GAME SCORE GAME 1: USI 8, Bellarmine 2
Box Score (Sortable); Box Score (HTML)
GAME SCORE GAME 2: USI 4, Bellarmine 3
Box Score (Sortable); Box Score (HTML) LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The 24
th-ranked University of Southern Indiana baseball team had to hold on in the nightcap, but completed a doubleheader sweep of Bellarmine University, 8-2 and 4-3, Tuesday afternoon in Louisville, Kentucky. The Screaming Eagles go to 17-7 overall and 9-3 in the GLVC, while Bellarmine finishes the day 8-17, 2-12 GLVC.
USI senor designated hitter
Bryce Shoulders (Newburgh, Indiana), sophomore catcher
Ryan Bertram (Zionsville, Indiana), and senior centerfielder
Brad Wannemuehler (Evansville,Indiana) drove in two runs each as the Eagles dashed by the Knights in the opener, 8-2. The Eagles took the early lead with a tally in the third before they broke the game open with a five-run sixth to lead 6-1.
Bellarmine cut the USI lead to 6-2 with a run in the bottom of the sixth, but the Eagle bats responded with a pair of tallies in the top of the ninth to seal the victory and close out the 8-2 win.
On the mound for USI, senior right-hander
Brandon Shaw (Cuba, Illinois) made the eight runs stand up in his first start of the season. Shaw (3-1) won his third game of the year by allowing two runs and scattering 12 hits, while striking out four in his eight innings of work.
Sophomore right-hander
Nicholas Heinz (Vincennes, Indiana) finished the game for the Eagles, pitching a scoreless ninth after allowing a walk and hitting a batter.
In the nightcap, the Eagles jumped out to a 4-0 lead after five innings and held on to win 4-3 after the Knights rallied in the bottom of the seventh with three unearned runs. USI scored twice in the first and single tallies in the fourth and fifth innings for the margin of victory.
USI was led at the plate in the nightcap by sophomore rightfielder
Kyle Kempf (Evansville, Indiana), sophomore first baseman
Andrew Cope (Evansville, Indiana), and junior catcher
Austin Edge (Whitesville, Kentucky) with two hits each.
On the mound, the Eagles received strong outings by junior right-hander
Scott Haag (Ft. Wayne, Indiana), sophomore right-hander
Andrew Mercer (Mt. Pearl, Newfoundland), and junior shortstop/closer
Matt Chavarria (Carlsbad, New Mexico).
Haag started for USI, working the first 3.1 innings before leaving with the bases loaded in the fourth. He was followed the bump by Mercer, who got the Eagles out of the bases loaded jam in the fourth and earned the win after working three innings.
Mercer (1-0) allowed three unearned runs in the seventh on three hits. He also struck out a batter in his three innings of work.
Chavarria earned his fifth save of the year by getting the final two outs of the game and stranding three Knights on base.
The Eagles return to the friendly surroundings of the USI Baseball Field for the first time in three weeks when they start a four-game homestand Friday versus the University of Illinois Springfield. The first pitch Friday is 6 p.m.
The series continues Saturday with a 2 p.m. doubleheader and concludes Sunday with a noon single game.
The four-game showdown between USI and UIS is a battle for first in the GLVC East Division. USI starts this weekend's action percentage points ahead of UIS, which is 17-8 overall and 10-4 in the GLVC.
