LOUISVILLE, Ky. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball lost a battle of the bullpens to Bellarmine University, 3-2, Wednesday at Knights Field in Louisville, Kentucky. USI, which was 1-4 on the road swing, is 13-8 this season, while Bellarmine goes to 6-13.
On a "Staff Day" mid-week game, USI and Bellarmine combined to send 13 hurlers to the mound that made runs a premium in the game. The Screaming Eagles were only able to scratch out two runs on seven hits, while the Knights scored three times on five hits.
After spotting Bellarmine a 1-0 lead in the first, USI got its runs in the second when senior leftfielder
Hunter Miller doubled in a run and one batter later scored on an error to give the Screaming Eagles their only lead of the day, 2-1. Bellarmine knotted the game in the third inning, 2-2, and took the lead for good in the fourth, 3-2.
USI junior right-hander
Brady Watts took the loss in relief. Watts (0-1) allowed one run on one hit and struck out one.
The Screaming Eagles started with senior left-hander
Jake Porter, who went 2.1 innings, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks, and got the no-decision. Sophomore right-hander
Sage Stout completed the third for USI without allowing a run, while junior right-hander
Levin East and junior right-hander
Eben Hansen combined to throw two innings each and hold the Knights scoreless between the fifth and eighth.
Up Next for the Screaming Eagles:
USI returns to the friendly surroundings of the USI Baseball Field this weekend to host the 2026 Ohio Valley Conference opening series versus Western Illinois. The series begins a four-game homestand for the Screaming Eagles, who are 8-0 at home this season.
The USI-WIU series is slated to start Friday at 6 p.m., continues Saturday at 3 p.m., and conclude Sunday at 1 p.m.
WIU comes to the USI Baseball Field with a 4-16 record and is forecast to place 10
th in the OVC this year. The Leathernecks enter the series having lost their last nine games.
USI leads the series, 8-4, after taking two of three last year in Macomb, Illinois.
The Screaming Eagles finish the four-game homestand Tuesday (March 24) when they host the Cardinals of Ball State University. The 5 p.m. contest will be
free admission to all fans.
The Cardinals, 10-9 this spring after losing to Bulter this afternoon, 14-10, will visit Western Michigan this weekend for a three-game series.