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EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The visiting University of Northern Iowa baseball team used a balanced attack on Saturday afternoon, scoring runs in six of nine innings, en route to an 8-3 victory over the University of Evansville Purple Aces at Charles H. Braun Stadium in Evansville, Ind.

Evansville falls to 8-14 on the season and 1-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference.  Northern Iowa improves to 10-12 and 2-3 in the MVC.

UNI jumped out quickly on Saturday, scoring single runs in both the first and second innings.  Evansville responded in the bottom of the second, when third baseman Cody Fick knocked a single through the right side of the infield to bring shortstop Peter Tountas around to score, closing the UNI lead to 2-1.

The Panthers would answer Evansville by plating single runs in the top of both the fourth and fifth innings.

The Purple Aces countered in the bottom of the fifth, plating a pair of runs.  Designated hitter Greg Wallace led off the inning with a double over UNI center fielder Deric Manrique’s head and would advance to third on a single by first baseman Andy Pascoe.  After a walk by right fielder Nate Smith, second baseman Andy Smith grounded into a double play that allowed Wallace to score.  With Pascoe on third, Tountas came to the plate and laced a double down the left field line to bring Pascoe home, but would be stranded on second base when the inning ended.

Northern Iowa once again would respond to the Evansville scores, plating one run in the seventh and three runs in the ninth to take the game 8-3.

Fick extended his hit streak to seven games on Saturday with a single in the second inning.  The UE newcomer has reached base safely in every game this year for the Aces.  Pascoe recorded the Purple Aces’ only multi-hit game, going 2-5 with a run scored.

John Foley (2-1) started the game for Evansville and lasted into the sixth inning.  Overall, Foley tossed five innings on Saturday, allowing four runs and nine hits while walking one and striking out one.

Evansville and Northern Iowa will wrap up their series on Sunday with first pitch set for 1:00 p.m.  The game can be heard live on 91.5 F.M.-WUEV.