BOX SCORES AND PLAY-BY-PLAY:
USI 12, Wayne State 10
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana junior catcher Dylan Mooney (St. Charles, Missouri) and sophomore second baseman Brad Vance powered the Screaming Eagles past Wayne State University, 12-10, in the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Friday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field.
Mooney tied the USI single-season record for home runs (14) and RBIs (64) with one swing of the bat in the eighth inning. He finished the day two-for-four with two runs scored, three RBIs, and a home run.
Vance provided all of the USI offense in the fifth inning when he hit a three-run blast. The home run was his eighth of the season, second only on the team to Mooney.
After WSU took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning on a solo home run by first baseman John Skaggs, USI bounced back with a six-spot in the top of the third and would go on to score one in the fourth, three more in the fifth, and two in the eighth. WSU pressured USI with three-run rallies in the fourth, sixth, and ninth innings.
On the mound for USI, junior right-hander Taylor Dennis (Covington, Indiana) pitched the first five-plus innings to get his ninth win of the spring. Dennis (9-1) allowed 11 hits and seven runs before giving way to the bullpen.
Junior left-hander Scott Handley (Schererville, Indiana) and right-hander Mark Walther (Kankakee, Illinois) bridged the gap to senior closer/shortstop Wandy Rosario (Boston, Massachusetts). Rosario got the final two outs for his 12th save of the year.
The top-seeded Eagles take their record to 45-12 overall, while the Warriors finish the year 32-20. USI also has won its last 10 games
The Eagles advance to the third day of the Midwest Regional and will play the 11 a.m. game Saturday against either second-seeded and 20th-ranked Grand Valley State University or third-seeded and 22nd-ranked Northern Kentucky University.
