EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball lost a rollercoaster game with Saint Louis University, 16-11, Tuesday evening at the USI Baseball Field. USI watched its record go to 9-23 in 2023, while SLU goes to 19-11 this spring.
The first three frames were a rollercoaster ride with the Screaming Eagles have control early. USI grabbed a 1-0 lead in the opening inning with a RBI-single by junior first baseman
Tucker Ebest (Austin, Texas).
After SLU responded by with a three-run second inning, USI posted a four-spot in the bottom of the second to regain the lead, 5-3. Freshman third baseman
Caleb Niehaus (Newburgh, Indiana) started the scoring with a sacrifice fly to make the score 3-2 before junior centerfielder
Ren Tachioka (Japan) tied the score, 3-3, with a RBI-double.
The Eagles continued the fourth by posting their largest lead of the game, 5-3, when Ebest drove in a run by reaching on a fielder's choice and sophomore shortstop
Ricardo Van Grieken (Venezuela) singled to center field.
After SLU tied the game 5-5 in the top of the third, the Billikens exploded for 10 unanswered runs with two in the fifth, seven in the sixth and one in the seventh to lead 15-5. USI would respond in the bottom of the seventh, taking a big bite out of the deficit by sending 11 hitters to the plate and scoring six times to make the score, 15-11.
The Eagles scored the first four in the seventh on a two-run single by senior designated hitter
Daniel Lopez (Dominican Republic), a RBI-single by Niehaus, and a fielder's choice by senior catcher
Lucas McNew (Floyds Knobs, Indiana) to narrow the SLU lead to 15-9. USI completed the frame with two more runs crossing the plate after freshman third baseman
Jacob Winzenread (McCordsville, Indiana) reach on an error to post a 15-11 mark on the board.
That would be as close as the Eagles would come in the final two frames as the Billikens added another tally in the ninth for the 16-11 final.
On the mound, USI junior right-hander
Carter Stamm (Jasper, Indiana) took the loss in relief for the Eagles. Stamm (1-1), who was one of eight USI hurlers Tuesday night, allowed two runs on three hits and a walk in an inning of work.
Up Next for the Eagles:
USI returns to Ohio Valley Conference action over the weekend when it travels to the University of Tennessee at Martin for a three-game series April 14-16. The series opens Friday at 5 p.m., continues Saturday at 3 p.m., and concludes Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Eagles, 2-7 in OVC action, lead the all-time series with the Skyhawks, 6-4, and has won three of the last four meetings. USI took the last meeting in 1999, 9-5, at the USI Baseball Field.
UTM, currently, is 9-24 this year and has lost four-straight, while posting a 4-5 mark in the OVC. The Skyhawks, who host Austin Peay State University Wednesday before welcoming the Eagles, have lost four-straight.
