EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- The University of Southern Indiana baseball team hopes to get back on the right track when it hits the road for a four-game series Friday and Saturday at Saint Joseph's College in Rensselaer, Indiana. The series begins with a noon doubleheader Friday before concluding with a noon twin-bill Saturday at Gil Hodges Memorial Field on the Saint Joseph's campus.
Coverage of the Screaming Eagles' games, including live stats and audio broadcasts, is available at gousieagles.com.
As the spring weather has cooled, so have the Eagles. USI started the spring 11-1 overall and rose to 12
th nationally in the NCBWA Top 25 poll and 30
th in the
Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Top 30 poll before falling out of the rankings after losing its last six games in Great Lakes Valley Conference action.
The USI losing streak, which began at Rockhurst University March 17, continued through last weekend when the Eagles were swept by Missouri University of Science & Technology. The Eagles had trouble scoring during the series with Missouri S&T, leaving 40 runners on-base. USI has left 55 runners on-base during the losing streak.
USI did receive some good news against Missouri S&T with the return of junior outfielder/designated hitter
Brent Weinzapfel (Evansville, Indiana). Weinzapfel, who missed seven games with an injury, hit .400 against the Miners.
Through the 18 games this spring, Weinzapfel has the team's best batting average at .500 (15-30). He also leads the team with 13 RBIs, while tying for the team-lead with four doubles and one home run.
Overall during last week's homestand, junior infielder
A.J. Dokey (Howell, Michigan) led USI with a .429 batting average. He also scored two of USI's nine runs.
On the mound in 2013, USI has a trio of three-game winners. Junior right-hander
David Toth (Danville, Illinois) has USI's best record at 3-1, while sophomore right-hander
Ben Wright (Newburgh, Indiana) and junior right-hander
Matt Bowles (Mt. Washington, Kentucky) follow with 3-2 marks. Wright leads the USI starters with a 2.70 ERA.
USI junior right-hander
Brandon Shaw (Cuba, Illinois) is the Eagles' best out of the bullpen this spring. Shaw has made 11 appearances, posting a 1-0 mark with a 2.13 ERA in 25.1 innings of work.
The Pumas of Saint Joseph's (8-7, 5-3 GLVC) have started GLVC play by taking three of four from the University of Illinois Springfield and splitting with the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Saint Joseph's has the advantage, 35-32, in the all-time series with USI after splitting with the Eagles last year at the USI Baseball Field.
The Eagles have had the upper hand with the Pumas the last two seasons, winning six of the last eight games.
