BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (Interstat) — The Indiana Hoosiers rallied from an early deficit and survived a frantic ninth-inning comeback attempt by Evansville to defeat the Purple Aces 8-6 in a midweek, non-conference baseball game Wednesday at Bart Kaufman Field.

The game’s most critical sequence came in the bottom of the seventh inning, with Indiana trailing 6-5. The Hoosiers capitalized on Evansville miscues to plate three runs and take a lead they would not relinquish. Pinch-runner Gates scored the tying run on a throwing error by the pitcher on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Crouse. Brayden Ricketts, who had singled, then scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly by Jake Hanley. Crouse, who had advanced on the error, later scored an insurance run on a squeeze bunt by Cooper Malamazian.

That rally made a winner of the Indiana bullpen and secured the victory despite a dominant starting performance by Evansville’s Conner Linn. Linn, named the top star for Indiana, silenced the Purple Aces over five innings, allowing just one hit and no earned runs while striking out seven. His effort stabilized the game after the Hoosiers fell behind early.

Evansville had struck first in the top of the sixth inning against reliever Rivera. After a walk to Charlie Long, Reid Haire launched a two-run homer to center field, extending the Purple Aces’ lead to 6-5. That advantage was short-lived, however, as Indiana answered with its decisive three-run seventh.

The Hoosiers’ offense was powered by the long ball early. Caleb Koskie hit a two-run homer in the first inning to immediately answer Evansville’s early lead. Jake Hanley added a solo shot in the third, and Brayden Ricketts hit a solo homer in the fifth to keep Indiana within striking distance.

The Purple Aces mounted a dramatic threat in the ninth inning, down to their final outs. After two walks, Evansville catcher Spike Magill hammered a three-run home run to left-center off reliever Mastalski, suddenly cutting the deficit to 8-6 and bringing the potential tying run to the plate. Indiana then turned to closer Gavin Seebold, who entered and promptly walked two batters to load the bases with only one out. Seebold recovered to strike out Reagan Reede looking and then induced a flyout from Drew McConne and a game-ending strikeout of Ximi Baftiri to strand the bases loaded and seal the victory.

Magill finished 2 for 5 with the three-run homer for Evansville. Haire also had two hits, including his two-run homer, and two RBIs. For Indiana, Koskie went 2 for 4 with two RBIs, Malamazian drove in two runs, and Ricketts was 2 for 4 with an RBI.

The win improves Indiana’s record to 16-21 overall, while Evansville falls to 13-21. The teams split their two-game season series, with Evansville having won an 11-inning contest 5-4 on March 31.

Indiana next hosts a three-game series against Abilene Christian beginning Friday. Evansville travels to Nashville to open a series at Belmont on Friday.