Eagles salvage win with big 9th

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CLEVELAND, Miss. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball scored three times in the ninth to get back on track and salvage a 5-2 victory over Delta State University Sunday afternoon in Cleveland, Mississippi. The Screaming Eagles are 11-10 this spring, while Delta State is 16-8 in 2022.   
 
The Eagles started the ninth by loading the bases before junior catcher Lucas McNew (Floyds Knobs, Indiana) singled in the go-ahead run and freshman designated hitter Cordell Coburn (Evansville, Indiana) sealed the victory with a two-run double down the left field line.
 
The Statesmen tried to rally in the bottom of the ninth, but junior right-hander Matthew Moore (Newburgh, Indiana) shut the door on the victory by earning his first save as an Eagle. Moore allowed two hits, but got the final three outs to preserve the win.
 
USI junior left-hander Sammy Barnett (Sellersburg, Indiana) picked up the win in relief. Barnett (2-0) relieved sophomore starting right-hander Parker Maddox (Columbus, Indiana) in the seventh, getting USI out of a jam, and finished by pitching a scoreless 1.1 innings, striking out three.
 
Maddox got a no-decision despite pitching masterfully in his second start of the year. The sophomore allowed two runs on eight hits and a walk, while striking out five over 6.2 innings of work.
 
A pitchers’ duel through the first four innings, the Eagles took a 2-0 lead in the fifth. USI senior shortstop Ethan Hunter (Terre Haute, Indiana) started the scoring with an RBI-single up the middle and would later score after stealing second on an RBI single by junior catcher Lucas McNew (Floyds Knobs, Indiana).
 
USI held onto the 2-0 lead until the seventh when the Statesmen knotted the game up at 2-2 and set the stage for the ninth inning.  
 
 
Up Next for the Eagles:
 
USI remains on the road and visits Maryville University for a rematch Tuesday in St. Louis. The game time has been changed to 3 p.m. for the non-conference match-up.
 
The Eagles will be looking to return the favor to the Saints, who defeated USI, 14-9, last Wednesday at the USI Baseball Field. The all-time series favors the Eagles, 11-4.
 
Maryville is 11-10 overall, at press time, and opened GLVC action this weekend by taking two of three from Rockhurst University.  

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