The University of Southern Indiana baseball team dominated the first meeting of the year with Kentucky Wesleyan College, 10-2, Tuesday evening at the USI Baseball Field. USI watched its record go to 19-16 overall, while KWC goes to 18-19.
The Screaming Eagles opened the scoring with a tally in the first on an RBI-single by senior rightfielder Buddy Johnson (Shelbyville, Kentucky) and one the third on an RBI-ground out by junior designated hitter Brodie Brown(Carmi, Illinois) to make the score, 2-0.
After the Panthers evened the score, 2-2, in the top of the fourth, USI bounced back with two in the bottom half of the frame to take the lead for good. Senior leftfielder Drake McNamara (Mt. Vernon, Indiana) gave the Eagles the 4-2 advantage with a two-run double to center field.
USI sealed the victory with a six-run seventh to run the margin to 10-2. McNamara ignited the offensive explosion by leading off the frame with his team-best seventh home run of the year, a towering shot to left field. Senior third baseman Sam Griggs (Evansville, Indiana) also had a two-single to help lead the six-run eruption.
Overall for the game, McNamara and Griggs finished the game with a team-high three and two RBIs, respecitively, while senior first baseman Nick Gobert (Jasper, Indiana) had a team-best three hits with two runs scored.
USI senior right-hander Nick Coudret (Newburgh, Indiana) posted his second win of the year in dominate fashion. Coudret (2-2) threw seven strong innings, allowing two runs on five hits and striking out a career-high seven batters.
Sophomore right-hander Jacob Bowles (Mt. Washington, Kentucky) and junior right-hander Dalton Lewis(Parker, Colorado) finished the game for the Eagles with scoreless eighth and ninth innings.
The Eagles continue the four-game homestand Friday when fourth-ranked University of Tampa (31-5) comes to the USI Baseball Field for a three-game set. First pitch for the series is set for 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon Sunday.
USI trails the all-time series with fourth-ranked Tampa, 6-3, after the Spartans took two of three from the Eagles to start the 2017 campaign. The Eagles are 2-5 against the Spartans during the regular season meetings and 1-1 during the two match-ups in the NCAA II National Championship Series. USI infielder Joe Redburn led the Eagle hitters in last year’s three-game series at Tampa with a .500 average (four-of-eight) and tied for a team-high with four RBIs and junior right-hander Austin Krizan (Mt. V
