EVANSVILLE, Ind. — University of Southern Indiana Baseball (3-2) opens the 2023 home schedule at the USI Baseball Field when it hosts Bellarmine University (3-0) for a three-game series. The series opens Friday with a 3 p.m. single game; continues with a 1 p.m. contest Saturday; and concludes with a noon first pitch Sunday.
 
Links to follow the Eagles during the opening weekend of 2023 can be found on USIScreamingEagles.com.   
 
USI Baseball Notes:
Niehaus named OVC co-Player of the Week: Freshman infielder Caleb Niehaus (Newburgh, Indiana) opened his collegiate career by being named the Ohio Valley Conference co-Player of the Week for his efforts versus Western Illinois University. Niehaus hit .500 (4-8) with a team-best five RBIs and tied for a team-high with two home runs.
 
Eagles start Division I play with series win: The USI Screaming Eagles started NCAA Division I play with a series victory over WIU in a neutral site series in Tennessee. USI took the opener (11-5), game three (6-0), and game four (5-4), while WIU snagged game two (5-2).
 
USI falls at Lipscomb: The Eagles tried to rally in the ninth but fell short at Lipscomb University, 6-4, Tuesday. Senior outfielder Evan Kahre (Evansville, Indiana) led the Eagles with a pair of hits, including a two-run double.
 
A good start on the mound: USI pitching got off to a good start to 2023, posting a 3.73 ERA through the four games, 3.32 better than the 7.05 ERA by the USI hurlers last season.
 
Hutson wins first start: Sophomore right-hander Tyler Hutson (Villa Hills, Kentucky) had USI's best start of the week, posting his first win of the season with five-shutout innings in the second game 6-0 victory Saturday. Hutson allowed three hits, walked three, and struck out four in the five innings of work. 
 
Long ball Eagles: Junior first baseman Tucker Ebest (Austin, Texas) and freshman infielder Caleb Niehaus (Newburgh, Indiana) hit a pair of home runs each during the WIU series. Senior catcher/infielder Lucas McNew (Floyds Knobs, Indiana) also had a solo blast in the series victory.
 
Leading hitters: Sophomore shortstop Ricardo Van Grieken (Venezuela) and freshman infielder Caleb Niehaus lead the USI hitters, batting .462 (6-13) and .417 (5-12), respectively.
 
McNew climbing the USI all-time charts: Senior catcher Lucas McNew is sixth all-time at USI in home runs (21); 13th in RBIs (139) and in doubles (41).
 
USI vs. Bellarmine: USI leads the all-time series with Bellarmine, 83-76, but the Knights have won six of the last 10 matchups. Bellarmine took the last series in 2019 (two games to one) and won the last meeting in the 2019 GLVC Tournament, 14-7.
 
Bellarmine in 2023: The Bellarmine Knights started the year with a three-game sweep of New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico.