Eagles take a pair from Miners
BOX SCORE GAME 1; BOX SCORE GAME 2
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Southern Indiana baseball team opened the 2011 GLVC schedule with a doubleheader sweep of Missouri University of Science & Technology Saturday afternoon in Rolla, Missouri. USI took the opener, 2-1, and the nightcap in an extra inning, 3-1.
The victories were the seventh and eighth in a row by the Screaming Eagles, who rise to 10-5 overall and 2-0 in the GLVC. The Miners fall to 6-8 overall and 0-2 GLVC.
USI senior designated Tyler Choate (Carmi, Illinois) and senior first baseman Adam Enright (Hammond, Indiana) combined to give USI all the offense it would need in the second and fourth inning to win game one of the doubleheader, 2-1. Choate crossed the plate with the first run of the game in the second on a ground out by Enright that gave USI a 1-0 advantage.
Enright drove in Choate for a second time in the fourth with the eventual game winner on a sacrifice fly that upped the USI lead to 2-0. The Miners cut the lead in half in the eighth, but went in order in the ninth as the Eagles won their 2011 GLVC opener.
Senior right-hander Trevor Leach made the two runs stand up in throwing the nine-inning complete game. Leach (4-1) allowed seven hits and one run, while striking out six to earn the win.
In the nightcap, USI got on the scoreboard first with a tally in the second inning when senior centerfielder Justin Blinn (Vincennes, Indiana) scored on a RBI-single by junior catcher Jarrod Rose (Mishawaka, Indiana). Missouri S&T knotted the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the fourth and it would remain that way until the eighth inning extra frame.
Choate led off the eighth with a double and scored the game winner when Blinn reached on an error while attempting to sacrifice. Rose would seal the victory by singling in Blinn to give USI a 3-1 lead. Missouri S&T would get a runner on in the bottom of the eighth, but USI closed out the game with a 1-6-3 double play.
The Miners missed a chance to win the game in the bottom of the seventh when first baseman Grant Brasher was called for runner's interference on a single by rightfielder Will McCord. Missouri S&T had loaded the bases with three-straight singles prior to the runner's interference.
On the mound, junior right-hander Josh Schultze (Evansville, Indiana) picked up his second win of the year. Schultze (2-1) went seven innings, allowing one run on seven hits. He also struck out four batters.
Senior right-hander Dan Marcacci (Jupiter, Florida) recorded his second save of the year by pitching a scoreless eighth. Marcacci allowed one hits and struck out one before starting the game-ending double play.
USI continues the 11-game road swing Sunday at Drury University for a noon doubleheader. The Eagles are on the road until April 5 when it hosts Kentucky Wesleyan College at the USI Baseball Field.
