Box Score

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Southern Indiana baseball team started the 2006 season with a 14-11 victory over Oakland City University Wednesday afternoon at the USI baseball Field. USI (1-0) starts its third straight year with a victory.

After Oakland City (0-2) jumped out to a 2-0 first inning lead, the USI offense scored 13 unanswered runs to take a commanding lead. The Screaming Eagles offensive barrage was highlighted by a nine-run second inning.

The Mighty Oaks closed the gap with four runs in the sixth inning and made the game interesting with five runs in the eighth and ninth innings to get back to within three runs, 14-11. USI junior right-hander Aaron Clark (Madisonville, Kentucky) worked out of trouble in the ninth inning to shut the door on the Eagles victory.

Senior right-hander Mike Watson (Madison, Indiana) got the win for USI in relief. Watson started the fifth inning for the Eagles and went four innings, allowing eight hits and five earned runs.

Junior right-hander Adam Vetter (Crown Point, Indiana) started the game for USI, going four innings and allowing three hits and two earned runs.

At the plate, sophomore third baseman Sam Shahine(West Lafayette, Indiana) led the way with a three-for-four performance. Shahine also scored twice and drove in two more. Eagles' freshman shortstop Chad Bruce (Fountaintown, Indiana) also had three hits in the victory.

The Eagles and the Mighty Oaks shift the home-and-home series to Oakland City on Thursday for a 1 p.m. contest. The two teams will finish the four head-to-head meetings in 2006 next week when USI hosts on March 7 at 1 p.m. and Oakland City hosts on Wednesday at 1 p.m.

USI will open the GLVC schedule this weekend when it travels to Rockhurst University for a four-game series on Saturday and Sunday. The doubleheader game times in Kansas City, Missouri, are noon each day.