After five changes to the first pitch due to weather, the 20th-ranked University of Southern Indiana baseball team could not overcome a four-run fifth by William Jewell College and was upset, 7-3, in the first round of the GLVC Tournament Thursday afternoon at U.S. Ballpark in Ozark, Missouri. USI, the top seed from the GLVC East Division, watched its record go to 32-18 overall, while William Jewell, the fourth-seed from the GLVC West Division, goes to 22-25.
With the loss, the Screaming Eagles move into the lower have of the bracket and will play an elimination game versus the University of Illinois Springfield Friday at 12:30 p.m. The Prairie Stars, the three-seed from the GLVC East, lost their opening game, 10-1, to Quincy University, the two-seed from the GLVC West.
William Jewell and USI, both, struck for a run in the opening frame with the Eagles scoring on a sacrifice fly by junior shortstop Sam Griggs (Evansville, Indiana). The game would remain tied 1-1 until the fifth inning when the Cardinals exploded for four runs to take a 5-1 lead. William Jewell would add a tally in the seventh up its lead to 6-1.
The Eagles rallied to cut the lead in the bottom half of the seventh when junior rightfielder Nick Gobert (Jasper, Indiana) doubled in a run to cut the deficit to 6-2. Griggs would strike again for the Eagles in the ninth with an RBI-single to make the score 7-3 after William Jewell added an insurance run in the top half of the frame.
Gobert, senior designated hitter Jaylen Quarles (Indianapolis, Indiana), and sophomore catcher Logan Brown (Mt. Vernon, Indiana) finished with two hits each in the game to lead the Eagle bats. Griggs also had a team-high two RBIs in the loss.
The USI outfield defense was outstanding in the game with Gobert and junior leftfielder Drake McNamara (Mt. Vernon, Indiana) combining to throw three Cardinals out at the plate. McNamara and Gobert threw out back-to-back runners in the sixth.
USI senior right-hander Lucas Barnett (Sellersburg, Indiana) started and took the loss for the Eagles. Barnett (6-2) allowed five runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings, striking out three.
Barnett was followed to the mound by freshman right-hander Tyler Hagedorn (Evansville, Indiana) and sophomore left-hander Chase Partain (Evansville, Indiana). Hagedorn allowed one run on four hits in 1.1 innings, while Partain finished the game by allowing a run on two hits and a walk in 2.2 frames on the bump.
