EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball scored eight times in the fifth to run away from Eastern Illinois University, 15-8, Sunday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. USI, which posted its first Ohio Valley Conference series win, watched its record go to 13-26 overall, 5-10 OVC, while EIU goes to 22-15, 4-8 OVC.
 
Following a first inning home run by EIU, USI took its first lead of the contest, 2-1, in the second inning when junior designated hitter Parker Stroh (Grand Forks, North Dakota) hit a two-run blast to right field. The home run was Stroh’s third of the season and his second of the series.
 
The USI lead was short lived as EIU bounced back to grab a 3-2 advantage in the top of the third. The Screaming Eagles responded with a four-run bottom of the third that was highlighted by a three-run explosion off the bat of junior leftfielder Jack Ellis (Jeffersonville, Indiana) to make the score 6-3. The round tripper was Ellis’ third of the season.
 
The Eagles increased the lead to 7-3 in the fourth when junior second baseman Nolan Cook (Evansville, Indiana) scored on a ground out by sophomore shortstop Ricardo Van Grieken (Venezuela). EIU came back to cut the USI advantage to 7-4 with a tally in the top of the fifth before the Eagles erupted for another eight runs in the bottom half of the frame, boosting the lead to 15-4.
 
USI sent 11 batters to the plate in the eight-run fifth that was capped off by a three-run explosion of the bat of senior catcher Lucas McNew (Floyds Knobs, Indiana). The three-run blast put McNew in sole possession of fifth all-time at USI for home runs (23) and RBIs (156).
 
The Panthers added a tally in the sixth and seventh to cut the gap to 15-6 and prolong the game. EIU added another two runs in the eighth before USI closed out the 15-8 victory.  
 
On the mound, junior right-hander Matthew Moore (Newburgh, Indiana) picked up the victory in relief. Moore (1-0) allowed two runs on two walks and three hits in two-plus innings of work.
 
USI junior left-hander Blake Ciuffetelli (Newburgh, Indiana) started and picked up the no-decision. Ciuffetelli went four-plus, allowing four runs on five hits and three walks, while striking out five.
 
Up Next for the Eagles:  
The Eagles’ five-game homestand comes to an end Tuesday when they host former GLVC foe McKendree University for a 6 p.m. matchup. USI leads the all-time series with McKendree, 34-13; has won eight of the last 10 games; and will be playing the Bearcats for the first time since 2021 when the Eagles took three-of-four GLVC games.
 
McKendree is 17-26 in 2023 after winning a four-game series at Missouri University of Science & Technology with a 16-12 win today.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -The Vincennes University baseball team closed out the weekend with a bang Sunday at Lincoln Land Community College, completing the daily sweep to even the Mid-West Athletic Conference series with the Loggers, taking game one 2-1 before winning game two 7-4.

The first game of the day in Springfield proved to be a pitcher’s duel from the beginning with neither team registering a hit until the fifth inning.

VU was the first to break the scoreless tie with a leadoff single by sophomore Colin Long (Evansville, Ind.). Long came around to score on a fielder’s choice put in play by sophomore Mahkai Pelzer (Douglasville, Ga.).

Vincennes would get another run in the fifth on an RBI single by sophomore Ethan Burdette (Linton, Ind.) to give the Blazers a 2-0 lead.

Lincoln Land was able to respond in the bottom half of the inning but were only able to cut the deficit in half and the Blazers leading 2-1 after five innings.

Both offenses tried to build off of this inning and although both teams were able to get base runners in scoring position every inning, the pitchers held solid as VU held out to pick up the 2-1 victory in game one of the day.

Vincennes got a massive boost from sophomore starting pitcher Xavier Hart (Jeffersonville, Ind.) who continues to play well, throwing a complete game, allowing one run on just two hits in seven innings of work. Hart also struck out five batters in the outing.

The Trailblazers looked to hold on to this momentum in game two of the day, looking to leave Springfield on a high note in the series finale.

VU got off to a hot start in game two with the first six batters of the game for the Trailblazers reaching base, including an RBI single by sophomore Colton Evans (Henderson, Ky.), a run driven in on an error put in play by sophomore Kobe Bartlett (Rockport, Ind.) and a run driven in on a bases loaded walk by freshman Trevor Newman (Fort Wayne, Ind.).

The Blazers set the tone early with a four-run first inning to take an early 4-0 lead.

Vincennes added to their lead in the third inning after Kobe Bartlett led off the inning with a single, followed by a double by Colin Long, one of his three hits on the game.

The sophomore outfield pair would later score after Trevor Newman hit a sacrifice fly and Long scored on an RBI single by freshman Keegan Schlotterbeck (Centerville, Ind.), giving the Blazers a 6-0 lead.

Lincoln Land would get on the board in the bottom of the third with a pair of runs and continued to cut into the deficit with a run in the sixth to cut the VU lead to 6-3.

VU added an insurance run late in the eighth inning after a leadoff double by Schlotterbeck. Keegan advanced on a wild pitch and later scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Kaden Elliott (New Albany, Ind.).

Lincoln Land attempted a late two-out rally in the ninth but were unable to completely erase the deficit as VU comes away with the 7-4 victory in game two, completing the doubleheader sweep over the host Loggers.

Vincennes got another strong start in game two of the day from sophomore lefty Gavin Craggs (Taylorville, Ill.). Craggs threw six strong innings, allowing three runs on six hits and striking out six on his way to getting the winning decision.

Freshman Aaron Fenn (Fort Wayne, Ind.) entered from the pen to pick up the three-inning save, throwing the final three innings, allowing one run on five hits and striking out one.

The Trailblazers will return home to Jerry Blemker Field next weekend after spending the last two weekends on the road.

VU will return home to host Lewis & Clark Community College in an MWAC conference series Saturday, April 29 and Sunday, April 30. First pitch Saturday is set for 2 p.m. eastern and first pitch Sunday is set for 12 p.m. eastern.

BOX SCORE

GAME ONE

VU (18-25, 6-13) – 000   020   0 – 2

Lincoln Land – 000   010   0 – 1

VINCENNES HITTING

RBI – Burdette, Pelzer.

GAME TWO

VU (19-25, 7-13) – 402   000   010 – 7

Lincoln Land – 002   001   001 – 4

VINCENNES HITTING

2B – Long, Schlotterbeck. RBI – Newman 2, Elliott, Evans, Bartlett, Schlotterbeck. HBP – Bartlett. SF – Elliott, Newman.

-30-

The Vincennes University baseball team improves to 19-25 on the season, with a 7-13 record in MWAC Conference play.