EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball won a slugfest with the University of Missouri-St. Louis, 17-11, Sunday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. USI moves its record to 26-18 overall and 18-12 GLVC, while UMSL goes to 9-36, 8-22 GLVC.
The victories keep USI in the hunt for a GLVC Tournament berth. The Screaming Eagles end today's action tied for fifth in the conference standings with Drury University and a game ahead of the University of Indianapolis, Bellarmine University, and Lewis University. USI has the tie-breakers with Bellarmine and Lewis.
After spotting the Tritons a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, the Eagles detonated a six-run rally in the bottom half of the frame to take command of the game. USI junior catcher
Wyatt Daly (Newburgh, Indiana) punctuated the rally with a two-run double to left field with the third and fourth runs of the inning.
Daly struck again in the bottom of the third when he drove in junior rightfielder
Zach Pate (Evansville, Indiana) with his second double of the game to make the score 7-2 and crossed the plate with USI's eighth run of the day on a sacrifice fly by junior shortstop
Kobe Stephens (Dale, Indiana).
USI kept up the offensive pressure when freshman third baseman
Lucas McNew (Floyd Knobs, Indiana) sent a shot over the left field fence in the fourth to give the Eagles a 9-2 advantage.
The Tritons began to chip away at the Eagles' lead with a tally in the fifth and knotted the game at 9-9 with a six-run rally in the sixth. UMSL re-took the lead for the first time since the first inning, 11-9, when it pushed a pair of tallies across in the seventh.
USI got one of the runs back in the bottom of the seventh when sophomore centerfielder
Bryce Krizan (Mt. Vernon, Indiana) drove in Pate with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 11-10. The Eagles, however, would leave the tying and lead runs on the bases.
The final lead change came in the bottom of the eighth when the Eagles scored seven times to pull out in front for the final time. USI freshman pinch runner/leftfielder
Bryson McNay (Sellersburg, Indiana) scored on a wild pitch to tie the game, 11-11, while senior first baseman
Nathan Kuester (Rockport, Indiana) drove in the eventual winning run with a double. Sophomore second baseman/shortstop
Ethan Hunter (Terre Haute, Indiana) followed with a two-run double to seal the victory as the Eagles went on to score five more times for the 17-11 final.
Junior right-hander
Tyler Hagedorn (Evansville, Indiana) picked up the win in relief, throwing the final 1.2. Hagedorn (1-1) allowed a walk and struck out one to get the victory.
USI freshman right-hander
Garrett Welch (New Castle, Indiana) started and got the no decision. Welch allowed six runs on 12 hits and one walk, while tying a season-high with six strike outs.
Up Next for the Eagles:
USI hits the road for the final time in the regular season Tuesday when it visits Kentucky Wesleyan College for a 3 p.m. first pitch in Owensboro, Kentucky. The game had been rescheduled from April 24.
The Eagles hold a 98-75 lead in the all-time series with KWC after the 12-7 loss two weeks ago. USI holds a 4-2 advantage over KWC at Panther Park since 2013. The Panthers are 24-18 overall and on a five-game winning streak as they enter Sunday's doubleheader at Tiffin University.
The Eagles finish the 2019 regular season schedule May 3-4 when they host Maryville University for a GLVC three-game series. USI will celebrate Senior Day on May 4, honoring the eight seniors prior to the game.
