USI starts road swing with a split
Screaming Eagles defeat BGSU, falls to SIU
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Next Game: vs. Bowling Green State University • 3/1/2025 | 4 p.m.
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CARBONDALE, Ill. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball went 1-1 to start the road trip Friday afternoon at Itchy Jones Stadium in Carbondale, Illinois. The Screaming Eagles started the day with a comeback 8-7 win over Bowling Green State University and completed the afternoon with a 16-12 loss to Southern Illinois University.
USI ends the day 6-3 overall in 2025, while Bowling Green State University goes to 4-3 and Southern Illinois University is 5-3.
USI vs. Bowling Green:
USI junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th to cap off an impressive comeback win by the Eagles over BGSU, 8-7. USI rallied from seven runs down after four-and-a-half innings for the victory.
USI started to chip away at the 7-0 deficit with two runs in the fifth, three more in the sixth, one in the eighth, and one in the ninth to tie the game, 7-7. The Eagles got on the board in the fifth on a RBI ground out by senior centerfielder Khi Holiday and a RBI single by junior leftfielder BJ Banyon to make the score 7-2.
The gap continued to shrink to 7-5 in the sixth on a RBI single by junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens and a two-run single by junior shortstop Clayton Slack. Slack would strike again in the bottom of the eighth to close the gap to a single tally, 7-6.
USI junior first baseman Kannon Coakley sent the game into extra innings tied, 7-7, with a RBI double and set the stage for Kitchens in the 10th.
On the mound, sophomore right-hander Aaron Rubio picked up his first win at USI in relief. Rubio threw a near-perfect 10th inning, hitting a batter and striking out one, to get the Eagles to the bottom half of the extra frame.
USI relievers shut the door on the Falcons in the five innings of play with no runs or hits, while striking out seven.
USI senior left-hander Mason Sweeney started and got a no-decision. Sweeney allowed two runs on three walks in two-thirds of an inning.
USI vs. SIU:
The Screaming Eagles flew out to a big lead, but the Salukis rallied with 10 runs in the eighth to win 16-12.
USI built a 6-0 lead to get out in front, scoring once in the fourth and five times in the sixth to build a 6-0 advantage. Kitchens had the highlight of the five-run sixth with a two-run double, while Slack had a RBI-single in the rally.
The Salukis would rally in the bottom of the sixth to cut the Eagles’ advantage to one run, 6-5. USI would bounce back with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh to re-extend the lead before SIU got a run back in the bottom half for an 8-6 score with two frames to play.
SIU continued to rally with the 10-run eighth inning to lead 16-8. USI would try to rally in the top of the ninth with four runs, but would fall short 16-12.
On the mound, USI freshman right-hander Marshall Loch took the loss in relief, Loch (0-1) allowed four runs on two hits and two hit batters.
USI junior right-hander Andres Gonzalez started and went five-plus innings for the Eagles. Gonzalez, who did not allow a hit through the first five frames, allowed four runs on two hits and four walks while striking out four.
Up Next for the Eagles:
USI continues to play in Carbondale Saturday when it plays BGSU at 4 p.m. and concludes the weekend with a game versus SIU Sunday at 4 p.m.
Due to ever-changing weather in February and March, USI encourages fans to watch for potential schedule changes on USIScreamingEagles.com, X, and Facebook.
