KOKOMO, Ind. - IU Kokomo Baseball had a pair of valiant comeback bids fall just short in Sunday afternoon's loss 9-8 loss to Shawnee State in the rubber game of this weekend's three-game series.

Sophomore LHP AJ Burkhalter earned the ball in game three of the weekend for IU Kokomo, taking the loss despite tossing five and a third solid innings while keeping the Cougars within striking distance. Burkhalter surrendered four earned runs on three hits and four free passes, striking out five.

Shawnee State struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the second, immediately following a masterful escape of a bases-loaded jam by Bears starter Carson Wireman in the bottom of the first. The Bears led off the frame with a solo-shot before pushing another run across on a sac-fly.

Burkhalter settled in on the mound after a shaky second inning, allowing the Cougars to tie things up at two in the bottom of the fourth. Mike Talesky drew a walk ahead of Kasey Ross, who delivered a shot to centerfield, burning the centerfielder to put runners on second and third with one out. Noah Wolf walked with two away to load the bases, before Alex Janke came through with a two-RBI single, evening the game 2-2.

IU Kokomo continued the positive momentum in the fifth by taking their first lead of the game as Ross picked up his second hit in as many innings, this time scoring Medvescek to make it a 3-2 lead.

The Bears of SSU responded to their first deficit in a big way in the fifth, hitting two-run and three-run blasts to put themselves in front 7-3 with three and a half frames remaining.

After a scoreless sixth, the Cougars pushed three runs across the plate in the home-half of the seventh to trim their deficit to one at 7-6. Talesky then recorded an RBI ground-out before Wolf singled through the left side, scoring a pair.

Both teams scored two runs in the eighth, as the Cougars had a chance for more before a base-running mistake kept it a one-run game heading into the ninth.

With one out in the frame, Mason Janz and Medvescek each singled before advancing to second and third via a wild pitch. Janz would score on a Gavin Smith RBI groundout before Medvescek crossed the plate on another wild pitch. Mike Talesky then doubled with two outs, before pinch runner Judah Hennessy entered for speed and defensive purposes as the tying run.

Brayden Coffey continued his strong weekend with a single up the middle that was knocked down by the shortstop, as Hennessy continued home thinking the ball was in centerfield. That led to a rundown and a 6-2-5-2-1 putout for the third out of the inning with the Bears leading 9-8.

After entering for the final two outs of the eighth, senior RHP Ethan Leslie retired the side comfortably in the ninth, giving the Cougars one last chance trailing by just one.

Junior Vince Alvarez delivered a pinch-hit single with one-out in the frame, before Noah Wolf singled to right to put runners on the corners with one away. SSU two-way player Jace Parnin then struck out a man before giving up a lined-shot off the bat of Mason Janz, yet his rightfielder Eli Jones made a game-deciding diving catch to close the books on a 9-8 Shawnee State win in the rubber game.

The Cougars are set to return to action next weekend at Oakland City, the third of eight River States Conference series.

For the latest news, updates, and information on the IU Kokomo Cougars, fans can visit IUKCougars.com. Fans can also stay up to date on the latest Cougar news by following @IUKAthletics on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.