BOX SCORES AND PLAY-BY-PLAY:
Game 1: USI 15, UMSL 3
Game 2: USI 8, UMSL 2
ST. LOUIS, Mo. — The University of Southern Indiana baseball team completed a season sweep of the University of Missouri-St. Louis by taking both ends of a doubleheader, 15-3 and 8-2, Tuesday afternoon in St. Louis, Missouri. USI, which has won six straight, raised its records to 16-7 overall and 6-2 in the GLVC, while UMSL fell to 3-18, 0-8 GLVC.
In the opener, the Screaming Eagles scored 10 times in the first three innings and cruised to a 15-3 victory over the Tritons. USI jumped out in front in the first inning with a four-run rally that started with a one-out solo home run by sophomore second baseman Brad Vance (Louisville, Indiana). The home run was Vance's team-best third of the season.
The Tritons cut the lead in half in the bottom of the first, but the Eagles responded with a six-run third inning to put the game out of reach. USI also added a five-spot in the top of the sixth after UMSL cut the margin to 10-3 with a tally in the bottom of the fifth.
Vance finished the game two-for-four with three RBIs, a double, and a home run. Junior centerfielder Justin Blinn (Vincennes, Indiana), junior leftfielder Michael Huling (South Bend, Indiana), and freshman designated hitter Reece Rounder (Evansville, Indiana) also had a pair of RBIs each.
USI senior right-hander Casey Gieger (Albion, Indiana) posted his first victory since the 2008 season. Geiger (1-0) allowed five hits and two runs in four innings, while striking out one in his first win since elbow surgery last season.
The Eagles also struck first in the nightcap, scoring five times in the first three innings. USI jumped on the scoreboard right off the bat with three runs in the top of the first and sealed the game with two more in the third to take a 5-0 lead. The Tritons cut the lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the third, but that was as close as they would get.
USI finished the scoring with a run in each of the final three innings for the 8-2 final.
Junior designated hitter/catcher Dylan Mooney (St. Charles, Missouri) led the Eagle batters in the nightcap, going three-for-five with two runs scored and a pair of RBIs. Junior first baseman Adam Enright (Hammond, Indiana) and Blinn also drove in two runs each.
Blinn finished the doubleheader by going five-for-seven with two runs scored and four RBIs.
On the mound in game two, junior right-hander Jared Canterbury (Petersburg, Illinois) posted his first win as an Eagle. Canterbury (1-0) pitched five scoreless innings in relief, walking three and striking out two.
Junior right-hander Dan Marcacci (Jupiter, Florida) went the first four innings and got the no decision, allowing five hits and two runs. Marcacci also struck out two.
The Eagles return to the friendly surroundings of the USI Baseball Field tomorrow night when they host Oakland City University, which is 5-7 overall this season. The first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. USI leads the all-time series with the Mighty Oaks, 79-9-1, after winning the only meeting last year, 9-4.
