Eagles start post-season action Thursday

USI begins GLVC Tournament play vs. William Jewell
GLVC TOURNAMENT CENTRAL; GLVC TOURNAMENT BRACKET

 

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — The 26^th-ranked University of Southern Indiana baseball team starts the 2016 post-season with the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament May 12-15 at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana. The Screaming Eagles, who enter the tournament as the top seed from the East Division, begin tournament action against William Jewell College, the fourth seed from the West Division, at 5 p.m. (CDT) Thursday.

Prior to the USI-WJC match-up on Thursday, the first round of the GLVC Tournament features Bellarmine University, the East’s third seed, versus Quincy University, the West’s second seed, at 8 a.m. (CDT); the University of Indianapolis, the East’s second seed, versus Rockhurst University, the West’s third seed, at 11 a.m. (CDT); and Missouri University of Science & Technology, the West’s top seed, versus the University of Illinois Springfield, the East’s fourth seed, at 2 p.m. (CDT).

Live coverage of the Screaming Eagles baseball games this week can be found on GoUSIEagles.com, while GLVC Tournament information, including the bracket, ticket information, and directions to Grand Park, can be found at GLVCSports.com.

SCREAMING EAGLES BASEBALL NOTES:

USI wins the GLVC East. USI (33-17, 20-8 GLVC) won the GLVC East Division after taking three of four from the University of Indianapolis over the weekend. The Eagles won the division by three games over the Greyhounds.

USI versus the GLVC Tournament Field. USI is 8-6 against the 2016 GLVC Tournament Field (0-2 vs. Quincy; 3-1 vs. Bellarmine; 2-2 vs. Illinois Springfield; and 3-1 vs. UIndy). The Eagles are hitting .304 as a team against the field, led by senior rightfielder Kyle Kempf‘s .392 batting average and 12 RBIs. Senior shortstop Kyle Niemeier was tied for second with a .364 batting average and was tied with Kempf with 12 RBIs.

Leaders last week. Senior catcher Ryan Bertram led the Eagles in hitting last week in Indianapolis, batting .400 (6-15), while sophomore second baseman Sam Griggs had a team-high six RBIs. Junior right-handers Lucas Barnett and Colin Nowak and freshman left-hander Chase Partain had one win each, while senior right-hander T.J. Decker had one save.

The national rankings. USI rose five spots in the Collegiate Baseball/ABCA Top 30 poll, rising to 21st.

Eagles flying at the end of the regular season. The Eagles are flying as they enter the post-season, winning nine of the last 10 games. Senior catcher Ryan Bertram is leading the way with a .441 batting average in the last 10 games with 12 RBIs, while sophomore second baseman Sam Griggs has provided the power with four home runs and 19 RBIs. Senior right-hander T.J. Decker has solidified the USI bullpen with four saves in his last five appearances, while junior right-handers Colin Nowak, Lucas Barnett, and freshman left-hander Chase Partain have won two games each down the stretch.

At the plate in 2016. Senior catcher Ryan Bertram and senior rightfielder Kyle Kempf lead the Eagles with .357 and .356 batting averages, respectively. Sophomore second baseman Sam Griggs has driven in a team-best 47 RBIs, while Kempf and Bertram follow with 40 RBIs each.

Kempf takes one record, chasing more. Senior rightfielder Kyle Kempf continues to build on his USI career-record for hits, expanding the mark to 281 hits since 2013. Kempf also is chasing three more records, ranking third with 58 doubles (record 63) and 166 runs scored (record 183); and tied for fifth with 207 games played (record 213).

Carr hoping to steal a record. USI senior centerfielder Hamilton Carr is closing on the Eagles’ stolen base record with 78 career thefts (record 86), ranking third on the Eagles’ all-time list. Carr also ranks 14^th all-time in hits (200), 11^th in runs scored (138), and 12^th in games played (179).

Six-game winners. Two of USI’s four starting pitchers have won six games each this year. Junior right-handers Colin Nowak and Lucas Barnett won their sixth games of the year against UIndy. Barnett also has struck out a team-best 70 batters.

Leading the GLVC in pitching. USI leads the GLVC and ranks 16^th nationally in pitching with a 3.46 ERA.

Archuleta at USI. USI Head Coach Tracy Archuleta reached 500 all-time victories and became the Eagles’ all-time winningest coach in program history. Archuleta has a USI record of 373-188 (.666) in eight-plus seasons and is 521-312 (.625) in 13-plus seasons as the head coach. He has been named the ABCA Division II Coach of the Year twice (2010 and 2014) after leading the Screaming Eagles to a pair of national championships. Archuleta also has earned a pair of GLVC Coach of the Year awards (2011 and 2014) at USI.

Bertram, Niemeier, and Decker earn weekly honors. USI has had three players earn GLVC weekly honors during 2016. Senior catcher Ryan Bertram won a player of the week in February, while senior right-handed pitcher T.J. Decker and senior shortstop Kyle Niemeier were named the GLVC Pitcher and Player of the Week at the end of April.

Collegiate Baseball Div. 2 Poll 5-9-16

Receiving Votes: Missouri S&T (34-15), West Chester (33-11), Angelo State (32-18), Colorado Mines (28-13).