Eagles start road swing at Evansville
 
EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- The University of Southern Indiana baseball team may be peaking at the right time as it starts its final road trip of the 2013 regular season, beginning Wednesday with the “Battle at the Braun” at the University of Evansville. Game time for the mid-week battle is 6 p.m.
 
USI concludes the 2013 Great Lakes Valley Conference schedule May 3-5 in Louisville, Kentucky when it visits Bellarmine University. The four-game series starts with a 2 p.m. single game Friday, followed by an 11 a.m. (CDT) doubleheader Saturday, and an 11 a.m. (CDT) series finale Sunday.
 
Coverage of the Screaming Eagles' games, including live stats and audio broadcasts, is available at gousieagles.com.
 
The Eagles (29-15, 18-14 GLVC) begin this week's action as one of the hottest teams in the Great Lakes Valley Conference and the NCAA Division II Midwest Region. They have won seven-straight games and nine of its last 11 contests. USI also has gone 11-3 in the last 14 conference games.
 
The recent success has moved the Eagles back into contention for a slot in the upcoming GLVC Tournament. USI, currently, has a slim hold on the final spot in the tournament with four games to go and the University of Indianapolis (the 2012 GLVC champion) and Maryville University close behind.
 
USI senior third baseman Reece Rounder (Evansville, Indiana) is the Eagles' hottest hitter during the seven-game winning streak, hitting .500 (13-26). He also has seven RBIs, three doubles, eight runs scored, and five stolen bases.
 
The top run producer during the longest winning streak of the season is junior infielder A.J. Dokey (Howell, Michigan), who is batting .375 with eight RBIs. Freshman leftfielder Hamilton Carr (Evansville, Indiana) has been the spark at the top of the line-up, hitting .357 with 10 runs scored and seven stolen bases.
 
For the season, junior designated hitter Brent Weinzapfel (Evansville, Indiana) leads the team with a .379 batting average and ranks second on the team with 28 RBIs. Freshman first baseman Andrew Cope (Evansville, Indiana) leads the team with 31 RBIs, while Carr is near perfect on the bases with 17 stolen bases in 18 attempts.  
 
On the mound, junior right-hander/infielder Matt Bowles (Mt. Washington, Kentucky) leads the staff with an 8-3 mark and 52 strikeouts in his 11 starts. He has two of the victories and a 1.15 ERA during the winning streak. Bowles also has struck out 14 batters in his last two starts.
 
Evansville (16-29) are looking to get back on track after winning only once in its last six games. The Purple Aces have won the seven meetings in the “Battle at the Braun” series. USI's last victory over Evansville was a 3-0 decision in 1988.
 
The Knights of Bellarmine (23-19, 18-12 GLVC) are coming off a 3-1 series win over Kentucky Wesleyan College. Bellarmine was 11-10 in April and enters the series with a one-game lead over USI in the GLVC East Division.
 
USI leads the all-time series with Bellarmine, 67-62, after the Knights took three of four from the Eagles last season.