GAME 1 SCORE: USI 6, Illinois Springfield 3
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GAME 2 SCORE: USI 9, Illinois Springfield 1
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EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The 24
th-ranked University of Southern Indiana baseball team extended its winning streak to six games after sweeping a doubleheader from the University of Illinois Springfield, 6-3 and 9-1, Saturday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. USI goes to 20-7 overall and 12-3 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, while Illinois Springfield falls to 17-11, 10-7 GLVC.
In the opener, sophomore rightfielder
Kyle Kempf (Evansville, Indiana) hit his first home run as a Screaming Eagle and drove in three runs as USI defeated Illinois Springfield, 6-3. Kempf capped off a four-run second inning for USI with his two-run shot to left field that provided the eventual margin of victory.
USI would follow its four-run second with single tallies in the third and fifth to seal the victory. In addition to Kempf's two-hit game, the Eagles got a pair of hits from junior centerfielder
Tyler Mikrut (Edwardsville, Illinois), junior third baseman
Trent Gunn (Tell City, Indiana), and sophomore leftfielder
Hamilton Carr (Evansville, Indiana).
Eagles' senior right-hander
Jonathon Wandling (Evansville, Indiana) picked up his fourth win of the year. Wandling (4-1) went six innings, allowing three runs on eight hits and a walk, while striking out six batters.
Junior right-handed closer/shortstop
Matt Chavarria (Carlsbad, New Mexico) earned his sixth save of the year with a scoreless seventh inning. Chavarria allowed a walk before the Eagles closed out the game with a double play.
The nightcap saw the Eagles take control for the third-straight game with the Prairie Stars, scoring twice in the first and once in the third to lead, 3-0. The Stars cut the Eagles' lead to 3-1 in the top of the fourth before USI scored six unanswered runs with three in the fifth and three in the sixth to post a 9-1 final score.
Kempf led the Eagles with four hits and two runs in the nightcap, while junior first baseman
Andrew Cope (Evansville, Indiana) had three hits and three runs scored. Sophomore catcher
Ryan Bertram (Zionsville, Indiana) and Gunn were the top run producers in game two with a pair of RBIs each.
On the bump, senior right-hander
Matt Bowles (Mt. Washington, Kentucky) posted his team-best fifth win of the year. Bowles (5-2) allowed one run on seven hits and a walk, while striking out three in seven innings of work.
The Eagles and the Prairie Stars play the fourth and final game of the series Sunday at noon. USI is scheduled to go on the road next weekend when it travels to the University of Wisconsin-Parkside April 12-13 for a four-game series before returning home for an 11-game homestand.
