EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Southern Indiana baseball team earned a doubleheader and series split with Bellarmine University Tuesday afternoon in Louisville, Kentucky. USI took the opener, 8-3, before Bellarmine won the nightcap, 6-3.
 
The Screaming Eagles saw their record go to 15-16 overall and 12-12 in the GLVC, while the Knights finish the doubleheader 18-16, 12-12 GLVC.
 
The doubleheader split puts the Eagles in a three-way tie for second in the GLVC East Division with Bellarmine and the University of Illinois Springfield. USI also is a half-game ahead of Saint Joseph's College, which is fifth after a split with GLVC East-leading University of Indianapolis.  
 
The Eagles exploded for eight runs in the fifth and sixth innings before cruising to an 8-3 victory in game one. Senior leftfielder Tyler Mikrut (Edwardsville, Illinois) launched the USI offensive attack by hitting a two-run blast in the fifth to start the scoring. The home run was Mikrut's third of the season, tying him for the team lead.
 
USI, which was able to add another tally in the fifth to make the score 3-0, would put the game out of reach in the sixth with a five-run frame. Mikrut drove in USI's fourth run of the game with a single up the middle before freshman second baseman Joe Redburn (Newburgh, Indiana) and junior rightfielder Kyle Kempf (Evansville, Indiana) highlighted the frame with run scoring doubles.
 
Mikrut finished the opening game with two hits and three RBIs, while Redburn had three hits and a pair of RBIs on the sixth inning double.
 
On the mound, senior right-hander Scott Haag (Ft. Wayne, Indiana) made the most of his second career start at USI and posted his first win of the year. Haag (1-2) went seven innings, allowing three runs on six hits and one walk. He also tied a career-high by striking out five batters.
 
In the nightcap, it was the Knights' turn to grab the big lead, jumping out to a 5-1 advantage after three innings before settling for the 6-3 win. The Eagles would chip away at the four-run deficit with a run in the fourth and fifth innings, but stranded 11 runners overall, including the bases loaded in the fourth.
 
Freshman designated hitter Drake McNamara (Mt. Vernon, Indiana) led USI at the plate in the nightcap with three hits, while Mikrut, junior first baseman Andrew Cope (Evansville, Indiana), and senior catcher Austin Edge (Whitesville, Kentucky) had two hits each.
 
On the mound, sophomore right-hander Lucas Barnett (Sellersburg, Indiana) took the loss for the Eagles. Barnett (0-2) allowed five runs on seven hits and four walks over 2.2 innings of work.
 
USI continues the six-game road swing this weekend when it travels to Lewis University April 18-19 for a four-game series. First pitch each day is slated for noon.