Box Score: USI 8, Drury 4
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.. – The University of Southern Indiana baseball team clinched a spot in the GLVC Tournament for the first time since 2001 with an 8-4 victory over Drury University Sunday afternoon in Springfield, Missouri. The Screaming Eagles go to 36-19 overall and 24-15 in the GLVC, while Drury falls to 27-22 overall, 22-14 GLVC.
USI reaches the 36-win plateau for the first time since 1994 and is just five victories shy of the school record of 41 set in 1993.
After the Eagles spotted the Panthers a 3-0 lead in the first inning, USI scored one in the second and four in the third to take a 5-3 lead. The four-run third was highlighted by USI junior second basemanÂ
Darin Mastroianni (Huntersville, North Carolina) stealing home with the Eagles' fifth run of the game.
USI would go on to score one more in the fifth and two more in the seventh to seal the 8-4 victory.
Mastroianni would finish the game with a two-for-four performance, reached base three times, scored three runs, drove in one run, and stole four bases. The four stolen bases increase Mastroianni's school record to 49 thefts this season.
Along with Mastroianni, USI senior rightfielderÂ
Hunter Slade (Newburgh, Indiana) had a pair of hits, two runs scored, and two RBIs. Slade has 55 RBIs in 2007, just nine short of the USI single-season record.
USI junior catcherÂ
Garrett Oros (Aurora, Illinois) added two RBIs to the Eagles' cause, while junior shortstopÂ
Kevin O'Hair (Scottsdale, Arizona) had a pair of hits and a run scored.
On the mound for the Eagles, junior right-handerÂ
Adam Vetter (Crown Point, Indiana) threw his third complete game of the year in earning his career-best sixth win of the season. Vetter (6-3) allowed nine hits and four runs in nine innings, while striking out three.
USI opens GLVC Tournament play Thursday, May 10, at GCS Ballpark in Sauget, Illinois. GCS Ballpark is the home field for the Gateway Grizzles of the Frontier League.
Due to several postponed games in the GLVC, USI's seeding and first round opponent are still to be determined. Game times for the three games on Thursday are noon, 3 p.m., and 6 p.m.
