EVANSVILLE, Ind. — University of Southern Indiana Baseball finishes a seven-game homestand this weekend when it hosts the University of St. Thomas for a three-game set at the USI Baseball Field. The series is scheduled for 4 p.m. Friday; 2 p.m. Saturday; and 1 p.m. Sunday.
Following the USI-St. Thomas series, the Screaming Eagles will be on the road for the next nine games, including visits to the University of Tennessee and the University of Illinois. Links to follow the Eagles during the opening weekend of 2024 can be found on
USIScreamingEagles.com and on the
USI Baseball Schedule.
USI Baseball Notes:
USI wins opening home series. The USI Screaming Eagles won its home opening series by taking two of three from Eastern Michigan University. USI won the opening game in dramatic fashion, rallying from five runs down, to win 11-9; lost the middle game, 7-4, and captured the final game and the series, 3-1.
USI dropped to 2-2 during homestand. The Eagles are 2-2 during the seven-game homestand after falling to Ball State University, 10-4.
Hit leaders on homestand. Freshman outfielder
Ethan Rothschild led the Eagles last week, hitting .400 (6-15) with three runs score and two RBI. Junior outfielder
Terrick Thompson-Allen followed with a .375 average, tying for the team lead with four runs scored and two RBIs.
Pitch leaders on homestand. Freshman right-hander
Grant Parson had the best start of the USI hurlers, posting his first collegiate win. Parson allowed one run on four hits and two walks, while striking out seven in 6.0 innings. Freshman right-hander
Clayton Weisheit came out of the bullpen to get his first collegiate save and did not allow an earned run in two games and 4.0 innings.
Leaders in week two. Freshman outfielder
Ethan Rothschild leads USI after two weeks with a .400 average (6-15), while senior outfielder
Ren Tachioka, who has been out for the last three games with an injury, follows with a .368 average. Sophomore shortstop
Caleb Niehaus and freshman outfielder
Cameron Boyd are tied for the team lead with four RBI each.
USI predicted 8th in 2024 OVC. The USI Screaming Eagles are predicted to place eighth in the Ohio Valley Conference in 2024.
USI reached OVC Championship during 1st Division I season. The Eagles earned a trip to the OVC Championship during its first season of transitioning to NCAA Division I. The Eagles lost in the opening round of the tournament.
USI under Archuleta. The Eagles are in their 18th season under Head Coach
Tracy Archuleta, who has led the Eagles to two NCAA Division II national championships (2010, 2014) in his 17 years at the helm. He also has been recognized as the Division II ABCA National Coach of the Year twice (2010, 2014); the ABCA Midwest Region Coach of the Year five times (2007, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018) and the GLVC Coach of the Year twice (2011, 2014) since taking over the program in 2007. He also is the winningest coach in the history of the program with 546 victories in 17-plus years.
Long road coming up. In March, the Eagles will have a long road to go, playing 14 of 17 games away from the USI Baseball Field.
St. Thomas in 2024. The Tommies of the University of St. Thomas are 4-4 to start the spring after taking three of four from Southeast Missouri State University over the weekend.
Tennessee in 2024. The University of Tennessee is rolling to start the 2024 season, going 8-1 through February 27. The Volunteers, who have five games between now and when the Eagles visit Knoxville, Tennessee, on March 6, have won seven-straight at press time.
USI vs. St. Thomas and Tennessee. USI will be playing St. Thomas and Tennessee for the first time in the history of the baseball program.
