As the clock struck midnight on its historic Cinderella run, the University of Evansville baseball team stood solemnly in the dugout. Its historic season had ended in the NCAA Tournament Knoxville Super Regional.
A day after notching the biggest win in program history, the Purple Aces lost to the No. 1-ranked Volunteers 12-1 Sunday night at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. UE’s pitchers’ arms were running on fumes while the Volunteers exploded at the plate with seven home runs to set a new single-game postseason record.
Although the Aces had their chances on offense, they couldn't cash in on their opportunities and the deficit ballooned.
Still, UE made magic this postseason — and what a run it was. The Aces basked in the national spotlight during the program’s first super regional appearance and finished just one win shy of the College World Series.
Sunday simply wasn’t their night.
"It's been an incredible run by our Aces, by this senior group, by each and every guy on the roster that believed in this place," UE coach Wes Carroll told reporters postgame. "Yes, the outcome didn't go our way, but I couldn't be more proud of our seniors and our team really setting the standard at the University of Evansville."
The Aces (39-26) took the lead in the first inning as Brent Widder's RBI single scored Simon Scherry after the Heritage Hills graduate reached on an error. But Tennessee (55-12) immediately answered in the home half when its leadoff hitter blasted a solo home run to left. It took the lead in the next inning on back-to-back homers and didn’t look back.
Game 2:Evansville baseball avoids elimination vs No. 1 Tennessee, forces Game 3 in super regional
Game 1:Evansville baseball battles but drops NCAA super regional opener to No. 1 Tennessee
UE struggled to corral Tennessee’s explosive offense and pulled starter Kevin Reed after just 1 1/3 innings. He allowed five earned runs on four hits and a pair of walks. Boonville graduate Nick Smith came on in relief after throwing 52 pitches late in Game 2, and the Volunteers kept their foot on the gas.
While Smith retired his next four batters and picked up two strikeouts, he allowed three Tennessee homers in the fourth. Yet, UE refused to break. After all, it was tied for the most comebacks in the country from three or more runs with 12 following its Game 2 win.
The Aces loaded the bases in the fourth inning when North graduate Ty Rumsey reached on a single in his first game back from injury. Except the Aces couldn't get on the board and left them stranded. Cal McGinnis then picked up his fifth hit of the super regional round with a single in the sixth, but UE again couldn't spark a comeback.
'We mean baseball here':Locals fueling Evansville's NCAA tournament super regional run
UE accomplished plenty this postseason, from its first Missouri Valley Conference championship in 18 years to its first regional championship and becoming the first regional four-seed to defeat a national No. 1 seed in NCAA tournament history. These past couple of weeks were historic.
This was only UE’s fourth NCAA tournament appearance in program history while the Volunteers are headed to their seventh College World Series, including three in the last four years.
"We reached every single goal that we've tried to reach this year," Widder said. "But we continued to create new goals as we went along. We weren't able to win the last game of the series, but just looking back on it, what an unbelievable season."
"It was 35 guys in our locker room that believed in us," senior Brendan Hord added. "Nobody else believed in it, nobody in our conference (and) across the country. It's just one guy believing in the next guy believing in the next guy. There shouldn't be a dry eye because we accomplished more than what we thought we would."
Ultimately, the Aces’ 39 wins are tied for the sixth-most in a single season in its history. They also broke the program records for single-season home runs, doubles and runs scored while Kip Fougerousse broke the season home run record, Widder became the career leader in games played and a handful of others made their mark in the record book.
The Evansville faithful, with their cheers of "Let's go Aces" and "Get Up, Ace Country," rallied behind them every step of the way as UE proved what this program can achieve.
“That was the most incredible experience I’ve ever had as a coach, as a player… I’m smiling and happy because it happened,” Carroll said. “(Saturday) is something nobody will ever be able to take away from this team. We were pioneers in so many areas. I’m happy we have come so far.
“We captivated our city, our university and our athletic department, and we hopefully are raising the bar and setting the standard for everybody around us. That’s what's exciting about it.”
