EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The 14th-ranked University of Southern Indiana baseball team finishes a nine-game homestand this weekend when it welcomes the University of Indianapolis to the USI Baseball Field for a four-game series. The series starts Friday with a 6 p.m. single game, continues Saturday with a 3 p.m. doubleheader, and concludes Sunday with a noon single game.

 

Fans have a chance to win St. Louis Cardinals-Los Angeles Dodgers tickets and an autographed baseball during the series. Two tickets to the Cardinals-Dodgers series in St. Louis will be given away during Friday's game and Saturday's doubleheader. A baseball signed by Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith will be given away during Sunday's contest.

 

Game coverage, live stats and audio, can be accessed at gousieagles.com. Fans also can listen to Saturday's doubleheader action on WSWI 820AM and ESPN 106.7FM . Sunday's game will carried on WSWI 820AM.

 

USI (28-13, 20-6 GLVC) continues to be ranked in all three of the national polls. The Eagles were ranked 14^th by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Top 25; 10^th in the College Baseball Lineup Top 30; and 18^th in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Top 30.

 

USI's number one starter and hurler in 2011 is senior right-hander Trevor Leach (Danville, Indiana). Leach has accrued an 8-2 mark in 11 games and 86.2 innings of work, posting a 2.91 ERA.

 

Leach, who will be making his last regular season start at the USI Baseball Field on Friday, is USI's all-time leader in wins (32), appearances (82), innings pitched (326), and strike outs (229).

 

The Eagles also have received clutch performances by senior right-hander Dan Marcacci (Jupiter, Florida) in his last two starts. Marcacci, who is 3-1 with a 1.64 ERA in 14 appearances this year, has thrown a complete game in his first two starts of the year since beginning the year as the closer.

 

At the plate, senior designated hitter Tyler Choate (Carmi, Illinois) has a team-best .357 batting average, 33 runs scored, 12 doubles, two triples, six home runs, and 40 RBIs.  He ranks ninth in the GLVC in batting average, while tying for second in home runs and third in RBIs.

 

Senior centerfielder Justin Blinn (Vincennes, Indiana) follows Choate with a .338 batting average and has a team-best 20 stolen bases. Junior shortstop Brad Vance (Louisville, Kentucky) is tied with Choate in the RBI column with 40 and tied for second with three home runs.

 

The Greyhounds of UIndy (24-16, 13-15 GLVC) have struggled in their last 10 games, going 2-8 during that span. UIndy leads the all-time series with USI, 42-35, but the Eagles took three-of-four from the Greyhounds last season.

 

The two teams split two games at the USI Baseball Field during the 2010 regular season, while the Eagles won a 16-2 decision in the GLVC Tournament and a 9-6 decision in the NCAA II Midwest Regional.