The Valparaiso University baseball team received Beacon blasts from Kaleb Hannahs (West Terre Haute, Ind. / West Vigo), Ryan Maka (Oak Forest, Ill. / Oak Forest) and Brady Renfro (Antigo, Wis. / Antigo) en route to an 8-4 victory over visiting Evansville on Saturday afternoon at Emory G. Bauer Field. Hannahs went 4-for-4 and reached base five times, and a solid start by Connor Lockwood (Libertyville, Ill. / Libertyville) also played a key role as the Beacons leveled the series in front of numerous Valpo baseball alumni who were in attendance as part of an alumni tailgate event.

How It Happened

• A two-out single through the right side in the top of the second allowed Evansville to score the game’s first run.
• Valpo wrestled the lead away in the bottom of the inning. Carson Husmann (Hanna, Ind. / South Central [Bradley]) led off with a double and came around to score on a single by Kade Reinertson (Huxley, Iowa / Ballard Community), then Hannahs added a run-scoring single of his own. Both tallies came with two outs.
• A sacrifice fly by Evansville tied the game in the third, but Valpo turned an inning-ending double play to prevent further damage and keep it 2-2.
• Valpo went back in front in the last of the third when Maka hammered a monster 419-foot home run to make it 3-2.
• Lockwood put up zeros in each of his final two innings of work and left in position for the win with his team up 3-2. He eventually received no decision despite five innings of two-run, five-hit ball. He worked around five walks and struck out one.
• A two-out homer in the top of the sixth allowed the Aces to tie the score at three. Grant Jablonski (Mishawaka, Ind. / Mishawaka) worked out of a two-on, nobody out spot in the top of the seventh to keep the score even. With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Hannahs hit a payoff pitch 386 feet over the left-field wall to put the Beacons ahead 4-3.
• Jablonski sent down the side in order in the eighth. In the bottom of the inning, Giusti spanked a three-run homer, then Alex Thurston (Fowler, Ind. / Benton Central) added a run-scoring double to provide some separation at 8-3.
• Evansville led off the ninth with a solo homer to make it 8-4. With two outs and two on, Jake Jakubowski (Lake in the Hills, Ill. / Huntley [Heartland]) was called upon to record the final out. He induced a fly ball to right to wrap up the win.

Inside the Game

• Jablonski improved to 3-1 thanks to 3 2/3 innings of relief in which he allowed two runs on three hits. Jakubowski earned his second save since the potential tying run was in the on-deck circle upon his entrance.
• Giusti hit his fifth home run of the season, while Hannahs had his third and Renfro his fifth. Hannahs is up to 11 home runs in his Valpo career, while Renfro has drilled 20, one away from moving into a tie for 10^th in program history with his long ball on Saturday.
• Hannahs was a triple shy of the cycle, going 4-for-4 with a home run, double and walk as part of a banner day. His four knocks marked a season high, tied a career high and represented his first four-hit game since April 10, 2022 vs. Indiana State.
• Maka extended his on-base streak to 22 straight games.
• Valpo outhit Evansville 13-8 with six of the 13 going for extra bases.

Up Next

Valpo (14-30, 6-14) will face off with Evansville for the rubber match of the series on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Emory G. Bauer Field.