Evansville Otters Preview
Published on July 9, 2015 under Frontier League (FL)
Evansville Otters News Release
Florence, KY- After an eventful 4-2 win last night at UC Health Stadium in a rare single-game seven inning affair, the Otters will play two more seven inning games tonight against the Florence Freedom (20-26) as the Evansville Otters (29-17) wrap up their season series against the Freedom.
Efrain Nieves gave up a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning, but that was all as he kept the Otters in the game until they exploded for four runs in the top of the fifth after a two hour and 21 minute rain delay that included the game initially being officially postponed and then unpostponed.
Nik Balog and Kurt Wertz Jr. doubled in the frame and John Schultz, one of the five All-Stars on the Otters squad, ripped a single back up the middle to tie the game at twos before Dane Phillips rapped a single by the second basemen to give the Otters their 4-2 lead that they would hold for the rest of the game.
Phillips, who made his second start of the season behind the plate last night, has been on a tear over his last three games; the second round pick in the 2012 draft has driven in four in the last three games, going 6-for-13 with four RBI including a home run and a double. During that time, Phillips has also played great defense, starting a pivotal 9-2 double play on Saturday against the Boomers while out in right field.
Connor Little was once again stellar as the bridge to Edgar Lopez. Coming on to replace Nieves in the sixth inning, Little ceded a leadoff single before striking out the side in the next three batters, pushing his strikeout to walk ratio to 33 to one on the season while collecting his sixth hold in six chances. For Lopez, one of the three arms selected to the All-Star team (Trevor Walch and Will Oliver the others), he shutdown the Freedom with a perfect seventh, notching his 14th save in 14 opportunities, which is second in the Frontier League and has still yet to allow an earned run.
Phillips and the rest of the Otters defense will look to help out the duo of Will Oliver (5-2, 1.68) and Preston Olson (5-2, 3.57) who will pitch Game One and Game Two respectively. They will be opposed by the Freedom's Casey Henn (3-6, 3.35) in Game One and Tony Vocca (2-1, 2.01) in Game Two.
The Otters have taken all four games against the Freedom so far this season and look to sweep the season series against the Freedom with Game One of the doubleheader starting at 4:35 pm CDT and Game Two to follow about a half hour after the conclusion of Game One. The pregame show on 91.5 FM WUEV with Jake Donnelly will start at 4:15 pm CDT.
The Otters head back to Evansville on Friday to face the Lake Erie Crushers to finish off the first half of their season with additional games on Saturday and Sunday. 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 9, 2015
- Otters Split Doubleheader Against Freedom 4-2, 2-3 - Evansville Otters
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- ThunderBolts Lose Ninth-Inning Lead in 5-4 Loss to Washington - Windy City ThunderBolts
- Beach Bums Win 3-2 in 12-Innings - Traverse City Beach Bums
- Washington Wins 5-4 in Come-From-Behind Fashion - Washington Wild Things
- Freedom Clarify Umpiring Situation from July 8 - Florence Y'alls
- July 9 Florence Freedom Doubleheader Game Notes - Florence Y'alls
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