University of Southern Indiana junior third baseman Sam Griggs (Evansville, Indiana) drove in three runs to lead the Screaming Eagles to a 5-4 victory over Quincy University in game two of the three-game series Saturday afternoon in Quincy, Illinois. USI watched its record go to 6-8 overall, while Quincy goes to 9-8 in 2017.
The Eagles got the scoring going in the second inning when junior designated hitter Drake McNamara (Mt. Vernon, Indiana) doubled in the first run of the game for the 1-0 lead. Griggs increased the USI lead in the next frame with a two-run single to push the advantage to 3-0 after two-and-a-half innings.
After the Hawks rebounded to tie the score, 3-3, in the bottom of the fourth, Griggs would give the Eagles the lead once again in the top of the fifth. The junior infielder drove in freshman centerfielder Spenser Deom (Tell City, Indiana) from third when he reached on an error on the leftfielder to make the score 4-3.
The 4-3 lead would last two innings until Quincy knotted the game up at 4-4 in the bottom of the seventh. USI took the lead for good in the top of the eighth when junior shortstop Angel Torres (Puerto Rico) drove in McNamara with the fifth and winning run in the 5-4 final. McNamara had moved into scoring position after singling to lead off the inning, moving to second on a sacrifice, and third on a wild pitch.
Griggs finished the day three-for-five with a run scored and three RBIs. McNamara and junior leftfielder Buddy Johnson (Shelbyville, Kentucky) followed with two hits each at the plate.
On the mound, junior right-hander Kyle Griffin (Henderson, Kentucky) picked up his first win as an Eagle. Griffin (1-3) allowed four runs on six hits and two walks, while striking out nine in seven frames of work.
Freshman right-hander Tyler Hagedorn (Evansville, Indiana) and junior right-hander Justin Watts (Bryan, Ohio) finished the game on the bump for the Eagles. Hagedorn pitched a scoreless eighth, while Watts notched his second save of the season with a scoreless ninth.
USI and Quincy conclude the three-game series Sunday at noon. The Eagles return to the friendly surroundings of the USI Baseball Field March 22 when they host the University of Missouri-St. Louis for a non-conference match-up. Coverage for all of USI Baseball can be found on GoUSIEagles.com.
