Life in the Valley

UE to the Winner’s Bracket in Greenville After 4-1 Win over 1-seed ECU

Of course, Kip Fougerousse homered.

Of course, Evansville played stellar defense.

And of course, Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year Kenton Deverman threw 8 outstanding innings, giving up just 1 run on 3 hits with 4 strikeouts on 98 pitches (4.08 pitches per out, or a 110-pitch 9-inning pace).

All that, along with 2 hits and 2 RBIs from Brent Widder, and Shane Harris working out of a jam in the bottom of the 9th, striking out Jacob Jenkins-Cowart to end Evansville’s 4-1 upset of East Carolina to start the Greenville Regional on Friday. The 4th-seeded Purple Aces move to the winner’s bracket, where they will face 3rd-seeded VCU on Saturday. The Rams offered up an upset of their own, holding down a powerful Wake Forest offense and defeating the Demon Deacons, 1-0.

It’s officially May Madness in Greenville.

UE was the first and as of this writing, only 4-seed to capture a win, and the victory was a stamp of approval for the MVC, which struggled to get attention and respect for much of the season. But the Purple Aces have now won 5 straight in the postseason, and this was not only Deverman’s best performance since the regular season ended, it might have been the best work of his entire year.

Deverman (9-1) retired the first 10 men he faced against an ECU lineup with some strong bats up and down the lineup. Carter Cunningham broke that streak with 1 out in the 4th, hitting a solo homer to cut Evansville’s (36-23) lead to 2-1. Deverman had gotten some early support offensively on Brendan Hord’s 2nd-inning sacrifice fly that scored Chase Hug, then Fougerousse’s homer in the 3rd inning to make it 2-0.

Deverman gave up singles in the 6th and 7th but the Pirates couldn’t do anything with them. After a 1-2-3 8th, Deverman’s brilliant day was done. But the Purple Aces got him a couple insurance runs in the 9th when Brent Widder singled, scoring Hug and Fougerousse to make it 4-1. Deverman’s effort was a performance worthy of any ace who pitched Friday, and even some great ones who were reserved for Saturday. Such was the case for ECU front-line starter Trey Yesavage, who was bypassed Friday for a possible matchup against Chase Burns and Wake Forest on Saturday.

That matchup will happen – but, it will be in the loser’s bracket.

UE, meanwhile, probably turns to Donovan Schultz on Saturday against the Rams, with Harris pitching an inning in relief today. VCU (38-21) ace Christian Gordon worked 7 2/3 innings of scoreless ball, striking out 13 and walking just 1. Top receiver Brian Curley got the final 4 outs for the save. Those are VCU’s 2 top guys. Curley will be available tomorrow, however. He averaged 4.4 innings per appearance, all in relief, coming into today.

A win Saturday would put UE to 2-0 in a regional for the first time in school history in either the D-1 or D-2 levels. It would also leave the Purple Aces 1 win away from their first Super Regional. VCU, playing in its 14th NCAA Tournament, made Super Regionals once. The Rams lost at Miami in 2015.

Saturday’s game from Greenville will begin at 5 p.m. Central and be available on ESPN+.

Greenville Regional – Game 1
UE 4 6 0 (36-23)
ECU 1 5 1 (43-16)
W: Deverman (9-1)
L: Root (6-1)
S: Harris (2)
HR: Fougerousse, UE (18); Cunningham, ECU (15).