EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana baseball lost an early five-run lead and fell to Western Illinois in 10 innings, 12-9, at the USI Baseball Field. USI, which lost for the first time at home this spring, is 14-9 this season and 1-1 in the Ohio Valley Conference, while WIU goes to 5-17, 1-1 OVC.
The Screaming Eagles scored in each of the first three frames and built a 6-1 lead by the end of the fifth inning. WIU battled back and took the lead, 8-6, with a seven-run seventh inning. The WIU lead would expand to three, 9-6, after an eighth-inning home run.
USI rallied to tie the score, 9-9, with a three-run eighth inning. Senior first baseman
Patrick McLellan, who was three-for-six with three runs scored and an RBI today, started the rally with a RBI-single that produced a pair of runs on a WIU error and made the score, 9-8. Senior catcher/designated hitter
Micajah Wall tied the game, 9-9, with a RBI-single to score McLellan.
After a scoreless ninth, WIU scored three times in the top of the 10
th to lead, 12-9. USI would go down in order in the bottom half of the inning as the Leathernecks closed out the 12-9 extra-inning final.
On the mound for USI, junior right-hander/second baseman
Ryan Skwarek took the loss in relief. Skwarek allowed the deciding three runs, two earned, on two hits and a walk.
USI junior right-hander
Ryan Weller started and picked up a tough no-decision. Weller went 6.1 innings, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks, while striking out five.
Up Next for the Screaming Eagles:
The USI-WIU series concludes Sunday at 1 p.m.
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.