Eagle bats heat up to earn series split USI ties home run record in series finale

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball tied a single-game program record with four home run in the series finale and earned a series split with Truman State University Saturday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. USI lost the continued game from Friday, 11-10, but bounced back to win the series finale, 16-4.
 
The Screaming Eagles are 15-20 overall and 4-8 in the GLVC, while Truman State is 15-22, 5-7 GLVC.   
 
Continued Game 2 from Friday:
The Eagles rallied with nine runs in the sixth and loaded the bases in the seventh before falling short, 11-10, in the seven inning contest.
 
The Bulldogs were in total control in the Friday portion of the game. Truman built an 11-1 lead through 5.2 innings before the game was halted due to rain. USI’s lone run during Friday’s portion of the game came in the bottom of the third when junior leftfielder Evan Kahre (Evanville, Indiana) scored on a sacrifice fly by junior catcher Lucas McNew (Floyds Knobs, Indiana).
 
In the sunlight of Saturday, the offense came to life in the bottom of the sixth and gave the Eagles a chance. USI freshman designated hitter Cordell Coburn (Evansville, Indiana) lead off the frame with a blast to center as 12 Eagles came to the plate to cut the deficit to 11-10. The home run was Coburn’s fourth of the season.
 
In addition to Coburn’s shot, the nine-run frame was highlight by a pair of two-run rockets by junior first baseman/leftfielder Gavin McLarty (Buckner, Kentucky) and sophomore rightfielder Trent Robinson (Louisville, Kentucky). McLarty hit his third blast of the season to right center, while Robinson’s third of the year went to dead center field.
 
USI tried to complete the comeback in the bottom of the final frame, loading the bases with two outs before McNew struck out to end the game.
 
Series Finale:
USI tied a single-game program record with four home runs and blasted its way to a series split with Truman, 16-4. The Eagles hit four home runs in a game for the sixth time in program history (USI did this twice last season).
 
The USI offensive explosion started with a five-run first inning that was highlighted by back-to-back home runs. Sophomore rightfielder Trent Robinson hit USI’s first home run of the game, a three-run blast, and was followed immediately by a solo shot off the bat of junior third baseman Daniel Lopez (Dominican Republic). The blast was Robinson’s fourth of the year and Lopez’s first.
 
Increased the lead to 7-0 with a pair of runs in the second and to 12-2 with another five-run frame in the third.
 
USI freshman designated hitter Cordell Coburn blasted the Eagles’ third home run to put USI up 13-4, while junior catcher Lucas McNew crushed the record-tying fourth home run of game, a three-run shot, to close out the 16-4 win. Coburn finished the day with five home runs this season, while McNew has a team-best seven in 2022.
 
USI junior right-hander Garrett Welch (New Castle, Indiana) picked up the win, going 5.1 innings of work. Welch (2-3) allowed three runs on seven hits and a walk, while striking out a career-best eight strikeouts.