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EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville baseball team stranded nine base runners Sunday afternoon at Braun Stadium, as visiting Eastern Kentucky avoided a sweep by defeating the Purple Aces, 3-2, in the series finale.
 
Evansville (15-9) was able to record 10 hits on the afternoon, marking the sixth-straight game in which the Aces have reached or eclipsed the 10-hit plateau, but stranded nine runners on the base paths, including four in scoring position.
 
"I thought their freshman arm (Caleb Johnson) did a fantastic job with runners in scoring position," head coach Wes Carroll said.  "We just didn't get the run-scoring hits when we needed to.  To scattered 10 hits and only get two runs is a bit shocking for our offense."
 
Senior Jake Mahon led three multi-hit efforts for UE by going 3-for-5 at the plate with a double.  Junior Jarod Perry provided a 2-for-4 effort with an RBI and sophomore Jonathan Ramon notched a pair of hits in four at bats.  Sophomore Eric McKibban drove in Evansville's only other run, finishing the contest 1-for-4.
 
Senior Cole Isom (2-2) suffered the loss on the mound, as the lefty surrendered three runs on nine hits and struck out six without a walk in 4.2 innings.  Out of the bullpen sophomore Brent Jurceka and senior Sam Johns combined to allowed just two hits and struck out four over the final 4.1 frames.
 
"It's tough to have a senior starter on the mound and your full bullpen intact and not come away with a win," Carroll said.  "I don't think we were sharp with our starting pitching at all today.  Our bullpen was really good, Brent Jurceka has been lights out all year and Sam Johns was able to put up goose eggs on the board, but I think it was a combination of a lot of things that contributed to the loss.  You also have to credit EKU.  They came to the park today after two tough losses against us and came out ready to play with a freshman on the mound."
 
Eastern Kentucky (12-15) led for the first time in the series by scoring in the top of the first, when Sean Hagen cleared the fence in left field for a two-out, solo homer off of Isom.
 
The Aces countered by scoring two runs in the bottom of the second to grab a 2-1 lead.  Junior Boomer Synek led off the inning with a double off the base of the wall in right, before Ramon followed with a single to shallow right.  Synek touched home following a ground out by McKibban, before Ramon scored the go-ahead run on a two-out, RBI single off the bat of Perry.
 
After a pair of scoreless innings, the Colonels regained the lead in the top of the fifth, once again putting together a two-out rally.  Isom started the frame with back-to-back strikeouts of Kyle Nowlin and TJ Alas, before plunking Hagen.  Bryan Soloman tied the game with a double to the gap in right center and Ben Fisher gave Eastern Kentucky the lead for good by plugging the gap in left center to score Soloman.
 
Colonel starter Caleb Johnson (3-0) retired the Aces in order in the sixth, before handing the ball to reliever Logan Hershenow, who allowed just one hit in two innings out of the pen.
 
Anthony Bazzani notched his second save of the year by retiring all three UE batters he faced in the ninth to preserve the 3-2 victory for Eastern Kentucky.
 
Fisher led the Colonels at the plate by going 4-for-4 with an RBI and Soloman finished the day 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
 
Evansville will look to bounce back Tuesday, April 1, when it hosts SIU Edwardsville at Braun Stadium for a 6 p.m. midweek contest.