The University of Southern Indiana baseball team could not hang onto a 5-0 lead and lost to the 23rd-ranked Quincy University, 11-6, Friday evening at the USI Baseball Field. USI watches its record go to 6-8 overall, while Quincy goes to 10-5 in 2018.
The Screaming Eagles’ bats exploded for five runs in the first three innings on six hits. Senior leftfielder Drake McNamara (Mt. Vernon, Indiana) led the charge with a RBI-triple in the opening frame and a RBI-double in the second.
Quincy rallied to take the lead, 8-5, over the next three innings. The Hawks scored once in the fourth, exploded for five runs in the fifth, and pushed two more across in the sixth. USI senior right-handed starter Devin Williams (Evansville, Indiana) took the loss after allowing six runs, four earned, on three hits and three walks.
Williams (1-2), who had held the Hawks hitless through first four frames, struck out a season-high eight batters during his five innings of work.
Down three going into the bottom of the seventh, the Eagles tried to rally. Senior third baseman Sam Griggs (Evansville, Indiana) cut the deficit to two, 8-6, with an RBI-single in the bottom of the seventh, but that would be as close as the Eagles would get in the final three innings.
Griggs finished the game with a team-high three hits and tied McNamara with a team-best two RBIs each.
USI had a chance to break the game open in the eighth, loading the bases with one out, but left the sacks jammed. Quincy would took advantage and sealed its 11-6 victory with a trio of runs in the top of the ninth.
The Eagles and the Hawks continue the three-game series at 2 p.m. Saturday with a single game at the USI Baseball Field. The series concludes Sunday with a single game at noon.
