EVANSVILLE, Ind. — University of Southern Indiana Baseball will be playing for the GLVC Blue Division lead this weekend when it visits #16 (ABCA)/#10 (NCBWA) Lindenwood University for a four-game series in St. Charles, Missouri. The four-game set will be played at the Lou Brock Sports Complex, the site of the 2021 GLVC Tournament in a couple of weeks.
 
The four-game series is scheduled for Friday at 2 p.m.; Saturday at 1 p.m. (doubleheader); and Sunday at noon.
 
Following the four-game series, USI concludes the 2021 regular season at home April 30-May 2 when it hosts the University of Indianapolis four a four-game series. The May 2 contest will be Senior Day for the Screaming Eagles.
 
USI Baseball Notes:
USI vs. Lindenwood: USI (19-13, 15-9 GLVC) and Lindenwood (20-4, 16-4 GLVC) are meeting for the first time in the history of the two programs. Lindenwood joined the GLVC last season, which was canceled before the two could play in 2020.
 
USI is rolling in the last 18 games: USI is rolling in the last 18 games, posting a 15-3 mark overall and 13-3 in conference play. The Eagles were 6-10 overall and 2-4 in the GLVC to start the season. Junior outfielder Bryce Krizan has paced the Eagles at the plate, hitting .423 (22-52) with 18 runs scored, five doubles, a triple, a home run, and 19 RBIs. Senior outfielder Manny Lopez has hit a team-best seven home runs during the last 18 games, while junior second baseman Ethan Hunter has a team-high 29 RBIs and six home runs during USI's April surge.
 
Eagles last week: USI was 4-1 last week with a win over Kentucky Wesleyan College and a 3-1 series victory over Lewis University. Junior second baseman Ethan Hunter led the Eagles during the Lewis series with a .438 batting average, eight RBIs, and two home runs, one a walk-off game-winner.
 
Cardiac Eagles: The Eagles gave their fans a few heart attacks last week with late inning heroics for wins. USI defeated Kentucky Wesleyan on a final at-bat two-run home run; and won three of the contests with Lewis with a walk-off home run in game two; scored six-times in the ninth to win game three; and scored five times in the last two innings to win game four.
 
Eagles this season: USI senior outfielder Bryce Krizan and freshman third baseman Michael Conner lead the Eagles with .333 batting averages this season, while junior second baseman Ethan Hunter has a team-high 35 RBIs in the lead-off position. Senior outfielder Manny Lopez has a team-high eight home runs, followed by Hunter with seven.
 
On the mound, sophomore right-hander Garrett Welch, senior right-hander Jacob Bowles, and freshman right-hander Carter Stamm are tied for the team lead with three wins each. Senior right-hander Tyler Hagedorn has a team-best 2.13 ERA and four saves on the season.  
 
Getting on base: Senior outfielder Bryce Krizan and junior second baseman Ethan Hunter have been getting the USI offense going by reaching base. Krizan has reached in the last 22-straight, while Hunter has for the last 20.
 
USI in the GLVC: USI enters the conference weekend second in the GLVC Blue Division, two-and-a-half games behind first-place Lindenwood and a game-and-a-half ahead of third place University of Indianapolis.
 
Attendance Policies at Lindenwood:  Lindenwood does not allow visiting fans at its athletic events on campus. For more information about spectator attendance at Lindenwood, visit Lindenwoodlions.com. Fans also can catch all of the game coverage for the 2021, including live stats, video stream, and audio broadcasts, on GoUSIEagles.com.