University of Southern Indiana Baseball is ranked 15th nationally in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division II Preseason Top 40 Poll as it prepares for the first pitch of 2019 on February 15 versus University of North Georgia. The Screaming Eagles have been ranked nine times in the last 12 preseason polls, getting the top spot in 2011 and 2015.
USI throws out the first pitch in eight weeks when it travels to North Georgia for a three-game series with the Nighthawks February 15-17. The Eagles open the 2019 home schedule with the Dunn Hospitality Classic February 22-24, featuring match-ups with Ohio Dominican University, Grand Valley State University, and Truman State University.
The early non-conference schedule also is highlighted by a visit to Trevecca Nazarene University (March 1-2) for two games in Nashville, Tennessee; neutral site meetings with the University of Wisconsin-Parkside (March 2-3) in Nashville; and a two-game series at Missouri Western State University (March 5-6) in St. Joseph, Missouri.
Locally, the non-conference schedule has the cross-town match-up with the University of Evansville (March 12); a home game with Oakland City University (April 23); and a home-and-home series with Kentucky Wesleyan College (April 16 and April 24).
The 2019 Great Lakes Valley Conference schedule has been revamped to feature 11 three-game conference series (33-games). League play starts March 9-10 at Drury University in Springfield, Missouri. USI begins the home portion of the league schedule March 16-17 when Lewis University visits the USI Baseball Field
The conference home campaign, in addition to the three-game set with Lewis, includes 28th-ranked Bellarmine University (March 20 DH); Missouri University of Science & Technology (March 30-31); McKendree University (April 9); 35th-ranked Quincy University (April 13-14); the University of Missouri-St. Louis (April 27-28); and Maryville University (May 3-4). USI is on the road against William Jewell College (March 23-24); Bellarmine (March 26); McKendree (April 3 DH); the University of Indianapolis (April 6-7); and the 17th-ranked University of Illinois Springfield (April 19-20). USI Senior Day will be May4 versus Maryville. The Eagles will not play Rockhurst University and Truman State University in 2019 GLVC action.
The GLVC Tournament is May 9-12 and will be played at U.S. Baseball Park in Ozark, Missouri.
The NCAA Division II Tournament has changed this season to include a super-regional format. The Midwest Regional is May 16-19, followed by the Midwest Super-Regional May 24-26. The NCAA II Championship Series is June 1-8 in Cary, North Carolina.
USI completed the 2018 campaign as the NCAA II Midwest Regional champion for the fifth time since the 2007 season. The Eagles were 36-23 overall and 15-9 in the GLVC, placing third in the conference tournament, last spring.
The Eagles begin their 13th seaso
