MUNCIE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball lost the opening contest of a four-game road swing at Ball State University, 12-5, Tuesday afternoon in Muncie, Indiana. USI is 11-13 overall, while BSU goes to 14-12.
 
The Cardinals took the lead early, scoring in each of the first five frames. BSU had a 4-0 lead after the first inning and sealed its win with two more in the second for the 6-0 advantage.
 
After BSU scored another run in the third, the Screaming Eagles got onto the scoreboard with a pair of tallies in the top of the fourth to narrow the gap to 7-2. Senior designated hitter Jack Ellis (Jeffersonville, Indiana) produced the first two USI runs with one swing of the bat, hitting a two-run blast to right center. The homer was his team-high fourth of the season.
 
BSU re-extended its lead and pushed the run differential to 12-2 after scoring three more in the bottom of the fourth and two more in the fifth.
 
The Eagles would get the final two runs of the game scoring once in the sixth and two more in the eighth. USI freshman leftfielder Ethan Rothschild (Evansville, Indiana) pushed the Eagles' tally across in the sixth with a RBI-single to center, while junior centerfielder Terrick Thompson-Allen (Sioux City, Iowa) and senior catcher Tyler Kapust (Sellersburg, Indiana) hit back-to-back home runs in the eighth to finish the scoring in the 12-5 game.
 
USI senior right-hander Trent Robinson (Louisville, Kentucky) took the loss for the Eagles. Robinson (0-2) allowed four runs on four hits and two walks in 1.2 innings of work.
 
Up Next for the Eagles:
 
The Screaming Eagles stay on the road to re-start OVC action with a visit to Morehead State University March 28-30.
 
MSU is 14-11 after defeating Bellarmine University this evening in Morehead, Kentucky, and are 6-4 in the last 10 games. The MSU Eagles took all three games from the Screaming Eagles last spring at the USI Baseball Field.