EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Southern Indiana baseball team split a doubleheader with the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Saturday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. The Screaming Eagles took the opener, 2-1, but Rangers swiped the nightcap, 5-1.
USI saw its record go to 17-12 overall and 6-4 in the GLVC, while UW-Parkside ends the day with a 5-20 mark, 1-9 GLVC.
USI senior centerfielder
Hamilton Carr (Evansville, Indiana) scored the game-winner in the eighth and senior right-hander
Ben Blaize (Henderson, Kentucky) posted his first win of season in relief as the Eagles took the opener, 2-1.
Carr and the Eagles would manufacture the winning run in the eighth. The senior outfielder crossed the plate with the game-winner after doubling with one out; advancing to third on a ground out by senior shortstop
Kyle Niemeier (Evansville, Indiana); and scored when senior rightfielder
Kyle Kempf (Evansville, Indiana) reached on a fielding error.
Blaize (1-0) earned the victory after pitching a scoreless seventh and eighth in relief. He allowed a walk and struck out one in his two frames of work. USI senior right-hander
T.J. Decker (Brazil, Indiana) recorded his first save of the year by setting the Rangers down in order in the ninth.
The Eagles started the game with senior right-hander
Colin Nowak (Carol Stream, Illinois) on the mound. Nowak got the no decision after allowing one unearned run on five hits and two walks, while striking out four batters in six strong frames of work.
USI failed to get the bats going in the nightcap as UW-Parkside scored three in the first and two in the sixth to defeat the Eagles, 5-1. Niemeier scored the Eagles' only tally of the second game when he doubled to lead off the inning and eventually scored on a ground out in the sixth.
Junior right-hander
Lucas Barnett (Sellersburg, Indiana) suffered his third loss of the year on the bump. Barnett (4-3) allowed five runs, four earned, on seven hits and a walk, while tying a career-high with nine strike outs in six innings.
The Eagles and the Rangers conclude the four-game series with a doubleheader Sunday at the USI Baseball Field. First pitch for game one has been moved up to
11 a.m. due to the weather forecast.