As UE Welcomes the Tournament, School Also Welcomes Massive Step Forward in Facilities
Let’s lead the Monday 9 off there with the kind of news you like to see from any team in the conference. The University of Evansville announced Monday that the school has received a $3 million gift from former Purple Aces Kyle and Ashley Freeland for the purpose of building a new clubhouse for Evansville baseball.
Freeland led Evansville to the 2014 MVC regular-season title and was drafted 8th overall that summer by the Colorado Rockies, for whom he still pitches. Freeland, who has pitched exactly 1,000 Major-League innings in an 8-year career, went 10-2 in 14 starts for UE in 2014, striking out 128 and walking just 12 in 99 2/3 innings. The Purple Aces went 34-21, 15-6 in the Valley that season to edge out Dallas Baptist by a game to win the season crown.
“It’s truly an honor for myself and my wife Ashley to be able to give back to the University of Evansville and support this baseball program into the future. I owe so much of my development as a baseball player and a person to my time at UE and Coach Wes Carroll, and this felt like the most fitting way for me to say thank you,” Freehand said in a statement released by the university announcing the gift. “This program has built and sustained success for many years, and our goal with this gift to the baseball program is to help build on that momentum, create a team-oriented environment that helps Evansville baseball players realize their true potential as students and athletes, and continue to boost recruiting. We’re already excited to cut that ribbon and see the future of Purple Aces baseball.”
The facility at Braun Stadium, host of this week’s MVC Championship, is expected to be completed by Summer 2025.
2. If Indiana State Keeps Doing THIS … Who Beats Them?: We knew the 20th-ranked Indiana State Sycamores had a good lineup this season and we knew that Brennyn Cutts and Luke Hayden have done well stepping into the roles filled by Matt Jachec and Conner Venlong last season as the keys to the weekend rotation. And we knew Mike Sears had power, having hit 19 homers last season.
But for all of the Sycamores’ success last year in winning 45 games and going 24-3 in the Valley, that Indiana State team finished the season with 73 homers. Sears hit 26% of the Sycamores’ homers in 2023. Adam Pottinger (11) and Randal Diaz (10) were the only other Indiana State hitters with 10 or more.
Fast forward to 2024. Indiana State hit 16 homers in 3 games at Valparaiso over the weekend, or almost 22% of last year’s total in one series. Sears and Luis Hernandez each hit 4; Parker Stinson, Josue Urdaneta, and Randal Diaz all hit 2; while Connor Hicks and Adam Pottinger went yard once. Indiana State homered once every 7.38 at-bats in the series.
Urdaneta had no homers on the season and a sub-.300 slugging percentage before the Valpo series. Indiana State hitters were 45-for-118 (.381) in the 3 games with 16 homers and 6 doubles. Last season, the Sycamores hit 73 homers but had 120 doubles. This season, those numbers have evened out to the Sycamores’ benefit, with 99 homers and 91 doubles (in 12 fewer games than last season to this point).
Indiana State is now slugging .532 as a team and combined with a .400+ on-base percentage, there really aren’t any outs in the lineup anymore. Last year’s team hit .272 with an .812 team OPS. This year’s bunch is hitting .299 with a .942 OPS. The Sycamores currently have 3 starters with an OPS in the 1.100s (Sears, Hernandez, and Stinson) and 6 carrying OPS values of .940 or better.
The starting pitching and quality bullpen depth is a given with Indiana State. If the lineup keeps going at this pace, however, look out.
3. MVC Weekly Awards: Fittingly for a week in which he homered 4 times to lock up the Valley Home Run King title with 23, Sears was named MVC Player of the Week on Monday. Sears hit .283 for the regular season with 67 RBIs. He drove in 10 and scored 6 in the 3 wins over Valpo, while 6-for-13 at the plate (.462). Sears’ 23 homers are an Indiana State single-season record. He has 42 over the last 2 seasons.
Top pitching honors went to Carter Monke of Illinois State. Monke started and pitched 8 strong innings in Illinois State’s 8-1 win over Belmont Saturday that helped the Redbirds clinch the 4-seed in the upcoming Valley Tournament, where ISU will play 3-seed Evansville Wednesday. Monke, who posted his second consecutive start of at least 100 pitches, allowed just 1 run on 6 hits with 2 walks and 4 strikeouts, throwing 105 pitches (5.00 pitches per out). Monke improved to 5-1 on the season and the 8 innings were a season high.
4. Conference Individual Leaders: Here were the leaders in some notable stat categories for conference games only in the 2024 regular season:
- Batting Average: Kendal Ewell, UIC, .425
- Home Runs: Mike Sears & Luis Hernandez, Indiana State, and Kendal Ewell, UIC, 15
- RBIs: Luis Hernandez, Indiana State, 42
- Runs: Caden Bogenpohl, Missouri State, 35
- Stolen Bases: Sam Slaughter, Belmont, 11
- OBP: Kendal Ewell, UIC, .516
- SLG: Kendal Ewell, UIC, .953
- OPS: Kendal Ewell, UIC, 1.469
- Pitcher Strikeouts: Cade Vernon, Murray State, 59
- Pitcher Wins: Cade Vernon, Murray State, 6-1
- Pitcher Saves: Reece Lawler, UIC, 6
5. Game 1 Thoughts: The Valley tournament gets underway at 2:30 p.m. Central Tuesday in Evansville when the 8th-seed Missouri State Bears take on the 5th-seeded Flames of UIC. You have two teams with potentially different levels of motivation here. The Bears, playing their final however many games they can for retiring head coach Keith Guttin, while the Flames looked an almost lock to be a top-4 seed and have Tuesday off, before losses on back-to-back days at UE to end the regular season coupled with results elsewhere saw the Flames plummet to 5th.
Both teams have considerable offensive talent but there are 4 names that need to be mentioned here. For Missouri State, it’s Zack Stewart and Caden Bogenpohl. Stewart (.305, 21 HR, 54 RBIs, 1.024 OPS) doesn’t mess around when he makes contact. His 21 homers came on 67 hits, and comprised 21 of his 31 extra-base hits for the season. Bogenpohl hit .285 with 19 homers and 44 driven in, but provided a spark to the Bears in April when he went into the leadoff spot for several games. Bogenpohl carries a 1.049 OPS and has also drawn 49 walks to lead the team. Four other Bears hit at least 10 homers this season and the team has launched 110 total. Friday starter Brandt Thompson finished the regular season 5-2 with a 3.64 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 71 2/3 innings.
Kendall Ewell and Zane Zielinski were the driving forces behind UIC’s offense this season. Ewell won the Valley batting title at .392 and just missed in other categories such as doubles (18) and RBIs (64). He walked 33 times combined with 76 hits, reaching base in every game this season. He and Zielinski both scored 52 runs. Zielinski hit .349 with 17 doubles, 31 walks, and 19 stolen bases in 22 tries. UIC only hit 62 homers in 51 games, but carries a .291 team batting average and stole 59 bases in 75 attempts. UIC only has 39 errors on the year while MSU has 73 miscues. If UIC holds a late lead, conference saves leader Reece Lawler is an ace in the Flames bullpen.
UIC won the season series over Missouri State, 2-1, taking the series in Springfield.
6. Game 2 Thoughts: In the nightcap, 6-seed Southern Illinois takes on 7th-seeded Belmont. The Salukis have made their way this season on the strength of a strong ability to get on base, with 3 regulars holding on-base percentages of over .400, led by Steven Loden at .434. Loden is also SIU’s top power threat with 12 homers. But SIU only hit 62 as a team. Hesston Gray (11) was the only other Saluki in double figures in homers this season. But once the Salukis get on base, they are dangerous in the running game. Southern Illinois stole 71 bases in 56 games and was only caught 11 times, led by Mathieu Vallee (15-for-16) and Jake Allgeyer (11-for-11).
SIU should also come into the matchup with some confidence, having swept Belmont in Nashville during the regular season by scores of 7-6, 7-3, and 11-1 back in April.
Belmont was an up-and-down team all season, alternating series wins and losses for the entirety of the conference play before finishing 12-15 in the league and dropping to the 7 seed on the final day. But while Belmont’s offense only hit .261 for the season, the Bruins did hit 71 homers, led by the duo of Mason Landers (18) and Brodey Heaton (15), who were also the Bruins’ 2 top run producers. Sam Slaughter led the conference in stolen bases with 21, and he will have to be part of a core of players who help Landers and Heaton offensively if Belmont is to make a run through this tournament. Joe Ruzicka was Belmont’s workhorse on the mound, leading the team with 69 innings and throwing 1 complete-game shutout. He is 4-4 with a 4.43 ERA on the season.
7. An Early Look at Wednesday: We know already that one of Wednesday’s quartet of games will feature 3rd-seeded and host Evansville taking on the 4 seed Illinois State. That will be the 9 a.m. first pitch on Wednesday, followed by an elimination game featuring the losers of Tuesday’s games, then Tuesday’s winners taking on Indiana State and Murray State, respectively.
The Redbirds finished 16-11 in the Valley and claimed the 4 seed on the final day thanks in large part to a 7-2 conference run to end the regular season, that featured 2-1 series wins over UIC and Belmont and a sweep over Southern Illinois. But things didn’t go so well for the Redbirds when they met up with the Purple Aces in the regular season, with Evansville sweeping the series at home, 9-1, 6-5, and 13-1. Illinois State’s offense is mostly concentrated around Luke Lawrence (.341, 77 hits); Daniel Pacella (.330-11-58); Noah Rabin (.291-14-45); Judah Morris (.284-12-46) and Auggie Rasmussen (.288-15-52, despite missing 10 games). That quintet has 56 of Illinois State’s 67 homers. J.T. Sokolove stole 19 bases in 21 tries.
On the mound, Cameron Mabee (6-3, 4.83) and Tanner Perry (6-6, 5.40) are both 6-game winners, while top receiver Joe Husak has picked up 5 wins in 22 appearances to go with 6 saves.
Evansville rallied after losing Thursday to take the series from UIC and finish with the 3rd seed at 17-10 in the conference, losing a tiebreaker to Murray State for 2nd. Evansville is 4th in the nation in doubles with 134, and had the top two in that category in the conference as Mark Shallenberger and Harrison Taubert tied with 19 each. Shallenberger hit .382 and was in contention for the batting title until the final day. He also led UE with 15 homers, 55 RBIs, and tied with Kip Fougerousse for the team lead with 76 hits. Fougerousse has been red hot of late, going 18-for-37 (.486) in his last 9 games with 8 runs, 5 homers, and 12 RBIs.
Kenton Deverman has emerged as the Ace of Aces, going 7-1 this season with a 3.53 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 89 1/3 innings. His strikeout:walk ratio is better than 3.5:1 and opponents only hit .256 against him.
8. MVC Awards: The Conference announced its end-of-season awards on Monday and there were few surprises. UIC’s Kendal Ewell won Player of the Year honors. Ewell hit .392 with 20 homers and 64 RBIs, leading the conference in hitting, and nearing the top in both other Triple Crown categories. Ewell posted a 1.302 OPS for the season, started every game, and reached base every game for the Flames. Ewell was also named MVC Newcomer of the Year.
Indiana State head coach Mitch Hannahs was named Coach of the Year after leading the Sycamores to a .780 winning percentage and a 22-5 conference run to take the regular-season crown for the 2nd consecutive season. Hannahs, who won the award last season, as well, has led Indiana State to a 46-8 conference record in the last 2 years.
Brennyn Cutts of Indiana State earned Pitcher of the Year honors. There was a lot of competition here. Teammate Luke Hayden, the aforementioned Deverman, and Murray State’s Cade Vernon all had claims. But to the winners usually go the spoils and Cutts earned the honor with a 6-1 record, 3.80 ERA, and 68 strikeouts in 68 2/3 innings over 14 starts and 1 relief appearance. Opponents batted just .210 against Cutts. Notably, Vernon led the MVC in conference-game strikeouts and wins, but wasn’t selected to the 1st team.
Deverman wasn’t shut out, however, as he did capture Freshman of the Year honors. Deverman went at least 6 innings in 9 of his last 10 starts, including the final 6. In 6 of Deverman’s last 7 starts, the freshman allowed 2 runs or less and he posted a 2.49 ERA over those 7 outings. Deverman threw a 9-inning complete game against Missouri State, allowing just 1 run on 4 hits with 2 walks and 6 strikeouts.
From the conference, the All-MVC 1st Team is below. I’ve never seen a 1st Team with 3 shortstops on it, but all 3 are deserving.
- C: Dylan Leach, Missouri State
- 1B: Luis Hernandez, Indiana State
- 2B: Nick Rodriguez, Missouri State
- SS: Drew Vogel, Murray State; Randal Diaz, Indiana State; Zane Zielinski, UIC
- 3B: Mason Landers, Belmont
- OF: Kendal Ewell, UIC; Mark Shallenberger, Evansville; Daniel Pacella, Illinois State
- SP: Brennyn Cutts, Indiana State; Kenton Deverman, Evansville; Brandt Thompson, Missouri State
- RP Zach Davidson, Indiana State; Reece Lawler, UIC
While not on the 1st team, Indiana State’s Grant Magill earned Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Check out Monday’s @MVCSports Twitter feed for all of the conference award winners.
9. Where to Watch: Well, this is the easy part. The entire Missouri Valley Conference baseball championship will be streamed live on ESPN+. For updated game schedules, follow along here. For game recaps, other thoughts, and the most comprehensive reads on Valley tournament action, well, you ought to know by now to stay right here at mvcbaseball.com. Thanks for reading all season and make sure and follow the Twitter/X feed @MVConfBaseball.
Life in the Valley 
Leave a comment