Big inning propels Eagles to victory USI wins first OVC series

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball scored eight times in the fifth to run away from Eastern Illinois University, 15-8, Sunday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. USI, which posted its first Ohio Valley Conference series win, watched its record go to 13-26 overall, 5-10 OVC, while EIU goes to 22-15, 4-8 OVC.
 
Following a first inning home run by EIU, USI took its first lead of the contest, 2-1, in the second inning when junior designated hitter Parker Stroh (Grand Forks, North Dakota) hit a two-run blast to right field. The home run was Stroh’s third of the season and his second of the series.
 
The USI lead was short lived as EIU bounced back to grab a 3-2 advantage in the top of the third. The Screaming Eagles responded with a four-run bottom of the third that was highlighted by a three-run explosion off the bat of junior leftfielder Jack Ellis (Jeffersonville, Indiana) to make the score 6-3. The round tripper was Ellis’ third of the season.
 
The Eagles increased the lead to 7-3 in the fourth when junior second baseman Nolan Cook (Evansville, Indiana) scored on a ground out by sophomore shortstop Ricardo Van Grieken (Venezuela). EIU came back to cut the USI advantage to 7-4 with a tally in the top of the fifth before the Eagles erupted for another eight runs in the bottom half of the frame, boosting the lead to 15-4.
 
USI sent 11 batters to the plate in the eight-run fifth that was capped off by a three-run explosion of the bat of senior catcher Lucas McNew (Floyds Knobs, Indiana). The three-run blast put McNew in sole possession of fifth all-time at USI for home runs (23) and RBIs (156).
 
The Panthers added a tally in the sixth and seventh to cut the gap to 15-6 and prolong the game. EIU added another two runs in the eighth before USI closed out the 15-8 victory.  
 
On the mound, junior right-hander Matthew Moore (Newburgh, Indiana) picked up the victory in relief. Moore (1-0) allowed two runs on two walks and three hits in two-plus innings of work.
 
USI junior left-hander Blake Ciuffetelli (Newburgh, Indiana) started and picked up the no-decision. Ciuffetelli went four-plus, allowing four runs on five hits and three walks, while striking out five.
 
Up Next for the Eagles:  
The Eagles’ five-game homestand comes to an end Tuesday when they host former GLVC foe McKendree University for a 6 p.m. matchup. USI leads the all-time series with McKendree, 34-13; has won eight of the last 10 games; and will be playing the Bearcats for the first time since 2021 when the Eagles took three-of-four GLVC games.
 
McKendree is 17-26 in 2023 after winning a four-game series at Missouri University of Science & Technology with a 16-12 win today.