Box Score Game 1: USI 5, NKU 2
Box Score Game 2: NKU 6, USI 3


EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Southern Indiana baseball team completed the 2005 campaign with a doubleheader split against Northern Kentucky University Sunday at the USI Baseball Field. The Screaming Eagles finish the year with a 26-30 overall record and an 18-22 GLVC mark. NKU, which moves onto the GLVC Tournament, goes to 30-24 overall, 22-14 GLVC.

USI won the opener, 5-2, behind strong pitching performances by sophomore right-hander Adam Vetter (Crown Point, Indiana) and junior left-hander Nathan Arnold (Evansville, Indiana). Vetter (5-4) went the first 5 1/3 innings to pick up his fifth victory of the year while Arnold pitched the final 1 2/3 innings to get his team-best fifth save of the year.

USI freshman third baseman Sam Shahine (West Lafayette, Indiana) led the offensive attack in the first game, going two-for-three with a run scored and two RBIs. Senior shortstop Corey Goers (LaPorte, Indiana) also had a pair of hits, while freshman first baseman Josh Malone (Chesterton, Indiana) had a lead-off triple to key USI's three-run third inning.

Game two was a back and forth affair with the Norse winning 6-3. USI jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a RBI single by Malone, scoring sophomore rightfielder Hunter Slade (Newburgh, Indiana). NKU responded with a pair of tallies in the top of the fourth to take a 2-1 lead.

The Eagles pushed back in front with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Goers singled in senior centerfielder Noah Wetzel (New Salisbury, Indiana) to tie the game, while Slade scored when Shahine hit into a double play. Slade, Goers, and Malone led USI with two hits each in the nightcap.

The Norse would retake the lead and seal the victory with a pair of runs in the seventh and the eighth.

USI senior starter Andy Rumpler (Hamilton, Ohio) took the loss for USI going 6 2/3 innings. Rumpler (1-5) allowed four runs, two earned, and 10 hits, while striking out three. Junior right-hander Mike Watson (Madison, Indiana) finished the seventh inning for Rumpler, before senior right-hander Matt Goans (Evansville, Indiana) allowed the two runs in the eighth in two-thirds of an inning of work.

Arnold and sophomore right-hander Aaron Clark (Madisonville, Indiana) finished the game on the mound for USI.