Valparaiso University

The Valparaiso University baseball team celebrated its 16-member senior class in a pregame Senior Day ceremony before Sunday's home finale at Emory G. Bauer Field. The game appeared destined for a third straight nail-biter for the first seven innings, but Evansville poured on six in the eighth and three in the ninth to turn what had been a 2-0 lead into an 11-0 victory.
 
The senior class included four-year student manager Brady Glisic; six graduate transfers who played their final collegiate season at Valpo this year – Eli Riley, George Betevis, Gavin Bennett, Justin Bultemeier, Dalton Swinehart and Dylan Immel; two players who spent two years in the program – Austin Amburgey and Hunter Frost; three three-year members of the program – Spencer Boynton, Joe Seiber and Ryan Kruse; two four-year members of the program –Thomas Cooper and Adam Guazzo – and two five-year members of the program – Christian Hack and Connor Lockwood. 
 
How It Happened

• Evansville got on the board on a two-out, two-run double by Mason McCue in the bottom of the second to start the game's scoring. McCue was out trying to advance to third on the throw home, but both runners had crossed the plate to make it 2-0 in favor of the guests.
• After permitting two runs in the second, Valpo starting pitcher Nick Baffa settled in, eventually logging seven innings of two-run ball while scattering six hits, walking two and striking out seven.
• The Beacons made two key outs on the bases on somewhat unlucky plays – first in the bottom of the fourth by over-sliding the bag after going first-to-third on a single to right and then in the bottom of the seventh when a Valpo runner was out at the plate trying to tag and score on a line drive to center. The play was challenged, but the umpires ruled that there was not enough evidence to overturn the call of out at the plate. That double play ended an inning that got off to a promising start as Valpo had two on with nobody out and runners at second and third with one away.
• The Valpo bullpen struggled, as Evansville pulled away with six runs in the eighth and three in the ninth.  

Inside the Game

• Baffa took the tough-luck defeat on a day where the bullpen and offense did him no favors, as Valpo was outhit 13-3. His seven innings tied a career high and his seven strikeouts marked an outright personal best.
• Valpo was outhit 13-3, with junior Brayden Pleau accounting for two of the three knocks.

Up Next
The Beacons (11-36, 4-17 MVC) will finish the season with four games on the road this week, starting with Tuesday's nonconference finale at Central Michigan at 2 p.m. CT in Mount Pleasant, Mich. The game will air on Chippewas All-Access.