IOWA CITY, Iowa - Determined to avoid back to back sweeps, the University of Evansville baseball team took the fight to their Hawkeye State hosts, playing even or ahead of them for much of the game. However, a late inning Iowa rally sent the Purple Aces home 4-3 losers Sunday afternoon, at Duane Banks Field in Iowa City.

The Aces came out swinging in the opening frame. as a lead-off walk by Troy Beilsmith was cashed in on a an RBI double to the gap in left-center from red-hot freshman third baseman Tanner Craig, which gave Evansville it's first lead in more than a week.

Meanwhile, sophomore relief pitcher Adam Lukas, making his first-ever start, made only one mistake, which Iowa's Kyle Crowl made him pay for with a game-tying solo home run over the left field wall in the second inning. However, from there, Lukas gave head coach Wes Carroll everything he wanted to see from the young hurler.

The game remained a 1-1 ball game until the top of the sixth, when Evansville junior outfielder Nate Reeder delivered a a clutch two-out RBI single to left, which scored senior first baseman Dalton Horstmeier with the go-ahead run, making it 2-1 UE.

With the lead in hand, the Aces brought usual starter Alex Weigand out of the bullpen to start the sixth frame. The junior left hander pitched a perfect inning, then came out for the seventh. Weigand would run into trouble there, putting the game-tying run in scoring position. Weigand would give way to senior set-up man Ryan Brady, who had been on rest for more than a week. Hawkeye freshman pinch hitter Zach Pettigrew greeted him with comebacker up the middle, which plated the equalizer, though heads up defense by UE caught Pettigrew trying to take second, ending the inning.

Knotted at 2 in the eighth, the Hawkeyes would put two aboard on Brady with no outs. Brady would give way to Dalton Horstmeier, who mover over from first base to the pitcher's mound. Tyler Cropley and Kyle Crowley would each tag Horstmeier for RBI singles, taking the lead for the first time in the game, 4-2.

The Aces staged a rally in the final frame, which began with a lead-off triple by Nate Reeder. Sophomore shortstop Craig Shepherd would cash him in a on a ground out to shortstop, drawing UE within one. Troy Beilsmith would proceed to get hit by a pitch, then Kenton Crews singled to put the tying run in scoring position. However, Tanner Craig struck out, then Andrew Tanous flew out to right to end the game, as the Aces fell to 5-11 on the season. Iowa improves to 11-6.

The Aces are back in action Tuesday night at home against the University of Tennessee-Martin. First pitch from Braun Stadium is at 6 pm. 

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