The 21st-ranked University of Southern Indiana baseball team could not overcome an 11-0 deficit in falling to Ashland University, 11-6, Saturday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. USI sees its record go to 3-2 mark, while Ashland watched its record go to 1-1.
USI junior right-hander Lucas Barnett (Sellersburg, Indiana) had a rough day in his second outing of the year, allowing eight runs, six earned, in 4.1 innings of work. Ashland struck early, scoring five runs off of Barnett (1-1) in the second and three more in the fifth.
Ashland added a fourth run in the fifth and two more in the seventh to lead 11-0 after seven. USI tried to rally and cut the deficit to six runs with a five spot in the eighth.
In the eighth, USI plated a pair runs on three singles, a hit batter, and a walk to make the score 11-2. The Eagles scored three more times in the inning when a fly ball off the bat of senior centerfielder Hamilton Carr (Evansville,Indiana) was dropped in left center, scoring senior catcher Ryan Bertram  (Zionsville, Indiana), senior first baseman Andrew Cope (Evansville, Indiana), and sophomore leftfielder Buddy Johnson (Shelbyville, Kentucky).
Down 11-5 in the ninth, USI would score one more time but left runners at second and third for the 11-6 final. Senior rightfielder Kyle Kempf (Evansville, Indiana) was the only Eagle to have multiple hits in the game with a pair of singles.
The Eagles concludes the Dunn Hospitality Classic with a second showdown with Ashland University Sunday at 4 p.m. Live statistics will be available at GoUSIEagles.com.
