“Awesome job, awesome, awesome!” cheers UE staffer Marisa Patterson-Knox, holding a sign that reads “Get Up Aces Country!”
She’s among the throng of family, friends and supporters gathered to welcome their UE Purple Aces team home — and offer their congratulations.
“They did something that has not been done before,” she said. “And we are super proud of them — super proud. Awesome.”
The University of Evansville Men's Baseball team made history this week, with a season run that ended at the Super Regional level for the first time in team history. They finally lost to the number-one seeded team Tennessee Volunteers, 12-1 Sunday night.
While the Aces lost the series, they threatened the Volunteers' series success with a win in game 2.
The Aces are returning home with their heads held high. The buses returned to campus Monday afternoon to a showering of applause and Evansville Police escort. Players and staffers exited the buses and high fived the receiving lines and autographed posters, t-shirts and of course baseballs.
One of which was received by UE President Christopher Pietruszkiewicz.
“Everything about what they did was fabulous,” he said, speaking to Channel 14 News. “They were great on the field, but they were so great in the media.”
Coach Wes Carroll has built this winning team, said Tom Benson, Associate Athletics Director for External Relations
“He's gone out and found kids that not only can play good baseball, but that are good people,” Benson said. “All of these guys are really good guys. And they're a group that you want to root for. And I think they've represented not only the university, but also the city extremely well during the entire postseason run.”
The Aces were one win away from making it to the College World Series.
“I've been with the program for 28 years in different capacities,” Benson said. “And for them to be able to pull this run off, is just spectacular. For a school this size to make it to basically the sweet 16 of college baseball, and be one of the last 13 teams in the country playing, is pretty impressive.”
He thinks they set a new standard for the type of baseball they want to play.
Benson said the Purple Aces will lose 11 core players after this season, whether seniors or graduate students, so they’ll have to rebuild again.
Infielder Kip Fougerousse spent two years in Evansville and is one of the players who are graduating from the program.
“I hope this just continues to grow,” he said. “I hope they just keep making it past there. And this is going to be the start of the new normal.”
He said the most important thing he’s gained from playing UE baseball wasn’t on the field. “I've met a lot of great people and a lot of best friends that I will have with me for the rest of my life.”
Benson hopes UE can build on this success going forward; the team appreciates the support from the city.
“You know, the university is only as strong as the city a lot of times and we need their support. So having them behind us during this postseason run was absolutely amazing.”
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