Evansville defeated New Glarus in non-conference action on the opening day of the high school baseball season in Wisconsin, 3-2.
Evansville senior Tyler Aasen got the scoring going in the first inning, scoring on an error to give the Blue Devils a 1-0 lead.
A pitcher's duel broke out after, with Jared Carney taking New Glarus to the fourth inning allowing only two hits in the game to that juncture. Andrew Nimtz took over and punched out three Blue Devils in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Evansville would return the favor, with Tyler Aasen taking the mound in relief of Johannes Haakenson in the fifth inning. Aasen gave up a leadoff double in the inning before striking out three Glarner Knights to hold the 1-0 lead into the bottom of the fifth.
Haakenson singled to lead off, and later scored on a fielder's choice to push Evansville's lead to 2-0 after five.
New Glarus fought back in the top of the sixth, with Carney reaching on error when a grounder to short took an odd hop off of the line where the grass meets the dirt and got through the Blue Devils' infield. Carney would score on an RBI single later in the inning, and New Glarus would tack on one more to tie the game at two apiece heading to the bottom of the sixth.
Evansville would score the go-ahead run and eventual game-winner on a sacrifice fly by Haakenson with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning, making the score 3-2 Evansville.
In the top of the seventh, Sam Urquhart struck out the side to end the game.
New Glarus manager Chris Rear was happy with his team's effort, but said that the team has work to do.
"It's great to get our guys out here," he said after the game. "We had a couple of juniors who haven't played [baseball] in a while, and you can't simulate some of this in practice."
Evansville manager Brian Cashore thought his pitchers did an excellent job, and credited in part the new WIAA rule allowing five extra days of contact with pitchers before the season begins.
"I think it's clear in a game like this, where you get that extra time to work one-on-one, maybe teach some form," said Cashore. Evansville returns an experienced pitching staff, with 100% of their innings from a season ago back in the fold.
Evansville plays Beloit Turner Thursday and Friday as two of the top teams in the state in Division 2 go at it on Thursday (Turner) and Friday (Evansville), before taking on another top-ranked team in Division 2, Jefferson, in a home-and-home series next Tuesday (Evansville) and Thursday (Jefferson). New Glarus will host Argyle on Thursday.
Time of the game was 1:59, 44 degrees at first pitch (4:45 p.m.) under mostly cloudy skies.
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Evansville 1-0-0-0-1-1-X=3R 4H 1E