The Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament came to an end for the 20th-ranked University of Southern Indiana baseball team Friday as it fell to the University of Illinois Springfield, 7-1, Friday afternoon at U.S. Ballpark in Ozark, Missouri. USI, the top seed from the GLVC East Division, watched its record go to 32-19 overall, while Illinois Springfield, the third-seed from the GLVC East Division, goes to 32-20.
The Screaming Eagles must wait until Sunday night to receive word on an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament and the Midwest Regional. NCAA II Midwest Regional pairings are set to be announced Sunday night at 9 p.m. (CDT) on NCAA.com.
The Eagles struck first with a tally in the first inning when junior leftfielder Drake McNamara (Mt. Vernon, Indiana) drove in junior rightfielder Nick Gobert (Jasper, Indiana) with an RBI-single. USI would hold that lead until the fourth when Illinois Springfield pushed a pair of runs across the plate.
The Prairie Stars would add three runs in the seventh and two in the eighth to insure the victory.
McNamara led the Eagle batters in the loss with three hits and the lone RBI. Gobert followed with a pair of hits and the lone tally.
On the mound, senior right-hander Colin Nowak (Carol Stream, Illinois) took the loss. Nowak (6-4) allowed four runs, two earned, on 10 hits and a walk, while striking out three in six-plus innings.
Senior right-hander Justin Watts (Bryan, Ohio) finished the game on the mound for the Eagles, throwing the final two innings. Watts gave up three runs on six hits, striking out one.
