EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball dropped the opening game of a three-game series at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 10-4, Thursday afternoon at Roy E. Lee Field. USI is 16-21 overall and 7-6 in the OVC, while SIUE is 16-20, 9-4 OVC.
 
USI flew out in front, 2-0, with a single tally in the first and second frames. Sophomore third baseman Parker Martin scored the first run on a ground out by junior first baseman Kannon Coakley in the opening frame, while sophomore rightfielder Cameron Boyd crossed the plate on a ground out by junior catcher Micajah Wall in the second.
 
The home team Cougars got on the board in the bottom of the second with a home run before Wall struck again with an RBI single to put the Eagles up, 3-1, in the fourth. SIUE would respond with a three-run rally in the bottom of the fourth to lead, 4-3, and increased the margin to 5-3 with a single tally in the fifth.
 
The score would remain 5-3 until the top of the seventh when senior centerfielder Khi Holiday drove in a run with a fielder's choice, scoring sophomore second baseman Anthony Umbach from third and cutting the deficit to 5-4. SIUE would get the run back in the bottom of the seventh, but USI would stay close, 6-4, by turning a double play on a suicide squeeze play.
 
SIUE would seal the 10-4 decision with a four-spot in the bottom of the eighth. USI would go down in order in the ninth to finish the game.
 
On the mound for USI, freshman right-hander Sage Stout started and took the loss. Stout (3-3) allowed four runs on four hits and two walks, while striking out three.
 
 
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