EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball snapped its losing streak, but finished Saturday with a doubleheader split with Quincy University at the USI Baseball Field. USI took the opener, 6-4, but fell in the nightcap, 4-2.
 
The Screaming Eagles go to 4-9 overall and 2-5 in the GLVC, after today's action, while Quincy is 7-4 overall, 4-3 GLVC.
 
Game 1:
The Eagles got back into the win column with a 6-4 victory in the opener, breaking a four-game losing streak.
 
After spotting the Hawks a tally in the second inning, the Eagles rallied to take the lead, 4-1, with a four spot in the bottom of the third. USI loaded the game on a hit by pitch and a pair of walks before sophomore centerfielder Steven Molinet crossed the plate with the tying run, 1-1, on a bases-loaded walk by sophomore rightfielder Austin Moody.
 
USI freshman third baseman Michael Conner broke the tie with a bases-clearing double down the left field line to make the score 4-1. Conner's double was the first hit of the game for the Eagles in the third.
 
Quincy would cut the USI lead to 4-3 with a pair of runs in the sixth before the Eagles pushed the lead back to 5-3 in the bottom half of the frame. Sophomore catcher Lucas McNew scored sophomore rightfielder Austin Moody from third on a sacrifice fly to give the Eagles the two-run advantage.
 
The Eagles would seal the victory with a sixth tally in the bottom of the seventh. Conner, who was two-for-four in the game, drove in his fourth RBI of the game to give USI its second three-run lead of the game, 6-3.  
 
The Hawks chipped away at the Eagles advantage with a tally in the eighth, but would get no closer as USI shut the door on the 6-4 victory.
 
USI sophomore right-hander Garrett Welch started and got the victory for the Eagles. Welch (1-2) posted his first win of the year by allowing three runs on seven hits in five-plus innings of work. The sophomore also struck out four.
 
Senior right-hander Tyler Hagedorn relieved Welch in the sixth after Quincy had put a pair of runners at second and third with no outs. Hagedorn stemmed the damage to those two runs and got the Eagles to the bottom of the sixth with a 4-3 lead.
 
The Eagles got through a scoreless seventh on the arm of junior right-hander Brady Bowling, who would turn the game over to senior left-hander Paul Perez to save the game. Perez go the final out of the eighth and threw a scoreless ninth to get his first save of the year.
 
Game 2:
USI dropped the second half of the doubleheader, 4-2, in a tight game to complete Saturday's action.
 
A pitcher's duel for the first five innings, Quincy scored all the runs they would need with a three-spot in the top of the sixth. The Hawks would put their stamp on the victory with a tally in the eighth for a 4-0 lead.
 
USI would plate a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth to cut the deficit in half, but could not get any closer in the loss. The Eagles missed chances during the game, leaving 12 runners on base and the bases jammed in the first and sixth innings.
 
On the mound, USI senior right-hander Jacob Bowles gave the Eagles a strong 5.2 innings of work despite taking the loss in his start of the season. Bowles allowed three runs, two earned, on six hits and one walk, while striking out three.
 
Up Next for the Eagles:
The Eagles and the Hawks conclude the four-game series Sunday with a noon first pitch at the USI Baseball Field. The series concludes Sunday with a noon single. Live coverage can be accessed through GoUSIEagles.com.