EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Southern Indiana baseball team swept Saint Joseph's College, 5-3 and 11-8, on Senior Day and moved into first in the GLVC East Division Sunday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. USI saw its record go to 30-16 overall and 17-7 in the GLVC, while Saint Joseph's finishes the day 24-22 overall, 12-12 GLVC.
 
The Screaming Eagles senior rightfielder Kyle Kempf (Evansville, Indiana) drove in three runs and scored another as USI took the opener, 5-3. USI scored three runs in the first inning, plated the eventual winning run in the fourth, and added an insurance run in the fifth for the win.
 
Senior catcher/designated hitter Ryan Bertram (Zionsville, Indiana) also had a pair of hits in the win, including a triple to lead off the fourth before scoring USI's fourth run of the game.
 
Saint Joseph's made a game of it in the fifth, cutting the USI lead to 4-3, before senior right-hander T.J. Decker (Brazil, Indiana) closed the door on the Pumas. Decker posted his fifth save of the year after throwing three innings, allowing one hit and one walk and striking out a career-high tying five batters.
 
Junior right-hander Mike Ringer (Springfield, Illinois) picked up the win in relief of USI junior starting right-hander Devin Williams (Evansville, Indiana). Ringer (3-2) threw one inning, allowing two runs on two hits, after relieving Williams.
 
Williams went the first three innings, scattering two hits, before leaving the game with arm tightness.
 
The Eagles had to rally from a 5-0 deficit in the nightcap to complete the doubleheader sweep with an 11-8 victory. USI made its final push in the seventh inning when senior shortstop Kyle Niemeier (Evansville, Indiana) tripled in a pair of runs to give the Eagles a 9-8 lead before sophomore second baseman Sam Griggs (Evansville, Indiana) drove in two insurance runs with a two-run triple to right center to give the game its final score of 11-8.
 
USI junior right-hander Blaine Alvey (Waverly, Kentucky) posted his first victory as an Eagle by throwing a pair of scoreless innings. Alvey (1-0) allowed one hit and one walk in the two innings of relief work.
 
Sophomore right-hander Mitchell Powers (Newburgh, Indiana) finished the game for USI by pitching a scoreless ninth to earn his first collegiate save. Powers allowed a hit, a walk, and hit a batter before closing the door on the Pumas and the four-game series.
The doubleheader sweep moves the Eagles into first place in the GLVC East all by themselves after the University of Indianapolis split a doubleheader with the University of Illinois-Springfield this afternoon. The Eagles also clinched a spot in the GLVC Tournament, which is slated for May 12-15 at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana.
 
USI concludes the 2016 schedule on the road next weekend when it travels to the UIndy for a GLVC four-game series Friday and Saturday with the first pitch slated for 11 a.m. (CDT) each day. The Eagles and the Greyhounds will square off at Grand Park.