Evans 'competes' in narrow Squirrel W over Tropics

POPLAR BLUFF – The last time that the Charleston Fighting Squirrels battled their summer league rival, the Southeast Tropics, the Squirrels gave up 14 runs on nine hits, while committing six errors.

So, it was imperative to veteran manager Michael Minner in a rematch game on Tuesday that he have a pitcher on the mound who, if nothing else, would compete.

Minner turned to Notre Dame senior-to-be, Jack Evans, to start the game, which was part of the Three Rivers Showcase event in Poplar Bluff, and Evans didn’t disappoint.

“Phenomenal,” Minner said of Evans after the right-hander nearly threw a complete game.

The Fighting Squirrels (5-2) held off a rallying Tropics squad 4-3 after beating the SEMO Jumbos 11-3 in their opening game of the event.

“Jack is just competitive,” Minner said. “He doesn’t throw real hard, but he is going to come at you, and he is going to throw strikes.”

Evans threw 105 pitches, 69 of which were for strikes, as he limited the Tropics (4-3) to two earned runs on five hits while walking one and striking out four.

“He is going to compete his tail off,” Minner continued on Evans. “He wants the baseball.”

In the final inning, Evans got Tropic hitters Aaron Dunlap and Drew Klipfel to ground out, and it appeared as if he would throw a complete game. However, when Southeast star Mason Adams connected for a single, and knowing the havoc that Adams can cause on the base paths, Minner went to reliever Peyton Hodges.

On the first pitch, Hodges released to another Tropics standout, Luke Barnes, the Cooter High School product banged it into left field, which scored Adams. However, Hodges was able to retire Beau Hunter-Warren to earn the save.

“It was just a really good baseball game,” Minner said.

Notre Dame grad Cole Lemons paced the Squirrel offense with a couple of hits to go with his one RBI, while Nic Massey (two hits, one run, one walk), Thomas Frakes (two hits, one run), Owen Osborne (one hit, one run), Bennett Logan (one RBI), Hodges (one RBI), Kaeden Kennedy (one hit), Trace Sullivan (one hit), and Will Green (one hit, one run, one RBI, one walk) also contributed in the win.

Adams threw 4 2/3 innings for the Tropics and allowed eight hits, one earned run, walked one, and struck out two.

“I thought the Adams kid threw well for them,” Minner said. “Her mixed it up well.”

Klipfel worked the final 1 1/3 innings and gave up a couple of hits and an earned run while walking one and striking out two.

Barnes paced the Southeast offense with a couple of hits, as well as two RBI and one run.

“Barnes means a lot to us,” veteran Tropics manager Distin Schwartz said. “Whether he is on the mound, or at the plate, the kid is an athlete."

Dunlap chipped in a hit and a run, while Klipfel (one walk), Adams (one hit, one run), Warren (one hit), and Connor Johnson (one hit, one RBI) also produced for Southeast.

The Tropics beat the SEMO Jumbos 14-3 earlier in the day.

Southeast will travel to the Twin Lakes Classic in Mountain Homes, Ark. today through Sunday.

The Fighting Squirrels will visit Capaha Field to play a pair of Missouri Bulls teams today at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.