University of Southern Indiana Baseball lost a heartbreaker in the bottom of the ninth to Young Harris College, 5-4, Wednesday afternoon in Young Harris, Tennessee. The Screaming Eagles move their record to 7-5 to start the year, while the Mountain Lions go to 13-7.
After spotting Young Harris a run in the bottom of the fourth, the Eagles bats ignited for a three-run fifth to lead, 3-1. USI junior rightfielder Manny Lopez (Santo Domingo, Puerto Rico) put the Eagles up, 2-1, with a two-run single with one out, while sophomore leftfielder Aaron Euler(Evansville, Indiana) pushed across the third run on a fielder’s choice.
The Mountain Lions bounced back to retake the lead, 4-3, in the bottom of the seventh with a three spot. USI evened the score, 4-4, in the top of the eighth on a home run by Euler, his first round tripper of the season and his Eagles career.
In the ninth, junior right-hander Peter Wissel (New Castle, Indiana) took the loss after walking the only batter he faced and before giving way to junior left-hander Paul Perez (Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela). Perez followed, allowing a hit and an intentional walk before walking in the winning run on a 3-2 count.
USI junior right-hander Tyler Hagedorn (Evansville, Indiana) got the start and a no-decision for the Eagles. Hagedorn allowed one run on six hits, striking out one, in the five innings of his first start of the year.
