OMAHA, Neb. – Senior Cody Fick did all he could on the mound Tuesday afternoon in game one of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, throwing a complete game, allowing just four hits, and striking out a career-high 11 men. However, the impressive effort did not end with Fick’s eighth win of the season, as Wichita State edged the Aces, 2-1, despite being out-hit, 10-4.

Facing the MVC Pitcher of the Year, Charlie Lowell, Evansville managed to knock eight hits against the junior, but could not take advantage of scoring opportunities, as the Aces left 13 runners stranded in the contest. Lowell (10-4) earned the win, throwing six and a third innings, giving up a run and struck out four.

After a two hour and forty minute rain delay, the Shockers got on the scoreboard first with a run in the bottom of the first when MVC Player of the Year Chris O’Brien and Preston Springer lined back-to-back doubles with two outs.

However, Fick settled down after the opening frame, striking out the side in the third inning, marking the first time for a UE pitcher this season.

Wichita State made the score 2-0 in the fourth inning when Springer led off with a single to left field and then scored on Johnny Coy’s RBI double.

Putting at least one runner on base in every inning except for the fourth, the Aces’ work finally showed on the scoreboard in the seventh when senior Ty Legan hustled out an infield single, advanced to second on a balk, and scored on sophomore Eric Stamets’ RBI single to left field. Evansville looked to break open the game as Fick walked with one out, knocking Lowell out of the game. However, reliever Cale Elam came in and forced Jared Baehl to pop up for the second out. Senior Greg Wallace walked to load the bases and Elam continued to have trouble with the strike zone, throwing three straight balls to Ryan Oesterle. Unfortunately, with bases loaded, two outs, and a full count, Elam struck out Oesterle to end the side.

In the ninth, the Aces made a valiant rally as Stamets singled to left field and with two outs Baehl singled to the same spot, putting runners on the corners with Wallace up to bat. Wallace lined a ball to deep centerfield that looked like it would be a two-run scoring double, but centerfielder Kevin Hall dove towards the warning track, rolled, and came up with the game-ending catch.

Stamets and Baehl led the Aces with three hits apiece. Fick took the loss (7-4), while Elam (5) earned the save.

The Aces will take on Illinois State tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. CT at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha in an elimination game. No. 3 Illinois State fell to No. 6 Indiana State in the first game of the day, 5-2.