The University of Southern Indiana baseball team dropped a soggy 5-3 decision to third-ranked Florida Southern College to open the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship Saturday evening at the USA Baseball Training Center in Cary, North Carolina. USI, the eighth-seed, falls 36-22 overall, while Florida Southern, the top-seed, rises to 43-9-1.
With the loss, the Screaming Eagles advances in the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship to play fourth-seeded/23rd-ranked Southern New Hampshire University, who lost to fifth-seeded/11th-ranked Augustana University, 5-2, Sunday at 3 p.m. (CDT) due to the weather forecast for Monday.
USI jumped out to the early 1-0 lead with a tally in the top of the third inning on a RBI-single by junior second baseman Jacob Fleming (Evansville, Indiana). The single scored freshman shortstop Ethan Hunter (Terre Haute, Indiana) from third.
Hunter had moved into scoring position after singling to open the frame, advanced to second on a stolen base, and reached third on a sacrifice by freshman centerfielder Bryce Krizan (Mt. Vernon, Indiana).
After the Mocs posted a four-spot in the bottom of the fourth, the teams were forced from the field for a one-hour-14-minute rain delay. Florida Southern emerged from the delay and extended its lead to 5-1 with another tally in the bottom of the fifth.
USI closed the gap in the top of the seventh when senior first baseman Nick Gobert (Jasper, Indiana) homered to left field to make the score, 5-2. The Eagles would close the gap once again in the ninth and get the tying run to the plate after senior third baseman Sam Griggs (Evansville, Indiana) scored on an RBI-fielder’s choice by Hunter to cut the margin to 5-3, but that would be as close as the Eagles would come before the final out.
Eagles’ senior right-hander Devin Williams (Evansville, Indiana) battled on the mound for eight innings before taking the loss. Williams (5-5) allowed five runs on eight hits and three walks, while striking out four.
