EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The 20th-ranked University of Southern Indiana baseball team clinched a share of the Great Lakes Valley Conference East Division title and the number one seeding in the upcoming conference tournament with a doubleheader sweep of Saint Joseph's College, 9-3 and 5-1, Saturday afternoon in Rensselaer, Indiana. USI, who needs one win on Sunday to clinch the GLVC East crown outright, watched its record go to 31-16 overall and 21-5 in the GLVC, while Saint Joseph's goes to 31-17, 13-13 GLVC.
 
The Screaming Eagles ends the day with their seventh-straight win, the second longest winning streak of the season, and reaching the 30-win mark for the ninth time since 2007 and just the 16^th time in the 47-year history of the program.
 
USI scored six times in the top of the ninth to defeat Saint Joseph's, 9-3, in game one. The Eagles had an early 2-0 and 3-1 leads in the game before the Pumas tied the game, 3-3, with two in the seventh and set the stage in the ninth.
 
USI junior shortstop Sam Griggs (Evansville, Indiana) led the offensive attack and drove in the eventual game winning run in the final frame. He was two-for-three with two runs scored, two RBIs, and a walk.
 
Griggs was tied for the team-lead in the RBI column by sophomore catcher Logan Brown (Mt. Vernon, Indiana), who drove in a pair of runs in the ninth with a double. Junior leftfielder Drake McNamara (Mt. Vernon, Indiana) junior first baseman Nathan Kuester (Rockport, Indiana), and junior centerfielder Buddy Johnson (Shelbyville, Kentucky) joined Griggs with two hits each.
 
On the mound, senior right-handed closer Justin Watts (Bryan, Ohio) posted his fifth victory in relief. Watts (5-1), who got the Eagles out of the second-and-third two out jam in the eighth, struck out three of the four batters that he faced in 1.1 innings of work.
 
Senior right-handed starter Colin Nowak (Carol Stream, Illinois) went the first 6.1 innings and got the no decision. Nowak allowed three runs on 10 hits and one walk, striking out three.
 
The third time was the charm in the nightcap as senior right-handed starter Lucas Barnett (Sellersburg, Indiana) moved into a tie for the team lead in victories with his sixth of the season. Barnett (6-1) posted a win for the first time in three starts by allowing one unearned run on three hits and a walk, while striking out five in the seven inning complete game.
 
The Eagles provided all of the offensive support Barnett would need in the first inning, scoring four times. USI's four-run first would be highlighted by McNamara, who had a two run single after Griggs singled in a run and sophomore second baseman Jacob Fleming (Evansville, Indiana) scored on an error. Fleming drove in an insurance run in the top of the second inning before the Eagles settled for the 5-1 victory.
 
Overall at the plate in game two, the Eagles pounded out nine hits with Fleming and senior designated hitter Jaylen Quarles (Indianapolis, Indiana) getting two hits each.
 
USI and Saint Joseph's finish the 2017 regular season Sunday with a noon doubleheader. The Eagles can clinch the GLVC East Division title outright with a victory.
 
For live coverage of the 2017 regular season finale, visit GoUSIEagles.com.