EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Leslie Sims hit an inside the park home run in the first at bat of the game but Indiana State couldn't rally back from a four-run first inning by Evansville in a 6-3 loss against the Aces at Cooper Stadium in the nightcap of a doubleheader Wednesday.
 
Sims, the speedy junior, led the Sycamores (14-24, 2-11 Missouri Valley) with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate but her most notable play was the inside the park home run to right center in the first at bat of the game.
 
Evansville (13-23, 3-10) would respond in the bottom half of the first inning with a solo home run to go along with four hits, a hit batter, a walk and sacrifice fly to take the 4-1 lead. ISU turned a double play to end the threat before Evansville could do any more damage.
 
Neither team would score again until the fifth when Haley Woolf hit a solo home run to push Evansville's lead to 5-1.
 
Indiana State responded with a pair of runs in the sixth as Shaye Barton raced home after Amanda Guercio singled to left then a fielding error let both players gain extra bases. Guercio would score in the next at bat when Bella Peterson drove her in with a double to right center.
 
The Purple Aces would add one more insurance run in the bottom of the sixth for the 6-3 advantage. Sims would lead off the seventh with a bunt single but would get stranded as the next three batters were retired, preventing any comeback.
 
Arielle Blankenship (6-7) was charged with the loss after allowing four runs on three hits in 0.1 innings. Tessa Sims finished out the game for the Sycamores, allowing just two runs on five hits in 5.2 innings pitched.
 
Izzy Vetter (7-7) claimed the win after allowing three runs on six hits in the complete game performance. She walked three and fanned three. Eryn Gould led the Aces at the plate with a 2-for-3 performance, driving in a run and scoring a run herself.
 
PLAYER OF THE GAME
With a game-high three hits and an inside the park home run, Leslie Sims claims this honor once again. Not only did she utilize that #SimsSpeed for an inside the park home run, she also swiped her 25^th base of the season.
 
STAT OF THE GAME
Leslie Sims's inside the park home run was the second such round tripper for her career. She previously hit an inside the park home run against Wright State on Feb. 25, 2017 but that one went to left center while Wednesday night's hit at Evansville went to right center.
 
PITCHERS OF RECORD

• Win: Izzy Vetter, Evansville (7-7)
• Loss: Arielle Blankenship, Indiana State (6-7)
• Save: None

RECORDS UPDATE

• Indiana State: 14-24 (2-11 MVC)
• Evansville: 13-23 (3-10 MVC)

NOTABLES

• Indiana State is now 50-47 all-time against Evansville with a 14-21 record in Evansville.
• Leslie Sims recorded an inside-the-park home run in the first inning. It is the first of the season and second of her career.
• Leslie Sims ended the game with 71 career stolen bases, a mark that ranks sixth in MVC history. She needs one more steal to tie Creighton's Shelly Esser (1992-95) for fifth all-time in Valley history.
• Shaye Barton was hit by a pitch for the 21^st time in her career. She ties Ashley Dickerson (2012-15) and Lindsey Beisser (2009-12) for third most times hit by a pitch in Indiana State history.
• Bella Peterson hit her team-leading ninth double of the season. That ranks her tied for third in the league this season.
• Mike Perniciaro is now 14-8 all-time as a head coach against Evansville.

 
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