EVANSVILLE, Ind. — University of Southern Indiana Baseball starts a nine-game road trip Wednesday, beginning with a visit to eighth-ranked University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. First pitch is slated for 5:30 p.m. (CST). Fan can follow the Eagles versus the Volunteers on the
SEC Network+.
Following USI's first game with a nationally ranked opponent on Wednesday, the Screaming Eagles visit an old rival in Bellarmine University this weekend for a three-game series. The series starts Friday at 1:30 p.m. (CST); continues Saturday at 1:30 p.m. (CST); and concludes Sunday at 1:30 p.m. (CDT).
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:
Great homestand to start home slate. The USI Screaming Eagles went 4-3 in the first homestand of the season, winning back-to-back weekend series. USI took two-of-three from Eastern Michigan University and the University of St. Thomas (Minn.). The Eagles lost the lone midweek game of the homestand to Ball State University.
Hit leaders on homestand. Senior outfielder
Ren Tachioka (Japan) led the Eagles with a .400 average (2-5) in two of the games before suffering an injury. Junior catcher
Joe Ricchio (Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin) followed with a .375 average (3-8) and added four RBI after entering the starting role. Junior second baseman
Lane Crowden (Jackson, Missouri) had a team-best eight RBI, while senior designated hitter
Tucker Ebest (Austin, Texas) and freshman outfielder
Cameron Boyd (Villa Hills, Kentucky) each had a home run.
Pitch leaders on homestand. Junior left-hander
Mason Sweeney (Fishers, Indiana), junior right-hander
Gavin Seebold (Jeffersonville, Indiana), junior right-hander
Gavin Wilson (Lee's Summit, Missouri), and freshman right-hander
Grant Parson (Owensboro, Kentucky) had one win each during the homestand. Junior right-hander
Tyler Hutson (Villa Hills, Kentucky)
, sophomore left-hander
Will Kiesel (Wadesville, Indiana), and freshman right-hander
Clayton Weisheit (Ferdinand, Indiana) each had a save during the homestand.
Leaders last week at the plate. Junior infielder
Lane Crowden led the Eagles in the four games last week, hitting .556 (5-9) with six RBI and five runs scored. Junior catcher
Joe Ricchio followed with a .429 mark (3-7) and four RBI after starting the final two games of the series with St. Thomas.
Looking for a win on the road. After going 0-4 the opening weekend (0-2 on the road; 0-2 at neutral site), the Eagles are looking for their first win away from the USI Baseball Field this season.
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.
Tennessee in 2024. The University of Tennessee is rolling to start the 2024 season, going 11-1 through March 5. The Volunteers, who have one game left before the Eagles visit Knoxville, Tennessee, on March 6, have won 10-straight at press time.
USI vs. Tennessee. USI will be playing Tennessee for the first time in the history of the baseball program.
Bellarmine in 2024. The Knights of Bellarmine University are off to a rough start to 2024, going 1-10 and losing 10-straight. Bellarmine hosts Marshall University Wednesday before USI comes to visit.
USI vs. Bellarmine. USI leads the all-time series with Bellarmine, 85-77, dating back to 1970s and when both teams were members of the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Eagles extended its series lead after winning two-of-three from the Knights at the USI Baseball Field last spring.
