Box Score: Southern Indiana 8, Bellarmine 6

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The 21st -ranked University of Southern Indiana baseball team scored four times in the top of the seventh inning to defeat Bellarmine University, 8-6, in a non-conference contest Wednesday afternoon in Louisville, Kentucky. USI raises its record to 31-13 overall, while Bellarmine falls to 26-16 in 2008.

The Screaming Eagles began the scoring on a home run by junior rightfielder Chad Werry (New Harmony, Indiana) and built leads of 3-1 and 4-2 after three-and-a-half innings. The Knights scored three times in the bottom of the fifth to take their first lead of the game, 5-4, and extended the margin, 6-4, with a run in the sixth.

In the seventh inning rally, Werry led the Eagles' comeback by tripling in the winning run and sealed the victory by scoring on a balk. USI senior centerfielder Michael Beaven (Indianapolis, Indiana) started the scoring in the seventh when he crossed the plate on a RBI-single by senior first baseman Matt Pleiss (Newburgh, Indiana), while junior second baseman Josh Huebner (Evansville, Indiana) tied the score on a throwing error when junior designated hitter Caleb Ehmke (Waterloo, Indiana) stole second base.

Both Werry and Huebner finished the game with three hits each. Werry also scored twice and drove in three RBIs, while Huebner crossed the plate twice and had two stolen bases.

On the mound, sophomore right-hander Casey Geiger (Albion, Indiana) came out of the bullpen to record his seventh victory of the year. Geiger (7-2) pitched two innings in relief of junior starting left-hander Patrick Crider (Owensboro, Kentucky), allowing three hits and one unearned run. He also struck out three batters.

Geiger ties senior right-hander Jeremy Kehrt (Plainfield, Indiana) for the team lead in wins. Both need just one more victory to tie the USI single-season record of eight wins.

After junior right-hander Michael Dewig (Haubstadt, Indiana) pitched the seventh and the eighth, junior right-handed closer Shaun Larsen pitched the ninth to record his 14th save of the year. Larsen, who already owns the USI single season record for saves, needs two more saves to tie the Eagles' all-time record of 16 that was set by former All-American Mike Fetscher '96.

USI returns to action Friday when it starts a four-game series against the University of Missouri-St. Louis at Bosse Field. The first pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. and there is no admission. The Eagles and the Tritons will finish the remainder of the series at the USI Baseball Field with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday and a noon single game on Sunday.