WESTFIELD, Ind. – For the second game in a row, the fifth-seeded University of Southern Indiana baseball team staved off elimination with a 6-4 victory over fourth-seeded Truman State University Friday afternoon at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana. The Screaming Eagles saw their record rise to 28-20 overall, while the Bulldogs bow out of the tournament with a 31-19 mark.
The 6-4 win marked the first win of the year for the Eagles over the Bulldogs, who swept the four games in the regular season and took the first game of the GLVC Tournament from USI.
The Eagles advance to play seventh-seeded Drury University Saturday at 1:30 p. m. (CDT) as the bracket flips. The Panthers, who are 29-22-1, advance to Saturday's action with a 7-2 victory over second-seeded University of Indianapolis and a 2-0 win over third-seeded William Jewell College. Live coverage can be found on GoUSIEagles.com.
After spotting the Bulldogs a tally in the top of the fourth, the Eagle bats exploded for five runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 5-1 advantage. The five-run rally for the Eagles was highlighted by a two-run double by freshman second baseman
Sam Griggs (Evansville, Indiana), a RBI-single by junior catcher
Ryan Bertram (Zionsville, Indiana), and a two-run home run by junior first baseman
Andrew Cope (Evansville, Indiana). Cope's home run was his sixth of the year.
The Eagles would increase the margin to five run, 6-1, on a solo shot by junior third baseman
Trent Gunn (Tell City, Indiana) in the bottom of the fifth. The home run was
Gunn's team-high eighth of the season.
The Bulldogs tried to rally in the top of the sixth with a trio of runs, but not any closer than the 6-4 final.
On the mound, junior right-hander
Tyler Nichols (Newburgh, Indiana) posted his fifth win of the year and the first complete game of his collegiate career. Nichols (5-4) allowed four runs, one earned, on six hits and one walk, while striking out eight in his nine innings of work.
With the two wins in the GLVC Tournament, USI has won 12 of its last 13 games and was tied for eighth in last week's NCAA II Midwest Regional poll.