USI starts road trip with loss at APSU
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball started this week’s action with a 15-5 loss at Austin Peay State University Wednesday afternoon in Clarksville, Tennessee. USI is 8-11 overall after today’s game, while Austin Peay State University goes 15-7 this year.
The Screaming Eagles got out in front early with a pair of runs in the first and one in the top of the second. Junior first baseman Kannon Coakley put the Eagles on the board to start the scoring with an RBI single, while junior leftfielder BJ Banyon knocked in the second tally with a second RBI single for the 2-0 lead.
After the Governors cut the lead in half with a tally in the bottom of the first, junior catcher Micajah Wall gave USI a 3-1 lead with a bomb over the center field wall. The home run was Wall’s first of the season and first as a Screaming Eagle.
APSU responded to the Wall home run with a five spot in the bottom of the second to take a 6-3 lead. USI junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens pulled the Eagles back to within two runs, 6-4, on a home run to left field. The home run was Kitchens’ team-high third of the year.
Kitchens finished the day two-for-two and raised his batting average to a team-high and Ohio Valley Conference-best .460. He also is batting .568 (21-37) in the last 10 games.
The Governors scored twice in the bottom of the sixth to put themselves up 8-4. USI cut into the lead once again in the top of the fifth to 8-5 when senior centerfield Khi Holiday scored after junior shortstop Clayton Slack reached on an error.
The 8-5 score would be as close as USI would come the rest of the game as APSU finalized the scoring with seven in the bottom of the eighth for the 15-5 decision.
On the mound, junior lefthander Jake Porter started and took the loss for the Eagles. Porter allowed six runs, four earned on five hits and one walk, while striking out two in two frames of work.
Up Next for the Eagles:
The Eagles open the Ohio Valley Conference 2025 schedule when they visit Western Illinois University this weekend for a three-game series. The series starts Friday at 2 p.m.; continues Saturday at 1 p.m.; and concludes Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Leathernecks of WIU are 5-12 overall after falling to Southern Illinois University, 6-3, Tuesday and have lost five of the last six games. USI leads the all-time series with WIU, 6-3, after sweeping the three-game series last year.
