BOX SCORES AND PLAY-BY-PLAY:
GAME 1: USI 5, Drury 4
GAME 2; USI 4, Drury 3
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The 24th-ranked University of Southern Indiana baseball team set a school-record with 14-straight wins after sweeping a doubleheader, 5-4 and 4-3, from Drury University Friday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. The 14-straight wins breaks the school record set by last season's squad.
USI raised its record to 24-7 overall and 12-2 in the GLVC, while Drury goes to 13-13, 7-5 GLVC.
The Screaming Eagles took advantage of their opportunities to win the opener, 5-4. USI pounded out six hits and cashed in on five Drury errors to score its five tallies. Freshman designated hitter Reece Rounder (Evansville, Indiana) led the way in the opener, going two-for-three with a pair of RBIs, while junior centerfielder Justin Blinn (Vincennes, Indiana) had three hits and drove in a run.
On the mound, junior right-hander Trevor Leach (Danville, Indiana) took his two-year record to 17-0 with his sixth victory of the year. Leach (6-0) allowed eight hits and three runs, while striking four Drury hitters in 6.2 innings of work.
Senior pitcher/shortstop Wandy Rosario (Boston, Massachusetts) finished the game for the Eagles and posted his team-best fourth save of the year. Rosario pitched two innings, allowing one hit and a run. He also struck out two batters.
Junior lefthander Scott Handley (Schererville, Indiana) finished the seventh for Leach, striking out the only batter he would face.
In the nightcap, the Eagles scored twice in the third and fifth innings and got a strong pitching performance from junior right-hander Taylor Dennis (Covington, Indiana) to defeat the Panthers, 4-3.
Dennis (3-1) recorded his third win of the year after allowing three runs and five hits while striking out three. Rosario also finished the second game, getting the final out for his fifth save of the spring.
At the plate, Rosario knocked in a pair of runs while Rounder and Huling had RBI-doubles to provide all of the USI offense in the nightcap. Senior third baseman Wes Fink (Clarksville, Tennessee) also had two hits and scored a run.
The Eagles and the Panthers concluded the four-game series Saturday with a noon doubleheader. USI finishes its six-game homestand Wednesday when it hosts Oakland City University for a 6 p.m. single game.
