Ackerman dominates, as Wild Things Fall to Evansville

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, August 4, 2016 | 4:32 PM

The Washington Wild Things and Evansville Otters played game two of their three game series at Bosse Field Wednesday night. The offense couldn’t get Anything going on the night as Hunter Ackerman dominated on the mound for the Evansville Otters as they would win by the score of 4-2.

Sam Agnew-Wieland took the mound for the Wild Things making his fourth start of the season. He came out in the first and retired the first man of the inning before Josh Allen hit a solo shot over the left field wall, his eighth home run of the year, as the Otters took an early 1-0 lead. Agnew-Wieland would then settle down and get the final two outs of the inning.

The Otters jumped back on the board in the bottom of the second as Chris Breen and Jeff Gardner singled to start off the inning putting runners at first and third with one man out. Then Kolten Yamaguchi was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Kaeo Aliviado singled in the second run of the ball game to give Evansville a 2-0 lead.

The Wild Things would end up tying the game in the top of the fourth after Ricky Rodriguez tripled to put a runner on third and one man out. Then Dave Popkins delivered his team leading 36th RBI of the year as Rodriguez scored and the Wild Things cut the deficit to 2-1. Then Logan Uxa continued his hot hitting at the plate as he delivered an RBI double that scored Popkins and tied the game at two.

The tie game would not last long, however, as Evansville retaliated in the bottom of the fifth. After the first man was retired, Allen and Christopher Reopedre walked to lead off the inning before Nik Balog hit a two RBI double to give Evansville a 4-2 lead.

Agnew-Wieland would be pulled in that bottom of the fifth inning and would end the day going 4.1 innings giving up four runs on five hits while walking four and striking out three. Kolin Stanley would pick up the final two outs in the inning.

The Wild Things bullpen was very effective on the night as Stanley, Brian O’Keefe, Devon Davis, and Andrew Woeck would combine to throw 3.2 scoreless inning and keep it a two run deficit. The Wild Things bullpen has been good all year, but the trouble has come in bridging the gap between the starters and that bullpen.

The story of the night, however, was Evansville’s starting pitcher Hunter Ackerman. Ackerman went 7.2 inning giving up just two runs on six hits while walking zero and striking out a career high 10 batters on the night. Reliever Matt Wivinis came in and got the final out of the eighth inning and we entered the ninth with the Wild Things down two.

Randy McCurry came in to pitch the ninth for the Otters looking for his 19th save of the year. The Wild Things would give him a battle as with one man out Logan Uxa walked and Kyle Pollock singled to put runners on first and second with one man out. However, Jimmy Yezzo would then ground into a 6-4-3 double play to end the game and give Evansville a series victory over the Wild Things.

The Wild Things will try to salvage a game in this series tomorrow as they play game three at 7:35 p.m. Chase Cunningham will take the mound for the Wild Things putting his 3-7 record on the line. The Evansville Otters have yet to name their starting pitcher. You can listen right here on the MSA Sports Network.