EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana junior shortstop
Clayton Slack singled in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Screaming Eagles to an 8-7 victory over the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Sunday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. USI is 12-15 overall and 4-2 in the OVC after the third game of the series, while Little Rock goes to 10-18, 1-5 in the OVC.
USI was in a hole to start the game as Little Rock scored five times in the top of the first to lead 5-0. USI junior designated hitter
Cole Kitchens pushed the Eagles' first run of the game across in the bottom of the first with an RBI single that extended his hitting streak to 16 games.
The 16-game streak is the longest by any Screaming Eagle since Logan Brown produced a 21-game stretch in 2018.
The Trojans re-extended the lead back to five runs with a tally in the second before the Screaming Eagles exploded for four runs in the third to pull to within one, 6-5. Slack led the charge in the four-run frame with a two-run single to finish the scoring in the inning.
In the top of the fifth, the Trojans threatened to take command once again, loading the bases with no one out, but USI junior left-hander
Jake Porter struck out the side to preserve USI's one-run deficit.
USI pulled ahead for the first time, 7-6, with a tally to tie the score in the fifth and another in the sixth on an RBI double by Kitchens. Little Rock tied the game in the seventh, 7-7, with a home run and set the stage for Slack and USI in the ninth.
In the ninth, Kitchens reached on an error, while sophomore pinch runner
Anthony Umbach pinch ran and advanced to second when junior third baseman
Patrick McLellan reached on a walk. Umbach advanced to third on a fly out by junior first baseman
Kannon Coakley and scored the 8-7, USI game-winner on the single by Slack.
On the mound, USI senior right-hander
Ian Anderson picked up his second win in relief. Anderson (2-0) pitched four innings, allowing one run on one hit, while striking out two.
Porter preceded Anderson to the mound, throwing three scoreless relief innings, allowing four hits and a walk. He also struck out a season-high six batters.
Up Next for the Eagles:
The Screaming Eagles continue their seven-game homestand Tuesday when they renew an old Great Lakes Valley Conference rivalry with Northern Kentucky University at the USI Baseball Field. USI leads the all-time series with NKU, 48-45, after losing all four of a GLVC series in Highland Heights, Kentucky, in 2012.
The last time NKU was at the USI Baseball field, the Screaming Eagles took three of four from the Norse in 2011.
NKU, which currently plays in the Horizon League, is 15-11 overall after posting a 6-2 win over the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to avoid a three-game series sweep in Highland Heights.
Following the midweek game on Tuesday, the Screaming Eagles finish the homestand with a three-game series against the Eagles of Morehead State University April 4-6.
Morehead State, which was picked to finish fourth in the OVC this season, is 9-16 overall and 1-5 in the OVC after losing two of three with Eastern Illinois University this weekend in Morehead, Kentucky. The MSU Eagles, who have lost six of the last seven games, visit Ohio University Tuesday before coming to Evansville.
Due to the ever-changing weather in April, USI encourages fans to watch for potential schedule changes on USIScreamingEagles.com,
X,
and Facebook.
