EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The 16^th-ranked University of Southern Indiana baseball team opened a four-game series at Saint Joseph's College with a split on Saturday afternoon in Rensselaer, Indiana. Saint Joseph's won the opener, 7-3, but USI bounced back to take the nightcap, 6-3.

USI goes to 35-12 overall and 21-5 in the GLVC, while Saint Joseph's goes to 26-19 overall, 13-11 GLVC.

Trailing 1-0 in the nightcap, the Screaming Eagles took advantage of three Puma errors to score six times in the third inning. USI junior first baseman Adam Enright (Hammond, Indiana) had the only hit in the innings, a two-run single that put the Eagles ahead, 3-1.

That would all of the runs that junior right-hander Taylor Dennis (Covingington, Indiana) would need to post his sixth win of the spring. Dennis (6-1) gave up five hits and three runs in the seven-inning complete game, striking out eight.

In the opener, USI junior right-hander Trevor Leach (Danville, Indiana) lost for the  first time in 19 decisions as St. Joseph's defeated the Eagles, 7-3. Leach (7-1) allowed 10 hits and seven runs, while walking two and striking out three in six-plus innings of work.

St. Joseph's right-hander Eric Meyerchick limited USI to just six hits and three runs in eight innings of work. Junior leftfielder Michael Huling (South Bend, Indiana) led the Eagles with two hits, while Enright drove in two runs.

The Eagles took a 2-0 lead to start the game in the first inning, but the Pumas scored one in the second and three in the fourth to take control. St. Joseph's sealed the win with a three-run rally in the seventh.

USI and St. Joseph's resume the four-game series Sunday with a noon doubleheader.