USI opens 2025 with four on the road
Eagles play at Alabama State to open season​​​​​​​

University of Southern Indiana Baseball opens the 2025 campaign with a four-game series at Alabama State University in Montgomery, Alabama, February 14-16. The Screaming Eagles are scheduled to play Alabama State a single game Friday at 6 p.m., a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m., and a single game Sunday at 1 p.m.

Following the season-opening road trip, USI opens the 2025 home campaign February 18 when the Eagles host Western Kentucky University for a 4 p.m. game at the USI Baseball Field. The Eagles also will be in Evansville all of next week for a split series with the University of Evansville.

The USI-UE series will be played at the Purple Aces’s Charles Braun Stadium February 21 and February 23 and at the USI Baseball Field February 22.

Links to follow the Eagles during the opening weekend of 2025 can be found on USIScreamingEagles.com and the USI Baseball Schedule.

USI Baseball Notes:

USI predicted 8^th in 2024 OVC. The USI Screaming Eagles are predicted to place eighth in the Ohio Valley Conference in 2025.

USI advanced in OVC Championship during 2^nd Division I season: The Eagles earned a second trip to the OVC Championship during its second season of transitioning to NCAA Division I. The Eagles advanced to the semifinals before bowing out of the tournament in 2024.

USI in 2024. The Eagles were 27-32 a year ago and 14-13 in the OVC last spring. USI, who also was 2-2 in the OVC Baseball Championship, improved by 10 wins overall and six wins in the OVC in 2024.

Remaining hitters from 2024: The Eagles return three hitters in 2025, following graduation or transfer of USI’s top 10 hitters and 18 position players overall. Junior infielder Jacob Winzenread is the top returning hitter, batting .238 in 11 games last spring. Sophomore outfielders Cameron Boyd and Ethan Rothschild follow with .230 and .229 batting averages, respectively.

On the mound: Senior left-hander Mason Sweeney leads three returning hurlers. Sweeney was 1-0 with a 7.04 ERA in 15.1 innings of work. Sophomore right-handers Abdriel Figueroa, who saw action in 2.1 innings, and Brad Watts, who redshirted, are the only other returning hurlers for 2025.

USI starts Ramirez Era: The Eagles start the Head Coach Chris Ramirez era in 2025. Ramirez replaced Tracey Archuleta, who had been at the helm since 2007.

Long road swings on the schedule. The Eagles have a pair of long road swings in 2025. USI has six on the road to end February and start March and an eight-game trip in April.

USI at Alabama State. USI is making its first trip to Alabama State University and will be the first meeting between the two programs in baseball. Alabama State was 29-27 a year ago.

USI to host Western Kentucky. USI will host Western Kentucky in the home opener February 18. The Eagles were 0-2 versus the Hilltoppers in 2024, losing 5-3 on the road and 2-1 at home last season. WKU, which was 36-22 overall last spring.  leads the all-time series, 10-2.

USI is on the road to WIU, Lindenwood

University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball is on the road this week and will be chasing a spot in the Ohio Valley Conference Championship next month. The Screaming Eagles start the final six games of the 2024-25 regular season with a visit to Western Illinois University Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and to Lindenwood University Saturday at 2 p.m.

USI (9-15, 4-10 OVC) enters the week two games back of the final spot for the OVC Championship. The Eagles are trailing the University of Tennessee at Martin and Lindenwood, who are each 6-8 in the league this season and tied seventh, while Tennessee Tech University and Tennessee State University are tied for fifth with identical 8-6 conference records.

USI is coming off a tough homestand that saw the Eagles go 0-3, including a 74-56 loss to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and a 79-74 defeat at the hands of Southeast Missouri State University. Junior guard Damoni Harrison led USI last week with 19 points per game, including a 25-point game in the loss to SEMO.

Junior guard Jayland Randall followed Harrison with 18.5 points per contest after posting 23 against SEMO, while sophomore forward Stephen Olowoniyi posted 14.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Olowoniyi posted his team-high fourth double-double of the season, 14 points and 10 rebounds, to close out the homestand Saturday.

For the season, Harrison leads the team with 14.9 points per outing, while Randall was second with 14.8 per game. Olowoniyi rounds out the double-figure scorers with 13.8 points per game and a team-best 6.8 rebounds per contest.

The WIU Leathernecks (8-17 overall, 2-12 OVC) have lost 10-straight after Saturday’s 80-71 loss at the University of Tennessee at Martin. WIU has not won since January 9.

WIU leads the all-time series, 5-2, after USI won at Liberty Arena in January, 78-66. Harrison led four Eagles in double digits with 26 points. Graduate forward Jack Mielke followed with 17 points and a team-high 11 rebounds for his first career double-double. Randall and Olowniyi rounded out the top four with 12 points and 11 points, respectively.

The Lions of Lindenwood (11-13 overall, 6-7 OVC) went 0-2 last week. Lindenwood, who hosts Morehead State University Thursday, is 2-3 in the last five games, but .500 over the last 10 contests.

The Eagles lead the all-time series, 8-1, after taking the first meeting of the year in January, 80-73. Harrison led three players in double-digits with 26 points and 10
Rebounds in the win. He was followed by Randall, who had 17 points, and Mielke, who had 10 points.

All of the USI Basketball action can be seen live on ESPN+. The game can also be heard on ESPN 97.7FM (http://listentotheref.com) and 95.7FM The Spin (http://957thespin.com).

Men’s basketball set for Wednesday road game at Missouri State

Aces and Bears square off at 7 p.m.

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Three of the next four games will be on the road for the University of Evansville men’s basketball team beginning on Wednesday when the Purple Aces travel to Springfield, Mo. to take on Missouri State.  ESPN+ and the Purple Aces Radio Network will have the broadcast.

Last Time Out

– Playing the first nationally televised home game since since the 2018-19 season, UE rallied late before falling to Bradley by a final score of 80-74 on Saturday

– UE trailed by as many as 21 points in the second half before getting within four

– Tayshawn Comer scored a game-high 23 points while Connor Turnbull posted the best game of his career with 20 points and 13 boards

Trending Upward

– In the Feb. 8 game against Bradley, Connor Turnbull had the game of his career, setting highs in most statistics

– He set career marks in points (20), rebounds (13), FG (7), FGA (12), FT (6), FTA (9), and minutes (33:48) on the way to his first collegiate double-double

– On top of those numbers, he added three more blocks and continues to lead the Valley with 1.92 per game

– His total of 48 blocks ranks 23rd in the country while his average of 1.92 is 27th

– Turnbull’s game against the Braves bested his prior scoring high of 14, which came in the road win at Belmont

On a Roll

– Over the last 12 games, Tayshawn Comer has played as well as anyone in the MVC

– Comer is averaging 20.3 points, 4.4 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game over that time and leads UE with his season scoring average of 15.6 PPG

– Included in that tally is a career-high 27 points in the win over Murray State, besting his mark of 26 in the road win at SIU

– Against league competition, Comer is averaging 18.8 PPG, which is second

Scouting the Opponent

– Missouri State comes into Wednesday’s match-up with a record of 8-17 while going 1-13 through their first 14 league outings

– The Bears’ MVC win came on Feb. 1 when they defeated Murray State by a final score of 77-56

– Evansville took the first meeting of the season by a final tally of 57-40 on Dec. 29 at the Ford Center

– Dez White is the leading scorer for the Bears, averaging 15.0 points per game on the season

– White is shooting 84.1% from the line and has dished out a team-high 67 assists

– Vincent Brady II is averaging 13.0 PPG while Michael Osei-Bonsu has chipped in 10.8 PPG and a team-high 7.2 rebounds

-www.GoPurpleAces.com-

Trailblazers score early and often in series finale win over Cleveland State C.C.

CLEVELAND, Tenn. – The Vincennes University baseball team closed out their four-game weekend series Sunday afternoon with Cleveland State Community College.

The Trailblazers were able to jump on the Cougar pitchers early Sunday afternoon and ride this hot start to a big 14-6 victory over Cleveland State C.C.

The VU offense wasted little time getting going Sunday afternoon with the first six Trailblazer batters reaching base safely.

Vincennes led off the game with back to back walks by sophomore Bradyn Douglas (Frankton, Ind.) and freshman Jevan Andrews (Hobart, Ind.).

Douglas would come around to score the first run of the game on a wild pitch, with Andrews following him on a bases loaded walk by freshman Jaret Phillips (Jeffersonville, Ind.).

Sophomore Nate Montgomery (Lexington, Ind.) got the first VU hit of the game and would score on an RBI single by sophomore Yancey Edlin (Pekin, Ind.) to give the Trailblazers an early 3-0 lead over the Cougars.

Cleveland State would get a run back in the bottom half of the inning but the Trailblazers were not done, leading off the second inning with a double by sophomore Bryce Gross (Bridgeport, Ill.), who later scored on an RBI single by Nate Montgomery.

Sophomore Corbin Napier (Indianapolis, Ind.) followed this with an RBI double and Yancey Edlin finished the inning with another RBI single, giving him two RBIs on the day as VU opened up a big 6-1 early advantage.

Vincennes would keep scoring in the third with a lead off walk by freshman Carter Gricius (Scottsburg, Ind.), a single by Bryce Gross and a perfect sacrifice bunt by Bradyn Douglas.

Gricius would score on a sacrifice fly by Jevan Andrews to increase the Vincennes lead to 7-1.

Cleveland State would respond in the bottom of the third however, scoring three runs to cut the deficit back to 7-4.

The offenses cooled through the middle innings before the Blazers opened the seventh inning with three straight singles by sophomore Noble Johnson (Terre Haute, Ind.), Carter Gricius and Bryce Gross.

Vincennes would capitalize on this bases loaded start to the inning with a bases loaded walk by Jevan Andrews and an RBI single by Nate Montgomery.

Bradyn Douglas would score the third VU run of the inning on a wild pitch to give the Trailblazers a 10-4 lead over the host Cougars.

Cleveland State would get a run back in the eighth but Vincennes responded back in a big way in the ninth.

Vincennes once again as able to capitalize on early base runners as Bryce Gross led off the inning with a single, his fourth hit of the game, followed by a walk by Bradyn Douglas, who reached base five times Sunday afternoon and an RBI single by Jevan Andrews, giving him three RBIs in the game.

After Corbin Napier was hit by pitch to load the bases Vincennes would clear them on a costly error by the Cougars, scoring all three runs to give the Trailblazers a commanding 14-5 lead going into the bottom of the ninth.

Cleveland State attempted to get some momentum going at the plate but were only able to push one run across in the ninth as Vincennes closed out the game with the 14-6 win, splitting the four-game series with Cleveland State C.C.

Freshman Kyle Holder (Mount Vernon, Ind.) got the start on the mound Sunday afternoon for the Trailblazers, throwing two and two thirds innings, allowing four runs on three hits and picking up his first collegiate winning decision.

Freshman Ty Stultz (Terre Haute, Ind.) pitched five innings in relief, keeping the Cougar batters at bay by allowing one run on four hits and striking out six, including striking out the side in the fourth inning.

Freshman Kory Kingsbury (Evansville, Ind.) relieved Stultz in the eight inning, retiring the only two batters he faced on just seven pitches.

Yancey Edlin took over in the ninth from his first baseman position, allowing one run one two hits in one-third of an inning before handing the ball to Bryce Gross coming in from the shortstop position to get the final out of the game, allowing one hit on the day.

The Trailblazers will look to keep this momentum going as they get set for opening day at Jerry Blemker Field Friday, Feb. 14 when VU hosts Schoolcraft College at 6 p.m. eastern.

This will be the first game of the first VU weekend tournament of the season, with the Trailblazers returning to the field Saturday, Feb. 15 to take on Frontier Community College at 1:30 p.m. and South Suburban College at 6:30 p.m. eastern.

Vincennes will close out the weekend tournament on Sunday, Feb. 16 against an opponent to be determined, with first pitch Sunday scheduled for 1 p.m. eastern.

BOX SCORE

VU (2-2) – 331   000   304 – 14

Cleveland State – 103   000   011 – 6

VINCENNES HITTING

2B – Gross, Napier. RBI – Andrews 3, Montgomery 2, Edlin 2, Napier, Phillips. HBP – Napier 2. Sac Fly -Andrews. Sac Bunt – Douglas.

-30-

Aces complete weekend with win over Furman

UE finishes weekend with three victories

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Finishing the weekend with a 7-4 win over Furman, the University of Evansville softball team wrapped up the Paladin Invitational with a 3-2 record to open the 2025 season.

Game 1 – Tennessee Tech 7, UE 4

A 2-run seventh inning saw the Purple Aces tie the Golden Eagles, but Tennessee Tech rallied with three runs in the 8^th to open the day with a 7-4 win.  After TTU plated a run in the top of the first, Evansville took its first lead with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning.  Callie Meinel hit a 2-run triple to put UE in front.

It did not take long for Tennessee Tech to counter as they scored the tying run in the top of the second.  Single runs in the fourth and seventh saw TTU hold a 4-2 advantage heading into the bottom of the 7^th.

Keghan Pye reached on a 1-out walk while Miriah Powell followed with a single.  Two batters later, Taylor Howe singled to left to plate pinch runner Kynadee Warner.  Meinel came through in the clutch once again as her bases loaded walk tied the game to force extra innings.

Tennessee Tech wasted little time getting back on track, scoring three times in the 8^th.  Looking to rally once again, UE put two runners on base in the bottom of the frame, but TTU held on for the win.  Pye recorded two of the Aces seven hits in the game while Meinel led the way with three RBI and two walks.

Kate Ridgway made the start, tossing seven innings with seven runs scoring, just three of which were earned.  Gracie Hollingsworth recorded the final three outs.

Game 2 – UE 7, Furman 4

Coming through in the late innings once again, the Purple Aces held on for a 7-4 win over Furman to wrap up the weekend.

UE got on the board in the top of the first when two runs scored on a single from Meinel.  The Paladins responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning to tie the score.  Things remained tied at 2-2 until the top of the third when Niki Bode and Morgan Adams picked up RBI hits to put Evansville in front at 4-2.

Taylor Howe extended the UE lead to four when she picked up a 2-run double in the top of the 6^th.  Her hit proved to be a big one as the Paladins scored twice in the bottom of the inning to get back within a pair.  Niki Bode plated an insurance run in the seventh before Elle Jarrett shut down the Paladins in the bottom of the frame to seal the win.

Kynadee Warner went 3-4 to lead the offense while Bode added two hits and two runs.  Keghan Pye also scored twice.  Gracie Hollingsworth earned the win, tossing five innings while giving up four runs.  Jarrett picked up the save, tossing a scoreless final two frames.  Evansville is set to host tournaments in each of the next two weekends.

-www.GoPurpleAces.com

Trailblazers finished regular season with 6th place finish at McKendree Baker Challenge

FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – The Vincennes University Bowling team finished their 2024-25 regular season over the weekend with a very nice showing in the 2025 McKendree Baker Challenge hosted by McKendree University.

The unique two-day tournament consisted of 40 baker games broken down into 10 sets of four baker games.

The Trailblazers closed out the regular season strong with a sixth place finish in the tournament.

Vincennes got off to a great start Saturday morning with the first set of baker games, finishing the first flight of four games with 704 pins and 672 in the second set.

VU would turn their game up to close out the opening day of the tournament with 856 pins in the third flight, 746 in the fourth, a team-high 906 pins in the fifth set and 888 pins in the sixth set.

After the first 24 baker games, the Trailblazers found themselves in fourth place overall, which would have earned them a spot in the knockout round of the tournament.

The Trailblazers came back to the lanes Sunday morning for the final four flights of the baker challenge and finished with 687 pins, 702 pins, 676 pins and 758 pins over the last four flights.

Vincennes finished the 40 baker game tournament with 7,595 pins overall, dropping two spots to finish sixth overall, just five pins behind fifth place.

The Trailblazer Junior Varsity team was also in action over the weekend, finishing their 40 baker games with 6,736 pins to finish seventh in the junior varsity field.

Vincennes will look to build on this useful knowledge gained over the weekend as they get set to hear where they will be placed for the 2025 postseason.

VU has earned a spot in one of four USBC Sectional tournaments and will wait to see where they will be travelling between Allen Park, Mich., Smyrna, Tenn., Addison, Ill. or Fort Worth, Tex.

The USBC Sectional selection show will be held Wednesday, Feb. 19, with the 2025 USBC Intercollegiate Team Sectionals being hosted March 7 through March 9.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

VARSITY RESULTS

VU (6th) – 7595

FLIGHT RESULTS

1)        194, 164, 154, 192 – 704

2)        201, 147, 187, 137 – 672

3)        189, 189, 212, 266 – 856

4)        133, 189, 191, 233 – 746

5)        245, 217, 225, 219 – 906

6)        225, 244, 208, 211 – 888

7)        223, 114, 168, 182 – 687

8)        155, 218, 174, 155 – 702

9)        143, 138, 175, 220 – 676

10)    223, 178, 166, 181 – 758

JUNIOR VARSITY RESULTS

VU (7th) – 6736