1988 Evansville Purple Aces baseball team

1988 Evansville Purple Aces baseball
1988 Evansville Purple Aces baseball
MCC South Division champions; MCC regular season champions; MCC tournament champions
NCAA Tempe Regional, 1–2
Conference	Midwestern Collegiate Conference
	South Division
Record	44–20 (11–1 MCC)
Head coach	Jim Brownlee (9th season);
Home stadium	Bosse Field
	Seasons ← 1987 1989 →

1988 Midwestern Collegiate Conference baseball standings
v t e	Conf				Overall
Team	W		L	PCT	W		L	PCT
North Division
Notre Dame ^x‍‍‍	9	–	3	.750	39	–	22	.639
Detroit ‍‍‍	8	–	8	.500	31	–	24	.564
Xavier ‍‍‍	5	–	7	.417	19	–	37	.339
Dayton ‍‍‍	2	–	10	.167	20	–	29	.408
South Division
Evansville ^x‍†‍‡‍^y	11	–	1	.917	44	–	20	.688
Butler ‍‍‍	3	–	5	.375	15	–	26	.366
Saint Louis ‍‍‍	2	–	6	.250	11	–	29	.275

x – Division champion † – Conference champion ‡ – Tournament champion y – Invited to the NCAA Tournament As of June 30, 1988^[1] Rankings from Collegiate Baseball

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.^[2] 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).^[3]^[4]

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

1988 Evansville Purple Aces game log: 44–20

Regular season: 39–17

February: 0–1
Date	Site/stadium	Opponent	Score	Overall record	MCC record
February 28	Knights Field • Louisville, KY	at Bellarmine*	L 4–5	0–1	0–0

March: 16–6
Date	Site/stadium	Opponent	Score	Overall record	MCC record
March 2	Governors Park • Clarksville, TN	at Austin Peay*	W 8–2	1–1	0–0
March 4	Jerry D. Young Memorial Field • Birmingham, AL	at UAB*	W 12–7	2–1	0–0
March 5	Jerry D. Young Memorial Field • Birmingham, AL	at UAB*	W 5–3	3–1	0–0
March 6	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	UNC Wilmington*	W 3–0	4–1	0–0
March 7	J. I. Clements Stadium • Statesboro, GA	at Georgia Southern*	W 5–0	5–1	0–0
March 8	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Eastern Michigan*	L 4–16	5–2	0–0
March 9	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	West Virginia*	L 1–3	5–3	0–0
March 10	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	UNC Wilmington*	W 6–0	6–3	0–0
March 11	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	James Madison*	L 5–10	6–4	0–0
March 12	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	West Virginia*	W 8–5	7–4	0–0
March 15	McGugin Field • Nashville, TN	at Vanderbilt*	W 6–5	8–4	0–0
March 16	McGugin Field • Nashville, TN	at Vanderbilt*	W 4–3	9–4	0–0
March 19	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Ball State*	L 9–10	9–5	0–0
March 19	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Ball State*	W 3–2	10–5	0–0
March 20	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Ball State*	W 4–0	11–5	0–0
March 20	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Ball State*	W 7–0	12–5	0–0
March 22	Sembower Field • Bloomington, IN	at Indiana*	L 1–9	12–6	0–0
March 23	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Kentucky Wesleyan*	W 5–2	13–6	0–0
March 26	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Miami (OH)*	W 5–2	14–6	0–0
March 26	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Miami (OH)*	W 5–3	15–6	0–0
March 27	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Miami (OH)*	L 3–8	15–7	0–0
March 27	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Miami (OH)*	W 4–3	16–7	0–0

April: 15–8
Date	Site/stadium	Opponent	Score	Overall record	MCC record
April 5	Abe Martin Field • Carbondale, IL	at Southern Illinois*	L 3–4	16–8	0–0
April 5	Abe Martin Field • Carbondale, IL	at Southern Illinois*	W 9–5	17–8	0–0
April 9	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Eastern Illinois*	W 2–0	18–8	0–0
April 9	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Eastern Illinois*	W 4–0	19–8	0–0
April 10	Monier Field • Charleston, IL	at Eastern Illinois*	W 11–3	20–8	0–0
April 10	Monier Field • Charleston, IL	at Eastern Illinois*	W 8–0	21–8	0–0
April 12	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Southern Illinois*	L 3–7	21–9	0–0
April 12	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Southern Illinois*	L 1–4	21–10	0–0
April 13	Turkey Hughes Field • Richmond, KY	at Eastern Kentucky*	W 6–0	22–10	0–0
April 13	Turkey Hughes Field • Richmond, KY	at Eastern Kentucky*	L 4–5	22–11	0–0
April 14	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Louisville*	W 7–6	23–11	0–0
April 16	Musial Field • St. Louis, MO	at Saint Louis	W 5–1	24–11	1–0
April 16	Musial Field • St. Louis, MO	at Saint Louis	W 16–1	25–11	2–0
April 17	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Saint Louis	W 8–6	26–11	3–0
April 17	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Saint Louis	L 8–10	26–12	3–1
April 19	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Indiana State*	L 3–8	26–13	3–1
April 23	Nat Buring Stadium • Memphis, TN	at Memphis*	W 4–2	27–13	3–1
April 23	Nat Buring Stadium • Memphis, TN	at Memphis*	L 6–7	27–14	3–1
April 24	Nat Buring Stadium • Memphis, TN	at Memphis*	W 7–3	28–14	3–1
April 26	Nick Denes Field • Bowling Green, KY	at Western Kentucky*	L 4–5	28–15	3–1
April 27	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Western Kentucky*	W 18–3	29–15	3–1
April 30	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Butler	W 15–1	30–15	4–1
April 30	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Butler	W 10–2	31–15	5–1

May: 8–2
Date	Site/stadium	Opponent	Score	Overall record	MCC record
May 1	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Butler	W 15–4	32–15	6–1
May 1	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Butler	W 10–3	33–15	7–1
May 6	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Southern Indiana*	W 3–0	34–15	7–1
May 10	Sycamore Field • Terre Haute, IN	at Indiana State*	L 5–12	34–16	7–1
May 11	Lambert Field • West Lafayette, IN	at Purdue*	L 3–6	34–17	7–1
May 12	Lambert Field • West Lafayette, IN	at Purdue*	W 7–0	35–17	7–1
May 14	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Xavier	W 1–0	36–17	8–1
May 14	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Xavier	W 5–0	37–17	9–1
May 15	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Xavier	W 4–0	38–17	10–1
May 15	Bosse Field • Evansville, IN	Xavier	W 8–0	39–17	11–1

Postseason: 5–3

MCC Tournament: 4–1
Date	Site/stadium	Rank^#	Opponent^#	Score	Overall record	MCCT record
May 20	Stanley Coveleski Regional Stadium • South Bend, IN	(1 S)	vs. (2 N) Detroit	L 6–7	39–18	0–1
May 21	Stanley Coveleski Regional Stadium • South Bend, IN	(1 S)	vs. (2 S) Butler	W 12–0	40–18	1–1
May 21	Stanley Coveleski Regional Stadium • South Bend, IN	(1 S)	at (1 N) Notre Dame	W 9–6	41–18	2–1
May 22	Stanley Coveleski Regional Stadium • South Bend, IN	(1 S)	vs. (2 N) Detroit	W 7–0	42–18	3–1
May 22	Stanley Coveleski Regional Stadium • South Bend, IN	(1 S)	vs. (2 N) Detroit	W 9–4	43–18	4–1

NCAA Tournament – Tempe Regional: 1–2
Date	Site/stadium	Rank^#	Opponent^#	Score	Overall record	NCAAT record
May 26	Packard Stadium • Tempe, AZ	(6)	at (1) Arizona State	W 1–0	44–18	1–0
May 28	Packard Stadium • Tempe, AZ	(6)	vs. (4) UNLV	L 1–2	44–19	1–1
May 28	Packard Stadium • Tempe, AZ	(6)	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-Tournamnet 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

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Team
1	1	Andy Benes	RHP	San Diego Padres
6	141	Rob Maurer	1B	Texas Rangers

References

^ "College Baseball Conference Standings – 1988". Boydsworld.com. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
^ "Andy Benes: Making his name in Evansville". goaces.com. June 28, 2024. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
^ "2021 Baseball Record Book" (PDF). gopurpleaces.com. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
^ "1988 Evansville Purple Aces". thebaseballcube.com. Retrieved October 14, 2024.

External links

Evansville baseball

[1] "College Baseball Conference Standings – 1988". Boydsworld.com. Retrieved December 3, 2014.

[2] "Andy Benes: Making his name in Evansville". goaces.com. June 28, 2024. Retrieved October 14, 2024.

[3] "2021 Baseball Record Book" (PDF). gopurpleaces.com. Retrieved October 14, 2024.

[4] "1988 Evansville Purple Aces". thebaseballcube.com. Retrieved October 14, 2024.

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v t e Evansville Purple Aces baseball
Venues	Bosse Field (1985–1998) German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium (1999–present)
Rivals	Indiana State
People	Head coaches Players MLB draftees
Seasons	List of seasons 1924 1925 1926 1927–1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
College World Series appearances in italics