Eagles begins GLVC Tournament play vs. Quincy
The University of Southern Indiana baseball team starts the 2018 post-season with the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament May 10-13 at U.S. Ballpark in Ozark, Missouri. The Screaming Eagles (29-19, 15-9 GLVC), who enter the tournament as the third seed from the East Division, begin tournament action against Quincy University (35-15, 19-9 GLVC), the second seed from the West Division, at 9 a.m. Thursday.
Following to the USI-Quincy match-up on Thursday, the first round of the GLVC Tournament features
Maryville University (27-23, 19-9 GLVC), the West’s third seed, versus Bellarmine University (34-15, 16-8 GLVC), the East’s second seed, at 12:30 p.m.; University of Indianapolis (28-21, 10-14 GLVC), the East’s fourth seed, vs. Drury University (29-21, 20-8 GLVC), the top seed from the West, at 4 p.m.; and University of Illinois Springfield (45-5, 23-1 GLVC), the top seed from the East, versus Missouri University of Science & Technology (21-29, 12-16 GLVC) at 7:30 p.m.
Live coverage of the Screaming Eagles baseball games this week can be found on GoUSIEagles.com, while GLVC Tournament information, including the bracket, ticket information, and directions to U.S. Ballpark, can be found at GLVCSports.com.
SCREAMING EAGLES BASEBALL NOTES:
USI in the GLVC Tournament. USI is 41-40 in the GLVC Tournament since 1980, winning the conference tournament championship in 1983, 1985, 1993, and 2010. The Eagles went undefeated in the tournament during 1985, 1993, and 2010.
USI vs. the GLVC Tournament Field. USI was 6-11 against the 2018 GLVC Tournament Field (1-0 vs. Missouri S&T; 1-4 vs. Bellarmine; 0-4 vs. Illinois Springfield; 1-2 vs. Quincy; and 3-1 vs. UIndy). The Eagles, who are hitting .310 as a team versus the field, are led by senior leftfielder Drake McNamara  (Mt. Vernon, Indiana), who is batting .409 with 10 home runs and 31 RBIs against the field.
McNamara has career week to win Player of the Week. USI leftfielder Drake McNamara had a record-breaking five games to win the final GLVC Player of the Week award for 2018. McNamara batted .556 with eight home runs, 17 RBIs, 11 runs scored and one double, in addition to becoming the USI all-time career leader in home runs (32) and breaking the single-season record for home runs (16). The senior also tied a USI single-game record with three home runs in the 24-7 win over UIndy.
Late game heroics in 2018. USI has won in its final at-bat (eight times) or in walk-off fashion (four times) in 12 of the 29 victories this spring. The latest was a three-run rally in the 11th to defeat UIndy on Sunday.
USI hitters on a roll in the last 10 games. USI has won eight of its last 10 games, including a win over Division I University of Evansville. The Eagles are hitting .374 as a team in the last 10 games, led by senior leftfielder/first baseman Drake McNamara, who is hitting .500 (17-34) with nine home runs and 23 RBIs. Senior third baseman Sam Griggs (Evansville, Indiana) is second with a .444 batting average (16-36), while junior catcher Logan Brown (Mt. Vernon, Indiana) and junior second baseman Jacob Fleming(Evansville, Indiana) are tied for second with 13 RBIs each.
Fleming is first Eagle to complete cycle. USI junior second baseman Jacob Fleming (Evansville, Indiana) became the first Eagle to complete the cycle (home run, triple, double, and single) in the 22-1 win over McKendree University.
Among the national leaders. USI freshman centerfielder Bryce Krizan (Mt. Vernon, Indiana) has a team-high 37 stolen bases that ranks first in the GLVC and fourth in the NCAA II. Senior leftfielder/first baseman Drake McNamara also leads the GLVC and ranks fourth in slugging percentage.
USI at the plate this season. Senior first baseman/leftfielder Drake McNamara leads USI hitters in 2018 with a .400 batting average (70-175) and a team-high 66 RBIs, 20 doubles, and 16 home runs. Senior senior rightfielder Buddy Johnson (Shelbyville, Kentucky) is second with a .358 average and is third with 42 RBIs, while utility player Nick Gobert (Jasper, Indiana), who has seen action at first base, third base, and right field, is third with a .357 batting average and is second with 45 RBIs.
Closing on another record. Senior first baseman/leftfielder Drake McNamara‘s 66 RBIs are four short of the USI single season record of 70 set by Brad Vance in the 2010 national championship season.
USI on the mound this season. USI senior right-hander Nick Coudret (Newburgh, Indiana) leads the team with six victories, while senior utility player Nick Gobert, senior right-hander Kyle Griffin (Morganfield, Kentucky), and senior right-hander Devin Williams (Evansville, Indiana) are tied with four victories each. Griffin also has a team-high 67 strikeouts.
Moving up the charts. Senior first baseman/leftfielder Drake McNamara and senior third baseman/shortstop Sam Griggs (Evansville, Indiana) are moving up the USI all-time record book.
McNamara
