Box Score Game: SJC 6, USI 5

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Southern Indiana baseball team surrendered five runs to Saint Joseph's College in the bottom of the eighth to lose 6-5 Saturday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. The two teams will conclude the three-game series Sunday with noon doubleheader.

USI falls to 13-7 overall and 4-4 in the GLVC, while SJC goes to 11-9 overall, 5-5 GLVC.

Leading 1-0 on a second inning run, SJC pitching was dominating the USI hitters, retiring 19 of the first 21, before the Screaming Eagles came to life at the plate. The Eagles mustered six hits and five runs in the top of the seventh and eighth innings, scoring all of the runs with two outs.

USI sophomore third baseman Alex Thieroff (Greenfield, Indiana) knocked two runs with a two-out single in the seventh to give USI a 2-1 lead. Senior rightfielder Hunter Slade (Newburgh, Indiana) singled in two runs and junior catcher Garrett Oros (Aurora, Illinois) plated a third run with two outs in the eighth to give the Eagles a four-run margin.

In bottom of the eighth and leading 5-1, USI pitching had trouble throwing strikes and fielders committed a pair errors in allowing SJC to retake the lead 6-5. The Pumas hit only two balls out of the infield, taking advantage of two walks a hit batter an infield hit and two fielding errors.

For the game at the plate, Slade led the way for the Eagles with two hits, two runs scored, and two RBIs. Senior centerfielder Michael Beaven (Indianapolis) also had a multiple hit game with three singles.

USI junior second baseman Darin Mastrioanni (Huntersville, North Carolina) extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a single in the eighth, matching USI's longest hitting streak of the season. Mastrioanni leads the Eagles this season with a .473 average.

On the mound, sophomore right-hander Dan Kissel (Evansville, Indiana) took the loss. Kissel (0-1) allowed two hits and an unearned run in the eighth.

USI senior right-hander Adam Summers picked up the no-decision, going the first six innings. Summers allowed three hits and a run, while striking out three.

Summers was followed to the mound by junior right-hander Jeremy Kehrt (Plainfield, Indiana), who allowed three runs on a hit and two walks, and sophomore right-hander Michael Dewig (Haubstadt, Indiana), who walked the only batter he faced.

NOTE: The Eagles are listed as the visitors in the box score due to the series originally being scheduled as home games for the Pumas in Rensselaer, Indiana. The games were moved south due to the heavy rains in northern Indiana this weekend.