EVANSVILLE, Ind. — University of Southern Indiana Baseball begins a four-game road swing in Illinois when it visits Southern Illinois University Edwardsville for a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series.. First pitch of the series in Edwardsville, Illinois, is Friday at 5 p.m. before continuing Saturday and concluding Sunday at 1 p.m. each day.
 
The four-game road trip concludes Tuesday when the Screaming Eagles visit Southern Illinois University for a 6 p.m. contest in Carbondale, Illinois. Following the road trip, USI comes home for a four-game homestand that starts April 3 with Miami University (OH) and concludes May 5-7 with a three-game series with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
 
Links to follow all of the action during the homestand can be found on the Eagles' baseball schedule at USIScreamingEagles.com.
 
USI Baseball Notes:
USI finishes homestand 4-1. The USI Eagles were 4-1 during the five-game homestand with a 17-7 victory over McKendree University. USI was led to the victory by junior first baseman Tucker Ebest, junior catcher Parker Stroh, and freshman third baseman Caleb Niehaus with three RBIs each in the victory.
 
USI averages double-digit runs during homestand: USI had the offense going in the latest homestand, averaging 17.0 runs per game. Junior catcher Parker Stroh led the way at the plate with a .647 batting average (11-17) with two home runs and nine RBIs. Freshman third baseman Caleb Niehaus had a team-best 12 RBIs during the homestand, while junior first baseman Tucker Ebest and junior first baseman/outfielder Jack Ellis followed with 11 RBIs and 10 RBIs, respectively.
 
USI wins first OVC series:  USI posted its first OVC series win with a 15-8 win over Eastern Illinois University Sunday. USI had split the first two games of the series with a win, 26-6, in the opening game Saturday and a loss, 22-12, in the nightcap of the doubleheader.
 
Bats heat up during homestand: USI hitters blasted 10 home run during the five-game homestand with four players hitting two round-trippers each.
 
Stroh heating up: Junior catcher Parker Stroh has heated up at the plate over the last 10 games (making six starts), hitting .619 (13-21) with 11 runs scored, three home runs, and 12 RBIs. Stroh also leads the Eagles in hitting with a .385 average (15-39) for the season, raising his average .177 points during the 10 games.
 
Kahre returns from injury: Senior centerfielder Evan Kahre has been producing at the plate since returning from a knee injury. Kahre is batting .450 (9-20) with 10 runs scored, two doubles, a home run, and nine RBIs.     
 
Leading hitters: Junior catcher Parker Stroh leads USI this season with a .385 batting average (15-39). Junior first baseman Tucker Ebest has a team-best 41 RBIs and eight home runs. 
 
McNew climbing the USI All-Time charts: Senior catcher/infielder Lucas McNew is fifth all-time at USI in home runs (24); fifth in RBIs (158) and seventh in doubles (49).
 
SIUE this spring: The SIUE Cougars, who started their week with an 8-3 loss to the University of Missouri, enters the weekend with a 22-18 overall mark, 5-7 in the OVC. SIUE, currently, is in the middle of a four-game losing streak and has lost six of the last eight games.
 
USI vs. SIUE: USI trails the all-time series with SIUE, 56-44, but is .500 over the last 30 meetings (2001-08) and has won seven of the last 10 games (2007-08). In the final series between the Eagles and Cougars in GLVC play, USI took three of four from SIUE Roy E. Lee Field.