EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Southern Indiana baseball posted its second series sweep of the season after defeating McKendree University, 7-6, Sunday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. The Screaming Eagles saw their record rise to 21-19 overall and 17-15 in the GLVC, while the Bearcats finish the doubleheader 9-34, 8-24 GLVC.
 
The Eagles have a hold on second place in the GLVC East Division with their 17-15 league mark, a full-game ahead of Bellarmine University and the University of Illinois Springfield. Bellarmine and UIS are tied for third with a 16-16 conference record. USI and UIS will square off in Springfield, Illinois, next weekend to finish the 2015 conference schedule.
 
USI had to rally from behind in the fourth game of the series to complete the sweep. The Eagles took the early lead, 2-1, after three innings when the Bearcats took a quick lead, 3-2, in the top of the fourth.
 
The margin quickly vanished as USI scored three times in the bottom of the fifth to take a 5-3 advantage. Junior rightfielder Kyle Kempf (Evansville, Indiana) put the Eagles up for good with a two-run, one-out double in the fifth.
 
The Eagles would add needed insurance runs in the seventh and eighth on a RBI-double by senior pitcher/designated hitter Matt Chavarria (Carlsbad, New Mexico) and a RBI-single by junior third baseman Trent Gunn (Tell City, Indiana), respectively. USI would need those runs in the ninth.
 
McKendree pushed a run across in the seventh and two more in the ninth before leaving tying run at second when senior right-hander Scott Haag (Ft. Wayne, Indiana) closed the door for his first save of the year.
 
Chavarria (6-3) started and posted his team-best sixth win of the year and his second win of the series. He allowed three runs, two earned, on six hits, while striking out eight in six innings of work.
 
Prior to Sunday's game, USI honored its seven seniors – Chavarria, Haag, right-handed pitcher Andrew Mercer (Mt. Pearl, Newfoundland, Canada), right-handed pitcher Jay Hachmeister (Tennyson, Indiana), outfielder Tyler Mikrut (Edwardsville, Illinois), catcher Austin Edge (Whitesville, Kentucky), and right-handed pitcher Ben Wright (Newburgh, Indiana).
 
USI also ends the 2015 home schedule and the six-game homestand Tuesday when it hosts Kentucky Wesleyan College for a 6 p.m. single game. The Eagles lead the all-time series with the Panthers of KWC, 94-63, and are playing the first games with KWC since USI swept a pair of doubleheaders in 2013. USI has a 16-6 record against KWC since 2007. 
 
USI BASEBALL NOTE: Huck's is awarding a $500 Campus Store textbook scholarship to one lucky USI student at Tuesday's 6 pm game vs. Kentucky Wesleyan. USI students need to bring a valid University ID and be at the game before the first pitch to be entered to win.