USI moves to 5-0 with an 8-3 win

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball made it two in a row with an 8-3 win over Lake Erie College Sunday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. The Screaming Eagles are 5-0 to start the year, while Lake Erie opens spring 0-2.   
 
USI struck early to take command of the contest with a run in the first and two in the third. USI junior second baseman Lucas McNew (Floyds Knobs, Indiana) gave the Eagles a 1-0 lead with thunderous home run off the scoreboard in the first inning, while sophomore first baseman Michael Conner (Moline, Illinois) made the margin 3-0 with a two-run single in the third.
 
The Storm rallied to narrow the gap to 3-2 with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh before the Eagles rebounded with a three-run rally by boosting the lead to 6-2. USI sophomore pitcher/designated hitter Trent Robinson (Louisville, Kentucky) helped his cause by driving in the Eagles’ fourth run of the day, while Conner pushed the margin to four runs, 6-2, with a two-run single with one out.
 
USI senior shortstop Ethan Hunter (Terre Haute, Indiana) sealed the victory with a two-run home run in the eighth to push the lead to 8-2. Lake Erie tried to rally in the ninth, getting one across the plate, before USI closed out the 8-3 victory.
 
On the mound, Robinson posted his first career-win by giving the Eagles a strong 6.2 innings before exiting the mound in the seventh. Robinson allowed the two runs on six hits and a walk, while striking out eight. The eight strikeouts were a career-best for Robinson.
 
Sophomore right-hander Cory Anderson (Linton, Indiana) followed Robinson to get the final out of the seventh, while sophomore right-hander Nick Belcher (Owensboro, Kentucky) finished the final two innings by allowing one run on one hit and striking out four.
 
Up Next for the Eagles:
 
The Eagles and the Storm conclude the three-game set Monday with a noon first pitch. Monday’s game was originally slated for Friday, but was postponed due to cold weather.
 
Following the first home series of the season, USI concludes the first home stand of the season with a three-game set versus Trevecca Nazarene University March 4-5 at the USI Baseball Field.
 
Trevecca Nazarene holds the all-time series lead, 6-4, following a series sweep of the Eagles in Nashville, Tennessee, last spring. The Trojans are off to a 6-1 start and host Truman State University for a four-game stet before visiting the Eagles in March.