EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball split a doubleheader with Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Saturday at Roy E. Lee Field. The Screaming Eagles took the opening game, 13-11, but dropped the nightcap, 11-5.
 
USI is 17-22 overall and 8-7 in the OVC, while SIUE is 17-21, 10-5 OVC.
 
GAME 1:
USI junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens hit three home runs and had seven RBIs, and junior leftfielder Patrick McLellan made a game-saving catch in the ninth to get the Eagles a 13-11 game in the opener. The victory snapped USI's six-game losing streak that followed six-straight wins.
 
In a battle of the long ball that featured a combined eight home runs and 26 hits, USI and SIUE changed leads four times before Kitchens put USI into the lead for the final time. The junior designed hitter finished the opening game with a three-for-four performance, three runs scored, three home runs, and seven RBIs. Kitchens also finished game one by increasing his team-high home run total to nine.
 
USI pounded out 12 hits in the victory with junior catcher Micajah Wall tying Kitchens for the team lead in hits with three, while senior center Khi Holiday hit USI's fourth home run of the contest.
 
On the mound, freshman right-hander Marshall Loch posted his first win of the season in relief. Loch (1-2) threw 1.1 innings, allowing one run on one hit and striking out one.
 
Senior right-hander Ian Anderson picked up his second save of the season by throwing the final two innings. Anderson blanked the Cougars on one hit and struck out three.
 
Junior right-hander Blake Kimball started and received a no-decision. Kimball allowed nine runs on 10 hits, while striking out three in four-plus frames of work.
 
GAME 2:
USI junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens hit his fourth home run in a nightcap losing cause to SIUE, 11-5, in the nightcap.  
 
The Eagles, for the third-straight game, jumped out in front with a tally in the first. The Cougars bounce back to sprint out in front, 4-1, with a four-spot third.
 
After SIUE increased the lead to 6-1, USI would claw back to within three runs in the fifth (6-3) and seventh (8-5). The fourth and fifth runs came on Kitchens' two-run shot in the seventh.
 
Kitchens finished the day six-for-nine with four runs scored, nine RBIs, and four home runs.
 
On the bump, junior left-hander Jake Porter started and took the loss. Porter (2-3) allowed six runs on seven hits, while striking out three.
 
Up Next for the Eagles: