USI Softball draws UIndy in NCAA Tourney Opener
University of Southern Indiana Softball will open its fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament against the same team it played in its Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament opener a week ago, the University of Indianapolis.
The Screaming Eagles (31-22) will take on the Greyhounds (39-18) for the second time in a week when the two teams meet in the opening round of the NCAA II Midwest Region #1 Tournament Thursday at 1:30 p.m. (CDT) in Allendale, Michigan. USI defeated Indianapolis, 4-0, to open the GLVC Tournament last week. USI enters as the No. 5 seed, while Indianapolis is the No. 4 seed.
Top-seeded Grand Valley State University will host the sub-regional May 10-12 in Allendale, Michigan, and will take on the No. 8 seed, Hillsdale College, in the other first round game. Grand Valley State was the automatic qualifier from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference; while Hillsdale won the Great Midwest Athletic Conference to earn its spot in the regional.
GLVC regular-season champion and No. 2 seed University of Illinois Springfield is the host of the other sub-regional and will take on the No. 7 seed, Saginaw Valley State University. McKendree University earned the No. 3 seed and will face the No. 6 seed, University of Missouri-St. Louis in the opening round.
USI, which captured its first GLVC Tournament title since 1998 and fourth in program history this past weekend, is making its fourth straight trip to the NCAA II Tournament, fifth in the last six years and eighth in program history.
WSWI 95.7 FM will carry this week’s games on the radio, while live stats, video and audio links will be accessible at GoUSIEagles.com.
USI Softball Notes
• Eagles win GLVC Tournament. USI Softball captured its first GLVC Tournament crown since 1998 and its fourth in program history after sweeping through the GLVC Tournament last week. The Eagles, who became the first No. 6 seed to win the GLVC Tournament since Northern Kentucky in 2009, opened with a 4-0 win over the No. 3 seed, Indianapolis, before trouncing the No. 2 seed, McKendree, 10-0, later in the day. USI concluded the tournament with a 6-1 win over Missouri-St. Louis Friday before defeating the Tritons, 4-2, in the championship Saturday.
• Last week’s leaders (at the plate). Senior first baseman Marleah Fossett and senior outfielder Olivia Clark-Kittleson led the Eagles at the plate last week. Fossett hit .583 with two doubles, two home runs and seven RBIs, while Clark-Kittleson hit .400 with a home run and three RBIs. As a team, the Eagles hit .330 with junior second baseman Claire Johnson hitting .385 with four runs scored and sophomore outfielder Allison Schubert hitting .364 with four RBIs.
• Last week’s leaders (in the circle). Sophomore pitcher Jennifer Leonhardt went 3-0 with a 1.00 ERA, 26 strikeouts and a .160 opponent batting average. She threw a one-hit shutout in the Eagles’ win over Indianapolis and allowed just three runs in two games against Missouri-St. Louis. Juniors Caitlyn Bradley and Haylee Smith combined for a five-hit shutout in USI’s win over McKendree.
• All-GLVC honors. Senior third baseman Mena Fulton earned first-team All-GLVC honors, while Leonhardt and Schubert were named second-team All-GLVC last week. It is the first All-League honors for both Fulton and Schubert, while Leonhardt was first-team All-GLVC as well as the GLVC Freshman of the Year in 2017.
• Back in the NCAA II Tournament. USI is back in the NCAA II Tournament for the fourth consecutive year and fifth time in the last six seasons. The Eagles, who captured their first-ever Midwest Region title a year ago, have advanced to the NCAA II post-season eight times, including six under Head Coach Sue Kunkle.
• Kunkle grabs 500th win. USI Head Coach Sue Kunkle became the first coach in USI history to earn 500 career wins when she recorded her 500th victory with USI’s 4-0 GLVC Tournament win over Indianapolis. She is currently 503-360-1 (.583) all-time during her 17-year career at the helm of the Eagles.
• USI vs. UIndy. USI and Indianapolis are playing an opening-round game for the second-time in eight days when the two teams play in the first round of the NCAA II Midwest Region #1 Tournament. The Eagles defeated the Greyhounds, 4-0, to begin the GLVC Tournament.
• Similar to last year. USI’s sub-regional pod looks somewhat similar to the one it hosted a year ago. USI, Grand Valley State and Indianapolis were joined by Saginaw Valley State when the Eagles hosted the 2017 Midwest Region #2 Tournament; while Hillsdale will replace the SVSU this season. USI, GVSU and UIndy also were in the same pod when the Greyhounds hosted in 2016.
• USI-Grand Valley have NCAA II Tournament history. A potential USI-Grand Valley State NCAA II Tournament matchup is nothing new for the Eagles and Lakers. USI and GVSU have met in the NCAA II Tournament in each of the last three seasons, with the Eagles taking 2-of-3 from the Lakers. USI also was in the 2013 NCAA II Midwest Region #2 Tournament that GVSU hosted in 2013; while the Lakers and Eagles both were in the 2006 NCAA II Great Lakes Region Tournament in Edwardsville, Illinois.
• Three title holders. USI is one of three conference champions to play in this week’s NCAA II Midwest Region #1 Tournament. Host Grand Valley State won the GLIAC Tournament, while the No. 8 seed, Hillsdale, won the GMAC Tournament.
• Historic senior class. USI’s senior class—Clark-Kittleson, Fossett, Fulton and infielder Alex Logan—have become the first senior class in program history to advance to the NCAA II Tournament four times. The Eagles senior class has posted a 151-68 overall record and a 77-35 mark in GLVC play and is just one win shy of tying the 2001 senior class for most wins (152).
• Clark-Kittleson goes deep. Clark-Kittleson hit her first collegiate home run in USI’s 4-2 win over Missouri-St. Louis in the GLVC Tournament title game Saturday. It marked her first extra-base hit since April 2, 2016; a span that saw her record 98 singles.
• Leonhardt reaches 200-strikeout plateau. Leonhardt became the second pitcher in program history and the first since 1995 to reach the 200 strikeout plateau. She currently needs 23 strikeouts to match USI Hall of Famer Karianne Osowski’s single-season record of 230.
• Fossett hits second-career grand slam. Fossett recorded her second-career grand slam in USI’s 6-1 win over Missouri-St. Louis in the GLVC Tournament. She also hit a grand slam off of Missouri-St. Louis All-American Hannah Perryman as a sophomore in 2016.
• Leonhardt earns GLVC Pitcher of Week honors. Leonhardt claimed her fourth-career GLVC Pitcher of the Week award and first of the 2018 campaign following her efforts in USI’s wins over Rockhurst and William Jewell earlier this season. She was 3-0 with a 1.02 ERA, 19 strikeouts and a .163 opponent batting average in 13 2/3 innings of work.
• Schubert joins elite club. Schubert is the eighth player in program history to hit 10 or more home runs in a single season. Her 11 home runs in 2018 are currently tied for fifth on USI’s single-season list.
• Hitting streaks. Johnson is currently riding a team-best seven-game hitting streak into the NCAA II Tournament and is one of nine players this season to record a hitting streak of at least five games this year. Her 11-game hitting streak earlier this year remains the team’s longest of the season; while Fulton has a 10-game and a nine-game hitting streak under her belt.
This Week at USI
Wednesday, May 9
Summer I Classes
Summer I classes will begin on Wednesday, May 9.
Open through Friday, May 25
New Harmony Gallery opens new exhibition, Middle Ground
The New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art is hosting a new exhibition, Middle Ground, April 14 through May 25. The exhibition features the work of Kate Burnet, Amelia Volwiler-Stanley and Dan Woerner from Bloomington, Indiana. Dan Woerner and Kate Burnet construct narratives through their animated videos, drawings and installations by weaving together memories of the past with our prospects for the future from fragments of pop culture and other detritus. The exhibition is free and open to the public. Read More
Summer 2018
Summer camps and activities to be offered at USI
Registration is now open for a variety of camps offered this summer through the University of Southern Indiana. The camps each have a different focus, and range from engineering and other STEM-related themes to sports and general enrichment. Visit USI.edu/summer for the full listing of camps and registration information. Read More
STUDENT EVENTS
A collection of events on campus and in the community sponsored by USI student organizations can be found on the USI events calendar by clicking here.
VANDERBURGH COUNTY FELONY CHARGES
  Below are the felony cases to be filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office today.
Rachel Renee Neese: Maintaining a common nuisance – controlled substances (Level 6 Felony), Possession of a controlled substance (Class A misdemeanor)
Pierre Demont Thomas Jr.: Unlawful possession or use of a legend drug (Level 6 Felony), Possession of paraphernalia (Class A misdemeanor)
Rashad Lamar Thompson:Â Attempt Resisting law enforcement (Level 6 Felony), False informing (Class B misdemeanor), Criminal mischief (Class B misdemeanor)
Michael Shawn Robb: Theft (Level 6 Felony)
Matthew Dylan Myers: Possession of methamphetamine (Level 6 Felony), Maintaining a common nuisance – controlled substances (Level 6 Felony)
Wynter Meiggs: Domestic battery (Level 6 Felony)
Jean Dtae Holland: Battery against a public safety official (Level 6 Felony), Intimidation (Level 6 Felony)
Donald Franklin: Domestic battery (Level 6 Felony)
Carleana Ann Lindsey: Domestic battery (Level 6 Felony), Resisting law enforcement (Class A misdemeanor), Disorderly conduct (Class B misdemeanor), Public intoxication (Class B misdemeanor)
Kelvin Simmons: Maintaining a common nuisance – controlled substances (Level 6 Felony), Attempt Obstruction of justice (Level 6 Felony), Possession of a controlled substances (Class A misdemeanor), Possession of marijuana (Class B misdemeanor)
Victor Jermaine Bell: Dealing in a synthetic drug or synthetic drug lookalike substance (Level 6 Felony), Dealing in a synthetic drug or synthetic drug lookalike substance (Level 6 Felony), Dealing in a counterfeit substance (Level 6 Felony), Driving while suspended (Class A misdemeanor)
Justin Michael Harmon: Possession of a synthetic drug or synthetic drug lookalike substance (Level 6 Felony)
Tell City Career & Technology Center Eighth Grade STEM Day
Tell City Career & Technology Center Eighth Grade STEM Day
Tuesday, May 8, 2018, from 8:15 a.m. – Noon
Ivy Tech Tell City Career & Technology Center
1034 31st Street, Tell City
Background: Around 155 eighth graders from Tell City Jr./Sr. High School will participate in the annual Ivy Tech 8th Grade Tour on May 8. Students will tour the campus, participate in interactive lessons with local employers, and enjoy lunch. Students will learn about welding and use a virtual reality welding simulator. Waupaca, Perry County Memorial Hospital, and the U.S. Forestry service will also be there as a part of the interactive lessons.
Two Vehicle Crash on I-64 Claims One Life
Sunday evening at approximately 6:40 p.m., Indiana State Police and Warrick County Sheriff’s Department responded to a two vehicle crash on I-64 westbound near the 32.5 mile-marker that claimed the life of a Shelby County man.
Before the crash occurred, Warrick County 911 Dispatch received two calls about a white Ford pickup truck that had stopped in the travel portion of the interstate for unknown reasons. Minutes after the second call, dispatchers received a 911 call regarding a crash involving a pickup truck and a semi.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the driver of the 2012 Ford pickup truck was parked on the emergency shoulder near the 32.5 mile-marker. Ricky Joe Isham, 48, of Lancaster, KY, was driving a 2017 Freightliner tractor-trailer westbound approaching the pickup truck when for unknown reasons the driver of the pickup truck pulled out into the path of the semi. The semi struck the rear of the pickup truck causing it to strike the guardrail on the south side before coming to a final rest in the passing lane. The driver of the pickup truck was ejected from vehicle upon impact and was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the semi was not injured.
The identity of the Shelby County man will be released after his family has been notified.
The investigating is continuing. The interstate was closed for approximately 4 1/2 hours
McNamara leads the Eagles with record setting day
University of Southern Indiana leftfielder Drake McNamara (Mt. Vernon, Indiana) broke a pair of home run records and tied another in leading the Screaming Eagles to a doubleheader sweep of the University of Indianapolis, 24-7 and 13-10, Sunday in Indianapolis, Indiana. USI watched its record go to 29-19 overall and 15-9 in the GLVC, while UIndy ends the day 28-21, 10-14 GLVC.
Game 1:Â
USI senior leftfielder Drake McNamara blasted three home runs to tie a USI single-game record and set a new USI single-season mark with his third to lead the Eagles to a 24-7 win in the first game. He finished the opening game four-for-five with a career-high three home runs, a double, and a career-high six RBIs.
McNamara’s 15 home runs (16 after a game two shot) broke the 25-year old record set by Kevin Brown in 1993 and tied by Dylan Mooney in 2010, while the three home runs in a game tied the mark set by Van Hook in 1984 and tied by Dennis Humphrey in 1992 and Dylan Mooney in 2009.
The Eagles scored in six of the seven innings, including a six-run third and a 10-run seventh to seal the victory. Senior rightfielder Buddy Johnson (Shelbyville, Kentucky) hit his first collegiate home run, while freshman shortstop Ethan Hunter (Terre Haute, Indiana) crushed his third of the season to join McNamara’s round-tripper parade.
On the mound, senior right-hander Nick Coudret (Newburgh, Indiana) won his second start of the season after going the first 3.1 innings. Coudret (6-2) allowed four runs, one earned, on five hits, while striking out six batters.
Game 2:Â
Senior leftfielder Drake McNamara broke the USI career home run record with a solo blast in the fifth and the Eagles rallied three times to defeat the Greyhounds in 11 innings, 13-10. USI rallied from deficits of 2-0, 5-2, 7-5, and 10-7 before senior first baseman Nick Gobert (Jasper, Indiana) gave the Eagles their first lead of the nightcap with a two-run double in the 11th.
USI senior rightfielder Buddy Johnson sealed the victory in the 11th with a RBI-single for the 13-10 final.
In addition to McNamara’s blast in the fifth, the USI comeback featured a solo shot by senior third baseman Sam Griggs (Evansville, Indiana) in the seventh and a three-run explosion by junior catcher Logan Brown (Mt. Vernon, Indiana) in the eighth.
On the bump, USI senior right-hander Kyle Griffin (Morganfield, Kentucky) got the win in relief. Griffin (4-3) scattered three hits and three walks over 4.1 innings work, while striking out six.
Upcoming GLVC Tournament:Â USI starts the GLVC Tournament, which runs May 10-13 in Springfield, Missouri, as the number three seed from the East Division. The Eagles likely opponent in the opening round will be the West Division’s Quincy University.
Otters’ May promotions start with Opening Weekend at Bosse Field
Grau claims two GLVC Outdoor Championships
University of Southern Indiana Men’s Track & Field senior Bastian Grau (Höchstadt, Germany) claimed a pair of Great Lakes Valley Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships this weekend in Romeoville, Illinois.
Grau’s first championship came in the 1500 meters, where he defended his title from 2017, winning the event in three minutes, 55.53 seconds. Sophomore Austin Nolan(Evansville, Indiana) and senior James Cecil (Owensboro, Kentucky) finished sixth and seventh, respectively.
The Screaming Eagles’ dominance in the 5000 meters continued, as USI has swept the top two spots in the event dating back to 2013. This year was no different, as Grau claimed his second championship of the day just ahead of Nolan. Grau finished in 14:48.11, while Nolan crossed the line in 14:53.92.
Cecil took a spot on the podium in the 3000-meter steeplechase, finishing second in 9:32.90. Another Eagle to finish second was sophomore Darin Lawrence (Indianapolis, Indiana) in the 10,000 meters with a time of 33:21.18.
Other top 10 finishes for the Eagles included freshman Madison King (Avon, Indiana) in the 800 meters (9th), Lawrence in the 5000 meters (9th) and junior Calvin Sander (Jasper, Indiana) in the javelin (9th).
With the two wins, Grau earned two first-team All-GLVC honors, while Lawrence, Nolan and Cecil all earned second-team All-GLVC honors.
As a team, USI placed seventh of 12 teams with 50 points, just 2.5 points behind Bellarmine University. Missouri University of Science & Technology won the team championship with 182.5 points.
The Eagles have one final chance to improve their provisional times with the Dr. Keeler Invitational hosted by North Central College May 10-11 in Naperville, Illinois.