EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Southern Indiana finished the first weekend of GLVC action with a doubleheader split against Bellarmine University Saturday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. USI salvaged the split by winning the nightcap, 10-6, after losing the opener, 6-3.
The Screaming Eagles saw their record go to 14-8 overall, 3-1 in the GLVC, while Bellarmine finished the day 9-11 overall, 1-3 GLVC.
The nightcap saw Eagles build a 6-0 advantage after the first inning before the Knights came back to tie the contest 6-6 with two runs in the second and four runs in the fifth. USI's offense responded with a pair of runs in both the sixth and seventh innings for the Eagles' 10-6 victory. Sophomore second baseman
Sam Griggs (Evansville, Indiana) drove in the eventual game-winning run with a sacrifice fly in the two-run sixth.
USI senior second baseman
Kyle Niemeier (Evansville, Indiana) led the way in the 10-6 victory with three hits and three RBIs, while senior centerfielder
Hamilton Carr (Evansville, Indiana) followed with two hits and two RBIs.
On the mound, junior right-hander
Mike Ringer (Springfield, Illinois) picked up his second win of the year in relief. Ringer (2-1) pitched 3.1 innings in relief of freshman right-hander
Austin Krizan (Mt. Vernon, Indiana), scattering two hits and striking out two. Krizan went the first 4.2 innings, allowing six runs, two earned, on eight hits.
USI tried to rally from a 6-0 deficit in the bottom of the seventh before falling short, 6-3, in the opening game Saturday. The Eagles scored three times, aided by three Knights errors and highlighted by RBI-singles by junior designated hitter
John Kaimakis (Wauconda, Illinois) and senior centerfielder
Hamilton Carr (Evansville, Indiana), but left a pair of runners on base as Bellarmine closed out the game.
Eagles' junior right-hander
Devin Williams (Evansville, Indiana) started and took the loss in the opener. Williams allowed the first three runs, two earned, on eight hits, while striking four in 3.1 innings of work.
USI hits the road for a single non-conference game versus the 18
th-ranked University of Missouri-St. Louis Wednesday at 2 p.m. in St. Louis, Missouri. The Eagles hold a 49-41 lead over the Tritons all-time after splitting a four-game series in 2015 in St. Louis.
The Tritons are 14-5 overall in 2016, 2-2 in the GLVC after a four-game series with Maryville University to open the GLVC slate.