Eagles take two from Drury, 13-5 and 8-6
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The University of Southern Indiana baseball team swept a pair of high-scoring GLVC games from Drury University, 13-7 and 8-6, Sunday afternoon in Springfield, Missouri. USI has won its last 10 games and raises its record to 12-5 overall and 4-0 in the GLVC, while Drury falls to 9-8, 2-2 GLVC.
The Screaming Eagles scored twice in the third and twice in the fifth before sealing game one with six-run sixth to win the opener, 13-7. USI was led in the offensive explosion by junior shortstop Brad Vance (Louisville, Kentucky), who was three-for-six with two runs scored and three RBIs, and junior catcher Jarod Rose (Mishawaka, Indiana), who had a two-run home run in the six-run sixth.
Senior second baseman Ben Griggs (Evansville, Indiana) also had a strong game at the plate in the opener with two hits, three runs scored, and a RBI, while senior centerfielder Justin Blinn (Vincennes, Indiana) had a hit and three RBIs.
On the mound, senior right-hander Tyler Choate (Carmi, Illinois) raised his record to 4-0. Choate worked around 15 hits, while allowing five runs in 7.2 innings of work. Senior right-hander Jared Canterbury (Petersburg, Illinois) and freshman right-hander Jim Mulvaney (Mt. Vernon, Illinois) finished the game for USI.
Canterbury went an inning and allowed one hit and two runs, while Mulvaney got the final out of the game.
The Eagles started the nightcap much the same way they started the first game by jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning, while the Panthers bounced back to tie the game in the bottom half of the inning. USI's offense exploded for its second six-run inning of the day to record an 8-2 lead.
Rose and junior second baseman Benshell Garcia (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) led the way during the six-run third with a pair of RBIs each. Rose finished the day with three-for-seven in the doubleheader with three runs scored and six RBIs, four coming in the nightcap.
Drury would cut the lead to 8-4 in the third and to the 8-6 final with a tally in the fifth and seventh. The Panthers left the bases loaded in the seventh.
On the mound, senior right-hander Taylor Dennis (Covington, Indiana) won his first start of the year. Dennis (2-1) allowed seven hits and five runs, while striking out three and walking three.
Mulvaney finished his second straight game of the day, earning his first save of the year. He allowed one run on two hits in 1.2 innings of work.
USI continues the 11-game road swing in Missouri next weekend when it travels to Rockhurst University for a Saturday doubleheader. The first pitch is scheduled for noon.
