TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – SIUE baseball fell behind 8-0 Tuesday night and couldn't come back, falling to Indiana State 8-2 at Bob Warn Field.

The Cougars fell to 18-27 overall. Indiana State improved to 25-23.

SIUE managed just six hits, by six different players, against four Indiana State pitchers.

"We just didn't take a lot of good swings," SIUE Head Coach Tony Stoecklin said. "We didn't have a good approach tonight."

Michael Eberele (2-2) started and pitched five scoreless innings for the Sycamores to earn the win. He gave up two hits and walked one. He did not strike out a batter.

Indiana State jumped out to 5-0 lead in the fourth inning on two hits, three walks, and a hit batter. Connor McClain had a two-run hit in the inning.

The Sycamores made it 8-0 with a three-run fifth inning. Indiana State catcher Kaden Moore capped the inning with a two-run home run.

"Our Achilles heel all season has been the inability to stop the big inning," Stoecklin said.

Caleb Wilkerson (0-1) allowed three runs in three innings. He gave up three hits and walked three. Ryan Agnitsch allowed five runs on five hits in three innings of relief. Brendan Miller tossed two scoreless innings to finish out the game.

The Cougars got on the board in the eighth inning. Alec Saikal singled through the left side of the infield to drive home his team-leading 35th run of the year. Nick Lombardo scored on the play after reaching on a fielder's choice. Mario Tursi walked with two outs to load the bases, but the Cougars left them loaded when the inning ended. SIUE left eight runners on for the game.

SIUE added a run in the ninth on the first career hit by freshman Justin Fagan, who started behind the plate for the Cougars. Fagan doubled to left to drive home Keaton Wright who singled to start the inning.

"He did well," Stoecklin said of Fagan. "He did a good job handling the pitchers tonight."  

The Cougars return home for their final regular season series. SIUE will host Eastern Illinois Thursday-Saturday at Simmons Baseball Complex.

"We'll regroup tomorrow and get focused on playing well against Eastern Illinois this weekend," Stoecklin said.