EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball rallied from five runs down to post its first win of the season with an 11-8 victory over Eastern Michigan University Friday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. USI is 1-4 to start the season, while EMU is 1-4.
The EMU Eagles struck first with five runs in the opening frame and would hold onto the 5-0 lead through four frames before the Screaming Eagles were able to get onto the scoreboard. USI would rally to within one in the fifth with a four spot off of three hits, a walk, and a hit batter.
USI sophomore second baseman
Caleb Niehaus (Newburgh, Indiana) started the fourth inning rally with a single, stole second, advanced to third on a fielder's choice and scored on a wild pitch. Junior shortstop
Ricardo Van Grieken (Venezuela) crossed the plate with USI's second run of the game on a single by junior shortstop
Lane Crowden (Jackson, Missouri) to make the score 5-2.
Freshman leftfielder
Cameron Boyd (Villa Hills, Kentucky) cut the deficit to one, 5-4, with his first collegiate home run, a two-run shot to left to plate Crowden. EMU would rebound to get one of the runs back in the top of the sixth to lead, 6-4.
USI would rally to the tie the score in the bottom of the sixth, 6-6. Junior centerfielder
Terrick Thompson-Allen (Souix City, Iowa) closed the gap to 6-5 by scoring on a ground out by senior designated hitter
Tucker Ebest (Austin, Texas), while freshman rightfielder
Ethan Rothschild (Evansville, Indiana) knotted the game at 6-6 by scoring on a wild pitch.s
Eastern Michigan grabbed the lead for a third time in the top of the seventh, 8-6, with a pair of unearned runs setting the stage for a third-straight multi-run frame by USI.
The Screaming Eagles tied the score, 8-8, on a two-run single by Rothschild. Rothschild, who was two-for-three with two runs scored and two RBI, would advance to second on a single by Niehaus and scored the lead run, 9-8, on a two-run single by Ebest.
USI sealed the victory with a pair of runs in the top of the ninth for eventual 11-8 victory. Niehaus, who was three-for-five with a run scored and two RBI, singled to center field for the two runs, scoring Rothschild and Thompson-Allen for the 10
th and 11
th runs of the game.
The winning pitcher tonight was junior lefthander
Mason Sweeney (Fishers, Indiana) in relief. Sweeney (1-0) got the final two outs of the seventh, allowing a hit and an unearned run.
USI sophomore left-hander
Will Kiesel (Wadesville, Indiana) picked up his first save in the victory. Keisel allowed one hit in 1.2 innings on the bump, walking one and striking out two.
USI junior right-hander
Gavin Seebold kept USI in the game for 4.2 innings after junior right-handed starter
Gavin Morris (Brazil, Indiana) allowed five runs in the first inning. Seebold blanked the EMU Eagles on three hits and three walks, while striking out four.
Morris was touched for five runs on five hits and a walk in one-third of a frame.
Up Next for the Eagles:
USI continues the three-game series with EMU Saturday with a 2 p.m. first pitch. Fans attending Saturday's contest will receive a USI Blanket (first 50 fans), hand warmers, and hot chocolate.
Following USI's series finale on Sunday, the Eagles resume the homestand with a 2 p.m. game versus Ball State University February 27. The homestand concludes March 1-3 when a three-game set versus the University of St. Thomas.
