Otters play first home exhibition & UE grad, Mark Shallenberger, was in the road dugout

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - Heads up baseball lovers! Opening night of the Otters season is right around the corner, on Thursday, May 8. Evansville’s spring training started last week, and on Wednesday morning, Andy McCauley’s squad, played its second exhibition game of the season, against the Gateway Grizzlies. It was also Education Day, so thousands of kids, in the ballpark, to take in the action.

Former Evansville Aces star, Mark Shallenberger is hoping to make the Gateway squad, and he drew a walk, in one his at-bats.

However, the next batter came up, and grounded one right to Alain Camou, and he turned the 4-6-3 double play, for the Otters.

One of Evansville’s returnees, Grif Hughes, was on the mound, and he got this Grizzly to go around, for a strikeout, but in the end, the Grizzlies won it, 4-2. We caught up with Shallenberger, who talked about how much UE prepared him for the next level.

“We played against so many great opponents there, and just so many good reps over the years, and just having so many good coaches throughout my time there, it’s prepared me a whole lot, where it just feels like second nature,” said Shallenberger. “There’s not gonna be a moment that feels too big. You just go out there and do what you gotta do, and you saw how far it carried us last year, and gotta keep that same mentality. I always love playing here, not just the historic part of it, but just coming back and my coaching staff was here for a little bit, so having people come see me and being able to play baseball.”

Good luck to Shally, who feels like he has a great chance, to make the Grizzlies’ opening day roster.

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