EVANSVILLE, Ind. — University of Southern Indiana Baseball begins the second half of a nine-game road swing with a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in Edwardsville, Illinois. The schedule for the series has changed to a single game Thursday at 4 p.m. and concludes Friday with an 11 a.m. doubleheader at Roy E. Lee Field at the Simmons Baseball Complex.
The Screaming Eagles conclude the nine-game journey April 22 when they visit Saint Louis University for a 3 p.m. single game.
With the ever-changing weather in April, USI encourages fans to watch for potential schedule changes on USIScreamingEagles.com, X, and Facebook.
The Eagles return to the friendly surroundings of the USI Baseball Field April 23 when they host Bellarmine University to start a four-game homestand. The homestand also includes a three-game OVC set with Eastern Illinois University April 25-27.
Links to follow the Eagles all season can be found on USIScreamingEagles.com and the USI Baseball Schedule.
USI Baseball Notes:
USI tries to rally, falls short at NKU. The USI Screaming Eagles rallied with three runs in the ninth but fell short at Northern Kentucky University, 7-6, on Tuesday. Junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens hit a three-run blast in the ninth to pull USI within one before the Norse closed the door.
USI was swept by Tennessee Tech last weekend in OVC play. TTU’s bats were explosive, averaging 10.7 runs per game in the series.
USI last week. USI was 0-4 last week, falling to Western Kentucky University and going 0-3 at Tennessee Tech. Sophomore infielder Parker Martin led the offense by hitting .467 with five runs scored, four RBIs, and two home runs. USI pitching struggled with an 11.74 ERA in the four games.
USI won first three OVC series. The USI Eagles opened the OVC slate with back-to-back-to-back series wins. USI won four OVC series all of last season.
Martin is the hottest Eagle. Sophomore infielder Parker Martin is the hottest Eagle at the plate, hitting .529 (9-17) over the last five games and .486 (17-35) over the last games. He also has produced 14 RBIs, four doubles, and four home runs in the last 10 games.
USI leaders at the plate. Junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens leads USI at the plate with a .393 batting average, while posting a team-best 35 RBIs and six home runs. The .393 average is the best mark in the OVC while Kitchens’ 35 RBIs ranks second in the league. Junior first baseman Kannon Coakley follows with a .383 average, which ranks second in the OVC, and a team-high 12 doubles.
USI in the OVC. USI leads the OVC with a .308 team batting average. On the bump, the Eagles are sixth in the league with a 6.82 ERA. In the first 12 games of league action, USI is second in batting (.312) and seventh in pitching (5.96 ERA).
Martin leads in OVC play. Sophomore infielder Parker Martin is leading the Eagles and the OVC in conference action with a .450 average (18-40) and a .825 slugging percentage. Martin also has a team-high four home runs and 17 RBIs in OVC play.
Porter takes to the mound. Junior left-hander Jake Porter has moved into the starting rotation during OVC play, going 1-1 with a 2.93 ERA in 15.1 innings of work.
Anderson has three wins in OVC play. Senior right-hander Ian Anderson leads USI with three wins in OVC play (3-0), all out of the bullpen. Anderson also has one of USI’s three saves in conference action.
USI visits SIUE this weekend. USI visits Southern Illinois University Edwardsville this weekend. SIUE, which lost to the University of Illinois, 17-6, Tuesday, is 15-20 overall and 8-4 in the OVC. The Cougars are 3-7 in their last 10 games. SIUE leads the all-time series with USI, 58-48, but the Eagles swept the Cougars last year at the USI Baseball Field.
USI visits SLU. USI is scheduled for a makeup game at Saint Louis University Tuesday in St. Louis, Missouri at 2 p.m. The series is tied 2-2 after USI took the first meeting of the year, 11-4.
