1988 Evansville Purple Aces baseball team

American college baseball season March 2026 October 2024 October 2024 1988 Evansville Purple Aces baseball Evansville Purple Aces logo.svg Midwestern Collegiate Conference South Division MCC 44–20 11–1 Jim Brownlee 9th Bosse Field MCC South Division championsMCC regular season championsMCC tournament champions NCAA Tempe Regional 1–2 The 1988 Evansville Purple Aces baseball team represented the University of Evansville as a member of the Midwestern Collegiate Conference during the 1988 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Purple Aces played their home games at Bosse Field. The team was coached by Jim Brownlee in his ninth season at Evansville. After going 39–17 (11–1 MCC) in the regular season, Evansville would win the MCC South Division title and the MCC Tournament. After receiving an automatic bid, Evansville reached the NCAA Division I Tournament for the first time since transitioning to Division I in 1977. In the Tempe Regional, Evansville would upset No. 1 Arizona State before losing back-to-back games to UNLV and Central Michigan.Andy Benes: Making his name in Evansville https://gopurpleaces.com/news/2018/10/1/baseball-andy-benes-making-his-name-in-evansville.aspx goaces.com June 28, 2024 14 October 2024 Evansville would finish the season with a 44–20 record. As of 2024, 44 wins is still the most in the program's history. They also set team records for shutouts (18), complete games (37), and lowest ERA (2.99).2021 Baseball Record Book https://gopurpleaces.com/documents/2021/3/22/2020_21_BASE_Records.pdf gopurpleaces.com 14 October 20241988 Evansville Purple Aces https://www.thebaseballcube.com/content/stats/college~1988~20176/ thebaseballcube.com 14 October 2024 Following the season, pitcher Andy Benes was selected first overall by the San Diego Padres during the 1988 Major League Baseball draft, marking the first time that an Evansville player was selected in the first round of the MLB draft. Roster 1988 Evansville Purple Aces roster Pitchers 30 Andy Benes – Jim Burger – Craig Fischer – John Schultheis Catchers Infielders – Jeff Breivogel – Kenneth Fields – Rob Maurer – Brad Tyler – John Olson Outfielders – John Bauser – Brad Tyler Schedule and results Legend   Evansville win   Evansville loss Bold Evansville team member * Non-conference game Evansville Purple Aces 1988 Evansville Purple Aces game log: 44–20 Evansville Purple Aces 2 Regular season: 39–17 |- valign="top" y Evansville Purple Aces February: 0–1 Date Site/stadium Opponent Score Overallrecord MCCrecord |-style="background: #ffdddd;" | February 28 | Knights Field • Louisville, KY | align="left"| at Bellarmine* | L 4–5 | 0–1 | 0–0 |- y Evansville Purple Aces March: 16–6 Date Site/stadium Opponent Score Overallrecord MCCrecord |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | March 2 | Governors Park • Clarksville, TN | align="left"| at Austin Peay* | W 8–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | March 4 | Jerry D. Young Memorial Field • Birmingham, AL | align="left"| at UAB* | W 12–7 | 2–1 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | March 5 | Jerry D. Young Memorial Field • Birmingham, AL | align="left"| at UAB* | W 5–3 | 3–1 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | March 6 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| UNC Wilmington* | W 3–0 | 4–1 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | March 7 | J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA | align="left"| at Georgia Southern* | W 5–0 | 5–1 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ffdddd;" | March 8 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Eastern Michigan* | L 4–16 | 5–2 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ffdddd;" | March 9 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| West Virginia* | L 1–3 | 5–3 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | March 10 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| UNC Wilmington* | W 6–0 | 6–3 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ffdddd;" | March 11 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| James Madison* | L 5–10 | 6–4 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | March 12 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| West Virginia* | W 8–5 | 7–4 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | March 15 | McGugin Field • Nashville, TN | align="left"| at Vanderbilt* | W 6–5 | 8–4 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | March 16 | McGugin Field • Nashville, TN | align="left"| at Vanderbilt* | W 4–3 | 9–4 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ffdddd;" | March 19 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Ball State* | L 9–10 | 9–5 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | March 19 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Ball State* | W 3–2 | 10–5 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | March 20 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Ball State* | W 4–0 | 11–5 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | March 20 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Ball State* | W 7–0 | 12–5 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ffdddd;" | March 22 | Sembower Field • Bloomington, IN | align="left"| at Indiana* | L 1–9 | 12–6 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | March 23 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Kentucky Wesleyan* | W 5–2 | 13–6 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | March 26 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Miami (OH)* | W 5–2 | 14–6 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | March 26 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Miami (OH)* | W 5–3 | 15–6 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ffdddd;" | March 27 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Miami (OH)* | L 3–8 | 15–7 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | March 27 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Miami (OH)* | W 4–3 | 16–7 | 0–0 |- y Evansville Purple Aces April: 15–8 Date Site/stadium Opponent Score Overallrecord MCCrecord |-style="background: #ffdddd;" | April 5 | Abe Martin Field • Carbondale, IL | align="left"| at Southern Illinois* | L 3–4 | 16–8 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | April 5 | Abe Martin Field • Carbondale, IL | align="left"| at Southern Illinois* | W 9–5 | 17–8 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | April 9 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Eastern Illinois* | W 2–0 | 18–8 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | April 9 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Eastern Illinois* | W 4–0 | 19–8 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | April 10 | Monier Field • Charleston, IL | align="left"| at Eastern Illinois* | W 11–3 | 20–8 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | April 10 | Monier Field • Charleston, IL | align="left"| at Eastern Illinois* | W 8–0 | 21–8 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ffdddd;" | April 12 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Southern Illinois* | L 3–7 | 21–9 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ffdddd;" | April 12 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Southern Illinois* | L 1–4 | 21–10 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | April 13 | Turkey Hughes Field • Richmond, KY | align="left"| at Eastern Kentucky* | W 6–0 | 22–10 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ffdddd;" | April 13 | Turkey Hughes Field • Richmond, KY | align="left"| at Eastern Kentucky* | L 4–5 | 22–11 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | April 14 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Louisville* | W 7–6 | 23–11 | 0–0 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | April 16 | Musial Field • St. Louis, MO | align="left"| at Saint Louis | W 5–1 | 24–11 | 1–0 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | April 16 | Musial Field • St. Louis, MO | align="left"| at Saint Louis | W 16–1 | 25–11 | 2–0 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | April 17 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Saint Louis | W 8–6 | 26–11 | 3–0 |-style="background: #ffdddd;" | April 17 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Saint Louis | L 8–10 | 26–12 | 3–1 |-style="background: #ffdddd;" | April 19 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Indiana State* | L 3–8 | 26–13 | 3–1 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | April 23 | Nat Buring Stadium • Memphis, TN | align="left"| at Memphis* | W 4–2 | 27–13 | 3–1 |-style="background: #ffdddd;" | April 23 | Nat Buring Stadium • Memphis, TN | align="left"| at Memphis* | L 6–7 | 27–14 | 3–1 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | April 24 | Nat Buring Stadium • Memphis, TN | align="left"| at Memphis* | W 7–3 | 28–14 | 3–1 |-style="background: #ffdddd;" | April 26 | Nick Denes Field • Bowling Green, KY | align="left"| at Western Kentucky* | L 4–5 | 28–15 | 3–1 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | April 27 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Western Kentucky* | W 18–3 | 29–15 | 3–1 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | April 30 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Butler | W 15–1 | 30–15 | 4–1 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | April 30 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Butler | W 10–2 | 31–15 | 5–1 |- y Evansville Purple Aces May: 8–2 Date Site/stadium Opponent Score Overallrecord MCCrecord |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | May 1 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Butler | W 15–4 | 32–15 | 6–1 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | May 1 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Butler | W 10–3 | 33–15 | 7–1 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | May 6 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Southern Indiana* | W 3–0 | 34–15 | 7–1 |-style="background: #ffdddd;" | May 10 | Sycamore Field • Terre Haute, IN | align="left"| at Indiana State* | L 5–12 | 34–16 | 7–1 |-style="background: #ffdddd;" | May 11 | Lambert Field • West Lafayette, IN | align="left"| at Purdue* | L 3–6 | 34–17 | 7–1 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | May 12 | Lambert Field • West Lafayette, IN | align="left"| at Purdue* | W 7–0 | 35–17 | 7–1 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | May 14 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Xavier | W 1–0 | 36–17 | 8–1 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | May 14 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Xavier | W 5–0 | 37–17 | 9–1 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | May 15 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Xavier | W 4–0 | 38–17 | 10–1 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | May 15 | Bosse Field • Evansville, IN | align="left"| Xavier | W 8–0 | 39–17 | 11–1 |- |- Evansville Purple Aces 2 Postseason: 5–3 |- y Evansville Purple Aces Evansville Purple Aces 1988 Midwestern Collegiate Conference baseball tournament MCC Tournament: 4–1 Date Site/stadium Rank# Opponent# Score Overallrecord MCCTrecord |-style="background: #ffdddd;" | May 20 | Stanley Coveleski Regional Stadium • South Bend, IN | (1 S) | align="left"| vs. (2 N) Detroit | L 6–7 | 39–18 | 0–1 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | May 21 | Stanley Coveleski Regional Stadium • South Bend, IN | (1 S) | align="left"| vs. (2 S) Butler | W 12–0 | 40–18 | 1–1 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | May 21 | Stanley Coveleski Regional Stadium • South Bend, IN | (1 S) | align="left"| at (1 N) Notre Dame | W 9–6 | 41–18 | 2–1 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | May 22 | Stanley Coveleski Regional Stadium • South Bend, IN | (1 S) | align="left"| vs. (2 N) Detroit | W 7–0 | 42–18 | 3–1 |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | May 22 | Stanley Coveleski Regional Stadium • South Bend, IN | (1 S) | align="left"| vs. (2 N) Detroit | W 9–4 | 43–18 | 4–1 |- y Evansville Purple Aces NCAA Tournament – Tempe Regional: 1–2 Date Site/stadium Rank# Opponent# Score Overallrecord NCAATrecord |-style="background: #ddffdd;" | May 26 | Packard Stadium • Tempe, AZ | (6) | align="left"| at (1) Arizona State | W 1–0 | 44–18 | 1–0 |-style="background: #ffdddd;" | May 28 | Packard Stadium • Tempe, AZ | (6) | align="left"| vs. (4) UNLV | L 1–2 | 44–19 | 1–1 |-style="background: #ffdddd;" | May 28 | Packard Stadium • Tempe, AZ | (6) | align="left"| vs. (3) Central Michigan | L 6–7 | 44–20 | 1–2 |- Awards and honors John Bauser MCC All-Tournament Team Andy Benes Rotary Smith Award Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year MCC Player of the Year ABCA All-American First Team Baseball America All-American First Team Collegiate Baseball All-American First Team All-MCC First Team MCC All-Tournament Team MCC Player of the Week (April 26 and May 24) Jeff Breivogel MCC All-Tournament Team Jim Brownlee MCC Coach of the Year Jim Burger All-MCC Second Team Kenny Fields All-MCC Second Team Craig Fischer MCC All-Tournament Team John Olson All-MCC Second Team Rob Maurer All-MCC Second Team MCC All-Tournament Team John Schultheis All-MCC Second Team Brad Tyler MCC Tournament Most Valuable Player 1988 MLB draft 1988 Major League Baseball draft Round Pick Player Position Team 1 1 Andy Benes RHP San Diego Padres 6 141 Rob Maurer 1B Texas Rangers References External links Evansville baseball Evansville 1988 Evansville Purple Aces baseball Evansville Purple Aces baseball