon at Reagan Field.  Sophomore Ryan Billo (5-1) took his first loss of the season, despite pitching well, tossing six and a third innings, allowing two runs, eight scattered hits, a walk, and struck out two. Reliever Jake Naumann threw the remaining one and two thirds, giving up a run, two hits, while striking out one. Recording his third straight multi-hit game, Chris Pearson led the Aces’ offense, going 2-for-4, while Eric Stamets, Jake Mahon, Kyle Pollock, and Jason Hockemeyer combined for UE’s six hits in the game.

Three active UE pitchers have recorded complete games in their careers, and they all happen to be left-handed. Sophomore Cole Isom has hurled four, including two this season, versus Indiana State (3/23) and his most recent outing versus Wichita State (4/15). Against ISU, Isom took the tough-luck 2-0 loss, allowing two runs, nine hits, and struck out five, but earned the win versus WSU, throwing a three-hit gem with a career-high 11 punch-outs. Freshman Kyle Freeland recorded a three-hit complete game shutout at Creighton (4/1) with six strikeouts, while Josh Biggs is UE’s only other hurler who has tossed all nine, being done vs. Saint Louis on April 12th, 2011. He allowed four runs, five hits, and stuck out six.

Head Coach Wes Carroll recorded his 100th career win versus Indiana State (3/24) in UE’s 3-2 walk-off victory. Carroll has led his squad to above .500 records in each of the last two seasons, going 32-27 in 2010 and 28-25 in 2011, and posted the second-highest victory total by a first-year baseball coach at Evansville with 25 wins in 2009. Carroll, a 2001 Evansville graduate, is in his fourth season at the helm with a 107-96 record.

Kevin Kaczmarski ranks second in the MVC with four triples this season. Kaczmarski recorded one in three consecutive games from 3/18-3/23 and another in the series clincher vs. Wichita State (4/14).

Trentt Copeland continues to move up the career doubles list, now with 52 after recording a two-bagger vs. SIUE (4/3) to lead off a three-run sixth inning. Copeland now ranks eighth all-time, tied with Rob Maurer (1986-88). He needs two more to move into seventh, and three more to become sixth.

Leading the Valley and ranking 24th in the nation, sophomore Jake Mahon has been plunked 14 times this year, already surpassing his season total in 2011 (12) that marked a team-high last year. In the first 20 games this spring, the sophomore was hit 12 times.

In game 17 of the season at Austin Peay (3/14), freshman Kyle Pollock recorded both his first home run of this career and the first long ball hit by an Ace this year. Trentt Copeland’s solo shot at Creighton (4/1) marked the second and both Pollock and Copeland went yard versus Wichita State (4/15). Copeland leads all active players with seven home runs in his career.

Eric Stamets, who has stolen 21 bases in 25 attempts this season, ranks 17th in the nation for steals. He also currently ranks third in program history with 91 steals (91-113) in just his third year of play. Stamets needs three more to tie Ryan Brownlee (1994-97) in second place. Aaron Pembroke (1995-98) holds UE’s record with 106 career steals.
Evansville returns 12-of-13 pitchers from last season and also adds three newcomers to the staff, including Kyle Freeland, a 35th round pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2011 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

For the second consecutive year, shortstop Eric Stamets was named to the Missouri Valley Conference preseason all-conference team, voted on by the league’s eight head coaches. Stamets, a junior from Dublin, Ohio, projects to be one of the best shortstops in the nation this year. Last season, Stamets hit .292 with a team-high 51 runs scored and 27 stolen bases. Defensively, he led the Aces with 181 assists and helped the squad to a program-best .977 fielding percentage with a record-low 48 errors as a team. In addition, Stamets turned heads in the summer, playing for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks and was named a Cape Cod League All-Star. Stamets was a consensus Freshman All-American and the MVC Freshman of the Year in 2010.

The Aces welcome Dayton of the A-10 to Braun Stadium for three games this weekend. Game one starts Friday at 6:00 p.m.

 

A match at the University of Southern Indiana will mark the final non-conference match of the season for the University of Evansville women’s tennis team will face off against the Screaming Eagles at 3 p.m. at the USI Tennis Courts on the west side of Evansville.

The Purple Aces went 1-1 over the weekend to improve to 11-7 overall.  After taking down Northern Iowa by a 5-2 final on Saturday, Evansville fell by a similar 5-2 final to Drake on Sunday evening.  Both matches were moved indoors to the Tri-State Athletic Club.

Aleks Dzakula was the top performer over the weekend, going a perfect 4-0 over the weekend.  Dzakula, along with Jessica Raatz improved to 15-3 in doubles play and a perfect 5-0 in the MVC with a pair of victories.  Dzakula was also undefeated in singles play, picking up UE’s lone singles win against the Bulldogs.

Also having a strong start in doubles is the duo of Dora Kotsiou and Natasha James.  They have put forth an identical 15-3 doubles mark and won both contests over the weekend.

USI is 8-9 overall and 2-1 over their last three contests with wins over St. Joseph’s and Western Kentucky.  On Sunday, the Screaming Eagles fell to Indianapolis by a 7-2 margin.

This weekend, Evansville will wrap up the regular season, playing at Bradley on Saturday before traveling to Illinois State on Sunday.
 

With its scheduled match against USI cancelled, the University of Evansville men’s golf team will now participate in the Battle of the Warren on Sunday.

Notre Dame will play host to the event, which will take place at the Warren Golf Course in South Bend, Ind.  Thirty-six holes of golf will be played in the event. 

Following play at Notre Dame, the Aces will wrap up the spring at the State Farm MVC Championships, which will be played at Prairie Dunes Golf Club in Hutchinson, Kansas.

The University of Evansville softball team dropped a pair of games in today’s Missouri Valley Conference doubleheader against Southern Illinois. The Aces first fell in a 2-1 heartbreaker in the series opener, as the Salukis made a two-run comeback in the bottom of the seventh to take game one. Southern Illinois then posted a 9-1 run-rule victory, winning in six innings in the nightcap. 

Evansville collected 10 hits on the day as a team. Sophomore Katie Sears led the Aces at the plate, going 3-for-6 and scoring both of the Aces’ runs in the doubleheader.

The Aces (11-28) will return home for a non-conference doubleheader on Thursday against Saint Louis before resuming Valley play with a weekend series at Creighton.

Game 1: UE 1, SIU 2
The Aces were able to jump on the board out of the gate to start the day, using leadoff hit and a pair of errors to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Sophomore Katie Sears hit a soft liner to left to reach base as the leadoff before moving over to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior Tamara Robey. A fielding error at shortstop put freshman Kayla Fortner on base, giving UE runners at first and third. Fortner then stole second, reaching safely as an errant throw allowed Sears to come home on the steal to give UE the 1-0 lead.

Southern Illinois managed to put runners at first in second in the bottom of the second, third and fourth innings, but solid defense combined with a  lights out pitching performance by starter Sarah Patterson managed to get out of the jams unharmed.

With UE still leading 1-0 with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning, a walk, an error and an intentional walk loaded the bases for the Salukis, as SIU threatened as they reached third base for the first time in the game. But Patterson struck out Jayna Spivey before fielding a soft chopper off the bat of Morgan Barchan to end the threat and hang onto the 1-0 lead.

Patterson started the bottom of the seventh with her fifth strikeout of the game, but a high fly ball to left field was lost in the sun by freshman Victoria Dellorto, giving Mallory Duran-Sellers a double with one out on the board. Kelsea Ashton then delivered a single up the middle, scoring Duran-Sellers and tying the game at 1-1. An infield flyout gave UE the second out of the inning, but a walk to Allie VadeBoncouer put the winning run on second base. Head coach Mark Redburn then brought in reliever Taylor Perry to get out of the jam, but Hailey Gorman came through with a clutch grounder up the middle to bring in the winning run on a walk-off single.

Patterson (6-14) took the loss, scattering two runs on five hits in 6.2 innings of work.

Game 2: UE 1, SIU 9 (6 innings)
The Salukis wasted no time scoring in game two, using back-to-back singles by Ashton and Taylor Osburn to put runners on board before VadeBoncouer belted a three-run home run to left center to give SIU an early 3-0 lead.
The Aces threatened to answer in the top of the second, as singles by Dellorto and and sophomore Niki Rahming put runners at first and second. A perfectly placed sacrifice bunt by junior Halie Malone moved the runners up to second and third, but SIU starter Brittney Lang managed a groundout to end the inning and maintain the 3-0 lead.

Evansville was able to break up the shutout in the top of the third, as Sears started the inning with a single up the middle. Robey followed with a walk to move Sears to second before a groundout by Fortner put the pair at second and third. Senior Amy Gaertner then came through with a groundout to the right side, scoring Sears to push the score to 3-1.
A leadoff walk in the bottom of the fourth prompted a pitching change from Redburn, as sophomore Emily Morris came in relief of Perry. Back-to-back singles off the bat of Spivey and Alicia Junker were enough to move around the fourth run of the game for the Salukis, as the score went to  4-1. A sacrifice bunt put runners at second and third before a walk loaded the bases for SIU. Ashton then picked up a sacrifice fly, hitting a ball deep to centerfield to bring in a run and extend the lead to 5-1. Another single by Osburn pushed across one more run before a fly out ended the inning with the Salukis leading 6-1. 

A leadoff walk put Duran on base to start the sixth inning, but the Aces quickly retired the next two batters to put two outs on the board. But VadeBoncouer drove a single up the middle to improve the lead to 7-1 before another single and a two-base error in right 1field allowed VadeBoncouer to cross the plate and put the Salukis one run away from the run-rule. Meredith Wilson then delivered a single through the right side to bring in the final run, as the game ended via a 9-1 mercy rule. 

Perry drops to 3-6 on the season after taking the loss in the circle, giving up four runs on four in 3.0 innings on the mound.