EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – An eighth-inning rally doomed the University of Evansville baseball team on Wednesday afternoon as SIUE pushed across four runs on the way to a 5-2 win over the Purple Aces at Simmons baseball Complex.

The Aces (7-13) had combined to retire 17 consecutive SIUE hitters at one point before the hosts finally broke through for a score in the bottom of the seventh with a two-out Garrett Carmichael double off of Adam Lukas.

In the eighth, Jack Cavanaugh issued back-to-back walks before Brandon Gomer took to the mound. Later in the frame, a Dustin Woodcock intentional walk loaded the bases for the Cougars (11-9), and Chris Monasmith followed up with a double that was just inches fair down the third base foul line to push SIUE ahead. A single from Jordan Stading brought home two more to account for the final score.

Monasmith was the only Cougar hitter with multiple hits, ending 2-for-2.

Strain earned the start for the Aces, allowing a hit in the first before pitching perfect second and third frames. Hunter Porterfield tossed a perfect fourth and fifth, and Ryan Brady was spotless in the sixth before Monasmith ended the streak with a hit an inning later.

"When your pitchers are giving you chances through the first six or seven innings, you have to have your offense step up and scratch together some runs," UE head coach Wes Carroll said. "We couldn't put anything together, and then SIUE got us in 'winning time.' That's something that's been hurting us all year. It's an unfortunate loss, and we have to get ourselves ready for Lipscomb. We've got a tough weekend ahead."

UE got on the board first with a Jimmy Day sacrifice fly in the fifth, and an Andrew Tanous single doubled the advantage an inning later.

Korbin Williams led the way for UE, ending 3-for-3 with a score.

UE will return to action on Friday as the team will begin a three-game set against Lipscomb in Nashville.

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