Evansville edges Redhawks with ninth-inning run

~ The Aces scored on a two-strike suicide squeeze for a 7-6 victory.

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- Evansville scored a run in the bottom of the ninth inning Wednesday to hand visiting Southeast a 7-6 loss -- the Redhawks' third one-run defeat already this season.

Southeast had a three-game winning streak snapped and fell to 4-4, while Evansville improved to 7-4.

The Redhawks, who trailed 6-1 after three innings, forged a 6-6 tie in the eighth inning, when freshman Aaron Rave singled and junior Brent Lawson belted a two-run home run for Southeast's first homer of the season.

That's the way things stood until the ninth. Robbie Minor tripled down the right field line with one out. After an intentional walk, Kyle Smith's suicide squeeze bunt with two strikes scored Minor to end the contest.

Both teams had only six hits.

Junior college transfer Asif Shah led the Redhawks by going 2-for-4.

Southeast's bullpen sparkled after senior left-hander Derek Herbig gave up six runs -- all earned -- in the first 2 1/3 innings. He allowed three hits and walked three.

Junior Josh Parham, a Jackson High School product, followed with three scoreless innings, allowing two hits.

Three more relievers followed with 2 1/3 scoreless innings, including 1 1/3 hitless frames by redshirt freshman Mike Taylor from Shawnee (Ill.) High School.

Freshman Daniel Schuh, who came on to record the final out to end a threat in the eighth, suffered the loss by allowing the ninth-inning run.

The Redhawks return to action Friday, hosting two games as part of the four-team, three-day Little Caesars Pizza Classic, a round-robin event. Southeast plays Indiana State at noon and Southeastern Louisiana at 4 p.m.