USI hits the road for the first time in 2021

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University of Southern Indiana Baseball hits the road for the first time in 2021, playing the next seven games away from the USI Baseball Field. The road trip starts Friday when the Screaming Eagles visit Trevecca Nazarene University for a three-game set.

The USI-Trevecca series is set for 3 p.m. Friday and a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday in Nashville, Tennessee.

USI’s seven-game road swing concludes with the start of the 2021 Great Lakes Valley Conference regular season at the University of Illinois Springfield March 12-14. The series begins with a 1 p.m. single game March 12; continues with an 11 a.m. doubleheader March 13; and concludes with a 1 p.m. single game March 14.

NOTE: Visiting fans are not allowed at Trevecca and Illinois Springfield home athletic events on the respective campuses. Only essential workers are permitted at this time.

Game coverage for the Screaming Eagles on the road can be found on GoUSIEagles.com.

Following the seven-game road swing, the Eagles return to the friendly surroundings of the USI Baseball Field March 19-21 for a four-game GLVC series versus Quincy University.

SCREAMING EAGLES BASEBALL NOTES #2:

Eagles start 2021 with series win. The 2021 campaign started with a series win over Lake Erie College. USI rallied to win the opener before splitting a doubleheader the following day. The Eagles won the opener, 9-3; lost the opener of the doubleheader, 5-4; and rebounded to win the nightcap, 8-2.

At the plate in 2021. Senior outfielder Bryce Krizan led the USI hitters with a .375 average (3-8) during the series with four runs scored and three stolen bases. Sophomore outfielder Austin Moody and sophomore infielder/catcher Lucas McNew tied for a team-high four RBIs during the series, while junior outfielder/designated hitter Aaron Euler hit the only home run of the series.

On the hill in opening series. USI used eight hurlers in the three-game series versus Lake Erie, finish with a 3.33 ERA in 27 innings of work. Senior right-hander Austin Gossmann and freshman left-hander Blake Ciuffetelli picked up the wins in their respective starts, while senior left-hander Paul Perez posted a team-high six strike outs.

Archuleta at USI. USI Head Coach Tracy Archuleta is USI’s all-time winningest coach with a record of 485-266 (.646) in 14-plus seasons and is 632-390 (.618) in 19-plus seasons all-time as a head coach. He has been named the ABCA Division II Coach of the Year twice (2010 and 2014) after leading the Screaming Eagles to a pair of national championships and the ABCA Division II Midwest Region Coach of the Year after leading USI to the regional crown in 2007, 2016 and 2018. Archuleta also has earned a pair of GLVC Coach of the Year awards (2011 and 2014) at USI.

Eagles vs. Trevecca Nazarene. The Eagles lead the all-time series with Trevecca, 4-3, after sweeping a three-game series at home last February.

Trevecca Nazarene in 2020. The Trojans, which open their season with the Eagles this week, were 6-11 last spring before the rest of the season was canceled. Trevecca Nazarene finished 2019, 28-22, with an appearance in the G-MAC Tournament.

Eagles vs. Illinois Springfield. USI leads the all-time meetings with Illinois Springfield, 22-11, after winning two of three from the Prairie Stars a year ago.

Illinois Springfield in 2021. The Prairie Stars, which were 10-4 in the shortened 2020 season, open their season this week with a four-game series at home versus Hillsdale College.