Screaming Eagles back on the road this week
USI visits APSU, opens OVC slate at WIU
EVANSVILLE, Ind. — University of Southern Indiana Baseball is back on the road this week and starts a five-game road swing by visiting Austin Peay State University Wednesday for a 6 p.m. contest in Clarksville, Tennessee.
Following the midweek game at APSU, the Screaming Eagles open the Ohio Valley Conference slate for 2025 by going to Western Illinois University for a three-game series. The series starts Friday in Macomb, Illinois, with a 2 p.m. first pitch; continues Saturday at 1 p.m.; and concludes Sunday at 1 p.m.
The five-game road swing ends next week when Ball State University hosts USI for a 3 p.m. game on March 25.
The next time the Eagles are at the USI Baseball Field is March 28-30 when they host the University of Arkansas at Little Rock for a three-game series. The USI-Little Rock series is the start of a seven-game homestand at the USI Baseball Field.
With the ever-changing weather in March, USI encourages fans to watch for potential schedule changes on USIScreamingEagles.com, X, and Facebook.
Links to follow the Eagles all season can be found on USIScreamingEagles.com and the USI Baseball Schedule.
USI Baseball Notes:
USI salvages series finale vs. Murray State. The USI Screaming Eagles salvaged the series finale with Murray State University in thrilling fashion Sunday, winning the nightcap of a doubleheader, 11-8, in 11 innings. Sophomore infielder Anthony Umbach knocked in the game-winning run with a two-out single in the 11th. The Racers took the first two games of the series, winning on Friday, 5-4, and in the first game of the doubleheader Sunday, 17-6.
USI last week. The Eagles were 2-3 last week, beginning with a 6-4 win over Austin Peay State University before losing two of three to Murray State. Junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens led USI at the plate, hitting .500 (11-22) with two doubles, a triple, and four RBIs.
Kitchens has the hot stick. Junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens has had the big bat for USI the last 10 games, hitting .543 (19-35) with seven runs scored, four doubles, a triple, one home run, and seven RBIs.
Umbach picks it up in the last 10 games. Sophomore infielder Anthony Umbach picked it up in the last 10 games. Umbach has made six appearances with five starts and is hitting .471 (8-17) with three RBIs.
Overall Eagle leaders at the plate. USI junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens is the top hitter at USI and the OVC with a .443 batting average (27-61). He also is tied for first in home runs (2) and RBIs (14); and second in doubles (7).
On the mound: Junior right-hander Blake Kimball led the USI starters in the opening weeks with a 2-3 record and a team-best 4.40 ERA. Junior right-hander Andres Gonzalez has a team-best 17 strikeouts this season. Kimball and Gonzalez are eighth and 10th in the OVC in ERA, respectively, through March 16.
USI in the OVC. USI ranks second in the OVC with a .312 team batting average and fifth with 103 runs scored. On the bump, the Eagles are eighth in the league with a 7.32 ERA.
USI visits APSU. USI will try to make it a two-game sweep of APSU on Wednesday after winning the first meeting last week. The Governors, who are 13-7 overall and visit Tennessee Tech University Tuesday, have won nine of the first 10 meetings with the Eagles.
USI opens OVC schedule at WIU: USI finishes this week by opening the 2025 OVC schedule on the road at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois. WIU is 5-11 this year and is predicted to place last in the OVC this year. The Eagles lead the all-time series with the Leathernecks, 6-3, after sweeping last year’s conference games (3-0). WIU visits Southern Illinois University Tuesday before hosting USI.
