(Sortable);
Box Score 1|
Box Score 2 (HTML)
SCORES: Game 1: NKU 6, USI 3| Game 2: NKU 14, USI 6
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The University of Southern Indiana baseball team was swept in a doubleheader by Northern Kentucky University, 6-3 and 14-6, Saturday afternoon in Highland Heights, Kentucky. The Screaming Eagles see their record go to 13-11 overall and 4-7 in the GLVC, while the Norse go to 16-9, 9-2 GLVC.
In the opener, the Eagles scored first for the sixth game in a row with a pair of tallies in the first inning. USI pushed the opening runs across the plate on a RBI-double by senior third baseman
Brennan Malham (Auburn, Indiana) and a sacrifice fly by sophomore centerfielder
Brad Wannemuehler (Evansville, Indiana)
The Norse countered with four runs in the bottom of the first and two more in the second to take a 6-2 advantage. Three of the six runs were unearned as NKU capitalized on a USI error in each of the first two innings.
USI would get one of the runs back in the third to cut the deficit to 6-3. Junior centerfielder
B.J. Willis (Cincinnati, Ohio) doubled for the second time in contest and advanced to third on a stolen base before scoring on a ground out by Malham.
Willis collected two of USI's three hits in the opener, while Malham had the third and a pair of RBIs.
On the mound, the Eagles received a strong effort from senior left-hander
Scott Cole (Patrick, Virginia). Cole (3-2) went six innings allowing six runs, three earned, on six hits, while striking out eight.
In the nightcap, it was the Norse that scored first with USI rebounding to take a 2-1 lead after an inning and a half. From that point on, NKU took command and went on to outscore USI 13-2 in the next six innings. The Eagles cut a 14-4 deficit to the final of 14-6 with single tallies in the eighth and ninth innings.
At the plate, USI was led by Willis, Malham, sophomore rightfielder
Brent Weinzapfel (Evansville, Indiana), and junior catcher
Colton White (Springfield, Illinois) with two hits each. Junior shortstop
Reece Rounder (Evansville, Indiana) was the top RBI bat in the line-up with two.
On the hill, freshman right-hander
Ben Wright (Newburgh, Indiana) took the loss. Wright (4-2) allowed 10 hits and nine runs, six earned, in 3.1 innings of work.
USI and NKU conclude the four-game series with the series finale Sunday at 11 a.m. (CDT). The Eagles finish their 10-game road trip April 4 when they cross the Ohio River to play a doubleheader against the Panthers of Kentucky Wesleyan College.
