Otters Take Game One In Rascals Series – Remained Tied Atop East Division

In what is starting to become the standard since the All-Star break, the Evansville Otters bats lit up the scoreboard in game one of their three game series on the road against the West Division-leading River City Rascals.

After a much deserved day off from playing 12 games in 11 days where they went 8-4 and fought their way into a tie for first in the East Division along side the Washington Wild Things, the Otters torched the Rascals 13-1 at T.R. Hughes Ballpark in O'Fallon, Missouri where they tied their season-high for home runs in a game with four. A record they just set last Thursday against Gateway Grizzlies, and tied for the first time just three days later against the Wild Things at Bosse Field.

Half of Wednesday's home runs came from third baseman, Shayne Houck, who knocked two out of the park and leads the Frontier League in home runs with 16, while batting .296. One of those two homers came in the top of a productive fifth inning where the Otters scored eight runs off Rascals pitcher, Tim Koons.

The other Otters to homer were infielder Josh Allen (6th inning) and first baseman Nik Balog (9th inning).

Pitcher Preston Olson also had a nice outing allowing one run on six hits in five innings before calling it a night.

The Washington Wild Things also won last night in their opening game against Rockford, leaving the top of the East Division deadlocked.

The Otters continue their series with the Rascals tonight and tomorrow before heading to Lake Erie for a weekend series against the Crushers. They'll return home to Bosse Field on Thursday, August 7th for six games in five games beginning with a double-header against the visiting Joliet Slammers. First pitch scheduled at 5:35pm.