University of Southern Indiana Baseball remained tied for second in the Great Lakes Valley Conference after splitting a doubleheader with Missouri University Science & Technology Sunday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. USI lost the opener, 9-4, but bounced back to win the nightcap, 6-1.

The Screaming Eagles move their record to 17-9 overall and 10-4 in the GLVC, while the Miners go to 17-8, 10-4 GLVC.

Game 1:
The Eagles fell behind early and was unable to make up the difference in falling in the opening game, 9-4.

After the Miners built a 2-0 lead with single tallies in the second and third, USI cut the deficit in half, 2-1, in the fifth when freshman centerfielder Bryson McNay(Sellersburg, Indiana) scored on a fielder’s choice. Missouri S&T responded with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth for the 4-1 advantage before USI senior first baseman Nathan Kuester (Rockport, Indiana) crushed a solo shot to center field to get the Eagles to 4-2.

The Miners re-extended the lead to three runs, 5-2, with a tally in the seventh and sealed the Eagles’ fate in game one with four more in the ninth for a 9-4 decision.

USI senior right-hander Austin Gossmann (Avon, Indiana) started and suffered his first loss of the season. Gossman allowed five runs on 11 hits and a walk through 6.2 innings of work, while tying a season-high 11 strikeouts.

Game 2:
USI freshman catcher Lucas McNew (Floyds Knobs, Indiana) hit a two run bomb in the first inning and senior right-hander Austin Krizan  (Mt. Vernon, Indiana) threw seven strong innings to lead the Eagles to a 6-1 victory in the nightcap.

McNew hit his team-best seventh home run in his first at-bat, a two-run blast to left center, to put the Eagles up 2-0 and all of the runs USI would need in the nightcap. USI followed with a run in the fourth and three more in the sixth to lead, 6-0, after six frames. Senior second baseman Jacob Fleming (Evansville, Indiana) highlighted the three-run sixth with a two-run single to complete the rally.

USI junior rightfielder Manny Lopez (Santo Domingo, D.R.) led the Eagles at the plate in game two, going three-for-three with a run scored and a RBI.

Krizan (4-0) moved into a tie for first on the team in wins by pitching a strong seven innings, allowing one run on five hits and one walk. The senior right-hander also tied a career-best with eight strikeouts in the victory.

USI junior right-hander Tyler Hagedorn (Evansville, Indiana) finished the game for Krizan, scattering a hit and a walk in two innings of work.

Down to their last at-bats, trailing by two, the University of Evansville baseball team staged a four-run, then held off Bradley to earn a 6-4 victory, sealing a sweep on the first weekend of Missouri Valley Conference play.

The Aces drew first blood in the top of the first, as sophomore first baseman Tanner Craig delivered an RBI single to left, scoring Troy Beilsmith, making it 1-0 Evansville.

On the hill, senior left-hander Alex Weigand came out strong, striking out three across the first two innings of shutout work.

In the third, Tanner Craig would strike again, stinging a single to shortstop, Craig Shepherd, extending the Evansville lead to 2-0. However, in the bottom of the frame. the Braves would knot it up, on a two-run homer off the bat of Jean-Francois Garon. That would be Weigand’s only blemish on the day, as he tossed four innings, striking out 6 while allowing two runs on six hits.

Senior right-hander Justin Hayden would take over from there, tossing three shutout innings, keeping the game knotted up. However, in the eighth, Bradley would put a pair aboard with one out, chasing Hayden from the game. Freshman left-hander Michael Parks would come in in relief, and the Braves’ Nick  Murray greeted him with an RBI single to left. Later in the inning, a sacrifice would plate an insurance, putting Evansville in a 4-2 deficit headed to the ninth.

However, in the final frame the Aces ignite. Troy Beilsmith got the rally started, reaching on a fielder’s choice, scoring senior left fielder Matthew Jones. Senior center fielder NateReeder would knot the game uo with an RBI single through the left side of the infield, tallying freshman pinch runner Eric Roberts, tying the game at four. Next, Tanner Craig would cap a big day at the plate with a go-ahead run-scoring single to right. The four-run eruption would end with senior third baseman Sam Troyer reaching on an error, bringing in Nate Reeder for the insurance tally.

Michael Parks would come back out to pitch a shutout ninth, putting the wraps on the 6-4 victory.

The victory gives Evansville its first series sweep of a team since taking the brooms to Western Illinois last season (March 2-4), while improving their overall record to 14-9. Bradley’s mark drops to 12-10.

The Aces are back in action Wednesday against Tennessee-Martin at Charles H. Braun Stadium. First pitch is at 6 p.m..

UE drops both contests against Panthers

The bats for the University of Evansville opened the day strong, belting two home runs, but UNI fended off the challenge as they swept Sunday’s doubleheader against the Purple Aces softball team.

UNI (15-13, 6-2 MVC) started the day with an 11-6 win.  UE (12-19, 2-6 MVC) mustered up eight hits in the game with Halie Fain picking up two.  Bailee Bostic’s grand slam highlighted the scoring while Lindsay Renneisen added a homer of her own.

With one out in the top of the first, Eryn Gould singled down the left field line to bring up Renneisen, who hit a long ball to left, giving UE the early 2-0 lead.  The Panthers came right back with two runs in the bottom of the first and three more in the second. Sammey Bunch had a 3-run shot in the inning.

Facing their first deficit of the day, the Aces went back on top in the third when Bostic connected on a 2-out grand slam to make it a 6-5 game.  Haley Woolf, Mackenzie McFeron and Fain scored on the play.  McFeron and Fain singled in the frame while Woolf reached on a walk.  The score remained in favor of Evansville until the bottom of the fifth when a 5-spot by UNI gave them the lead for good.  A 3-run shot by Courtney Krodinger was the difference.  The Panthers added one more in the sixth as they finished with the 11-6 win.

Izzy Vetter went five innings in the circle.  She gave up 10 earned runs on 10 hits.  Jaime Nurrenbern gave up one run in an inning of work.  Erica Oler, who went four innings of relief, took the win.

Evansville finished with three hits in game two as Renneisen, Mea Adams and Toni Galas found their way on base.   Renneisen and Adams had 2-out singles in the first and second frames, but were unable to convert.  UNI scored first, plating a run in the first before tacking on three more in the third.  A pair of runs in both the fourth and fifth frames saw the Panthers finish with an 8-0 win in five innings.

Bunch was the star for UNI once again, going a perfect 4-4 with four RBI and a run scored.  She had four of the Panthers 12 hits.  Emily Lockhart threw the first four innings for the Aces while Ashleigh Downing went 1/3.  Jaclyn Spencer got the win for UNI, allowing three hits in five innings while fanning eight.

Up next for UE is a 3-game series at Southern Illinois.  The Aces and Salukis meet up next weekend in Carbondale.