Box Score: Southern Indiana 11, Bellarmine 6

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – In a battle of the top teams from the GLVC East and West Divisions, the 28th-ranked University of Southern Indiana baseball team came out on top with an 11-6 non-conference win over 27th-ranked Bellarmine University Tuesday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. USI raises its record to 23-11 overall, while Bellarmine falls to 22-10.

The victory also takes the USI winning streak to five, while Bellarmine loses for the first time in 12 contests.

USI had an early 1-0 lead on the fifth home run of the year by sophomore shortstop Wes Fink (Clarksville, Tennessee). The Knight took a 3-1 lead with a run in the second and two more in the top of the third off USI freshman right-handed starter Trevor Leach (Danville, Indiana).

The Eagles tied the game 3-3 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third, only to see the Knights regain the lead with a three-spot in the top of the fourth to make the score 6-3.

USI began to chip away at the Bellarmine lead with a tally in the bottom half of the fourth tied the game 6-6 with two runs in the fifth took the lead for good, 9-6, with a three runs in the sixth and capped off the scoring with a pair of tallies in the seventh for the 11-6 final.

The Eagles were led offensively by junior rightfielder Chad Werry (New Harmony, Indiana) and junior infielder Josh Huebner (Evansville, Indiana). Werry was two-for-two with two runs scored, three RBIs, and his fourth home run of the season. Huebner was three-for-five with two runs scored, two RBIs, and a double.

On the mound, USI sophomore right-hander Casey Geiger (Albion, Indiana) picked up the win in relief for the Eagles and tied senior right-hander Jeremy Kehrt (Plainfield, Indiana) for the team lead with his fifth victory of the year. Geiger (5-2) went 2 2/3 innings, allowing only two hits, while striking out one.

USI junior left-hander Patrick Crider (Owensboro, Kentucky) finished the game for the Eagles and recorded his first save of the season. Crider did not allow a runner, while striking out two in 2 1/3 innings of work.

The Eagles resume GLVC action this weekend when they travel to Rockhurst University for a four-game series. The first pitch Saturday and Sunday is noon each day.

USI returns home next week to play ninth-ranked Saint Joseph's College on April 15 and Northern Kentucky University on April 16. The USI-NKU match-up at the USI Baseball Field was added to the schedule today.