 University of Southern Indiana junior leftfielder Drake McNamara (Mt. Vernon, Indiana) drove in three runs and hit a home run in leading the Screaming Eagles to a 5-3 victory over the University of Missouri-St. Louis Tuesday afternoon in St. Louis, Missouri. USI watched its record go to 17-14 overall this spring, while UMSL goes to 10-19.
McNamara ended the game with a three-for-four performance, including a two-run double in the first inning and a solo home run fifth. The junior outfielder leads the Eagles in 2017 with a team-high 24 RBIs and five home runs.
In addition to the offense by provided to McNamara, sophomore catcher Logan Brown (Mt. Vernon, Indiana) ended the scoring in the first inning with an RBI-single, while senior rightfielder Cody Montgomery (Shepherdsville, Kentucky) sealed the USI victory with an RBI single in the sixth.
On the mound, freshman right-hander Tyler Hagedorn (Evansville, Indiana) picked up his first collegiate win. Hagedorn went two innings in relief of sophomore starting left-hander Chase Partain (Evansville, Indiana), allowing only one hit.
Partain went the first four-plus innings, giving up three runs, one earned, on five hits and two walks. The sophomore southpaw held the Tritons scoreless through the first four innings before getting into trouble in the fifth.
Junior right-hander Nick Gobert (Jasper, Indiana) relieved Hagedorn in the seventh, pitching two scoreless innings, before giving way to senior right-hander Justin Watts (Bryan, Ohio) to close out the game. Watts posted his team-best fifth save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Eagles return home this weekend and are hosting McKendree University for a four-game set at the USI Baseball Field. First pitch for Friday’s doubleheader is 2 p.m., while Saturday’s twin bill is set for noon.
USI leads the all-time series with McKendree, 20-12, after taking three of four from the Bearcats on the road last year. The Eagles also have won seven of the last eight meetings over the last two years.
