Evansville Otters Game Preview
July 26, 2015 - Frontier League (FL)
Evansville Otters News Release
Evansville, IN- At one point this season, the Evansville Otter's (40-19) Tyler Vail's record was 2-2. That was five starts ago. The right-handed pitcher from Easton, PA is now 7-2 after having won his last five starts including last night's outing where he yet again posted a quality start, going 6.1 innings pitched while allowing three runs en route to an Otters 8-4 victory over the Washington Wild Things (25-34).
Vail's issues this year have come primarily in the first inning, but he needed just ten pitches to complete a 1-2-3 first and then was well on his way to what is becoming a norm for him; a quality start. A quality start in baseball is when a pitcher goes at least six innings and gives up no more than three runs. In other words, a start where the pitcher gives his team a solid chance to pick up the win. Vail has picked up wins in each of his last five starts and has recorded a quality start in four of his last five times out on the mound. He also pitches for the Strikeouts For Same Foundation, which is a foundation started along with his sister Alyssa to raise awareness of brain aneurysms and to honor the memory of their cousin Sam Pesaresi, who died of a brain aneurysm (for each strikeout Vail records, members of the foundation contribute a dollar towards the fund- Vail has 36 strikeouts this season).
Last night he breezed through the first four innings before getting into trouble in the fifth (allowing two runs) and the sixth (allowing a runner to reach second with one before being pulled). Max Peterson, the pitching coach for the Otters, elected to go to the bullpen, but Will White allowed an inherited runner to score and a runner of his own to cross the plate before Connor Little put out the fire yet again and then handed the ball over to Edgar Lopez in the ninth for Lopez' 18th save of the season.
The Offense scored six funs in the first four innings one night after scoring eight in the first three to give Vail and the rest of the Otters' arms some breathing room out on the mound. The offense looks to continue their torrid pace in this series (they have scored eight runs in both games this series) and go for the sweep of the Wild Things tonight at Bosse Field.
The Otters will have one of the best arms in the Frontier League going with Will Oliver (7-2, 1.56) on the mound. His 1.56 ERA is second in the Frontier League, only trailing fellow Otter Trevor Walch. Oliver was at his most dominant in his last start on Tuesday against the Beach Bums, going the distance for his first nine-inning complete game of the season (fourth total- the other three were seven inning complete games). He scattered just four hits against the Beach Bums while surrendering four walks and shutting out the Bums with the help of nine strikeouts. Last time against the Wild Things, Oliver struck out eleven in a no decision, which is still his season high and his high in the Frontier League. The Wild Things will try to avoid the sweep by tossing Ernie Zaragoza (5-4, 3.94) who was crushed his last time out, recording just one out while giving up six runs.
The Otter and Wild Things play the finale of the three game set at 5:05 pm CDT with the pregame show featuring Mike Radomski, Bill McKeon and Jake Donnelly starting at 4:45 pm CDT. Fans can purchase tickets by calling the team's front office at 812.435.8686 or online at EvansvilleOtters.com. For all of the latest information on the Otters, log on to EvansvilleOtters.com or follow the team's twitter account @EvilleOtters.
Frontier League Stories from July 26, 2015
- Freedom's Offense Struggles in Loss to Miners - Florence Y'alls
- ThunderBolts Take Game Three against Slammers - Joliet Slammers
- ThunderBolts Win Series with 14-5 Win in Joliet - Windy City ThunderBolts
- Otters Earn Sweep on Oliver's Complete Game Shutout - Evansville Otters
- Oliver Tosses Complete Game Shutout, Wild Things Lose 1-0 - Washington Wild Things
- Richards Repeats Stellar Performance as Grizzlies Win Series at Normal - Gateway Grizzlies
- Grizzlies Pull Away from CornBelters - Normal CornBelters
- Boomers Skid Stretches with 7-2 Defeat to Rockford - Schaumburg Boomers
- Aviators Bust Boomers, Complete Sweep - Rockford Aviators
- Crushers fall in a pitching duel as the Beach Bums break the scoreless tie in the eighth - Lake Erie Crushers
- July 26 Florence Freedom Game Notes - Florence Y'alls
- Evansville Otters Game Preview - Evansville Otters
- Normal CornBelters Game Tonight - Normal CornBelters
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
