1988 Evansville Purple Aces baseball team

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
Division	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-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

Main article: 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

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.

External links

• Evansville baseball