EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball scored six times in the eighth inning to defeat Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 11-6, Saturday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. The Screaming Eagles are 21-26 overall and 10-10 OVC, while Cougars go to 18-27-1, 10-10 OVC.
USI reaches the .500 mark at 10-10 in the OVC and moves to within two games of conference-leading Morehead State University and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, which are 12-8 in the league. The Eagles, who are tied for fifth in the OVC, also have won four of the last five games and five of the last seven.
USI struck for a run in the second to lead 1-0 when junior leftfielder
Thomas Emerich (Ava, Missouri) scored on a RBI-single by junior centerfielder
Terrick Thompson-Allen (Sioux City, Iowa). SIUE rebounded to take the lead with a pair of runs in the top of the third and the 2-1 lead.
Eagles' senior rightfielder
Ren Tachioka (Japan) crossed the plate with the tying run in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly by senior designated hitter
Jack Ellis (Jeffersonville, Indiana) after USI loaded the bases with three-straight walks. The Cougars clawed their way back into the lead in the top of the fourth, 3-2, and extended the margin, 4-2, with another single tally in the top of the fifth.
USI regained the upper hand in the bottom of the sixth when it plated a trio of runs for a 5-4 advantage. Junior second baseman
Lane Crowden (Jackson, Missouri) knotted the score by lacing a two-triple down the left field line before crossing the plate with the lead run on a RBI-single by junior third baseman
Ricardo Van Grieken (Venezuela).
After SIUE tied the game, 5-5, in the top of the eighth, USI exploded for six runs in the bottom half of the frame for the margin of victory. USI junior pinch runner
Cameron Boyd (Villa Hills, Kentucky) crossed the plate to put the Eagles back into the lead for good when Van Grieken was credited with a sacrifice fly and reached on a dropped fly ball.
Senior first baseman
Tucker Ebest (Austin, Texas) drove in the eventual game-winning tally with a ground out to make the score, 7-5, while Ellis sealed the victory with a two-run single to put the Eagles up, 9-5. Niehaus and Thompson-Allen would knock in the final two runs in the inning to increase the advantage to 11-5.
SIUE loaded the bases in the ninth, but were only able to push one more run across before USI senior right-hander
Carter Stamm (Jasper, Indiana) shut the door on the 11-6 win.
Tachioka had a pair of hits and increased his hitting streak to 10 games, while Thompson-Allen posted his team-best 21
st multi-hit game with a pair of singles.
On the mound, junior right-hander
Gavin Morris (Brazil, Indiana) picked up the win in relief. Morris (4-4) allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits, while striking out three in four innings.
Junior right-hander
Gavin Seebold (Jeffersonville, Indiana) started and got a no-decision. Seebold went the first four innings, giving up three runs, two earned, on six hits and three walks.
Up Next for the Eagles:
USI and SIUE conclude the three-game series Sunday at 1 p.m. The Eagles will host the first-ever "Bark at the Park" Sunday before the game with each fan receiving free admission to the game along with a free doggy treat and pup cup when they come to the game with their dog.
Coming up this month:
The final series of the season will be Alumni Weekend when USI hosts Western Illinois University (May 16-18). The Eagles will have Senior Day and will honor the 2014 NCAA Division II National Championship team prior to the 1 p.m. game May 18.
