The University of Southern Indiana baseball team allowed eight runs in the fourth and fell to the University of West Florida, 12-7, Wednesday afternoon in Pensacola, Florida. USI, which has lost its last four, watched its record go to 5-6, while West Florida went to 12-8.
The Screaming Eagles jumped out to a 2-0 lead after an inning-and-a-half. Senior right-handed starter Nick Gobert (Jasper, Indiana) gave the Eagles a 1-0 lead with an RBI-single to score senior first baseman Nick McNamara (Mt. Vernon, Indiana), who had tripled with two down.
USI freshman shortstop Ethan Hunter (Terre Haute, Indiana) extended the lead to 2-0 with an RBI-single to score junior catcher Logan Brown (Mt. Vernon, Indiana). The 2-0 lead would stand until the bottom of the second when the Argonauts plated pair to knot the game at 2-2 and take the lead in the third, 4-2.
Hunter struck again in the top of the fourth with an RBI-ground out to cut the deficit to 4-3. West Florida responded in the bottom half of the fourth with an eight-spot off of four Eagle hurlers to take command of the contest 12-3.
The Eagles would try to rally, scoring two in the sixth on a two-run single by senior centerfielder Buddy Johnson (Shelbyville, Kentucky) and one in the seventh when Gobert scored on a wild pitch to make the score 12-6. USI inched closer again in the ninth when Gobert scored on a ground out by senior third baseman Sam Griggs (Evansville, Indiana), but 12-7 would be a close as the Eagles would come in the final frame.
At the plate, Gobert led the way with three hits and three runs scored, while Hunter and Johnson led the way with two RBIs each. Gobert (0-2) took the loss for the Eagles, allowing five runs on seven hits in three-plus innings of work.
Junior right-hander Ryan Gulledge (Evansville, Indiana) had the best day on the mound for the Eagles, throwing four scoreless innings and struck out a career-high five batters.
USI stays on the road for a visit to Louisville, Kentucky. The Eagles are slated to play Friday against Alderson Broaddus University in a noon (CST) match-up and Bellarmine University at 3 p.m. in a non-conference contest.
The Eagles will be facing off with Alderson Broaddus for the first time in the history of the program, but has an all-time record of 79-70 versus Bellarmine. Last season, USI took three of four from the Knights last season in Louisville during GLVC play.
