Southern Indiana 7, Wayne State 2 (Mar 05, 2016 at Evansville, IN)
———————————————————————-
Wayne State…………. 100 000 010 – 2 7 3 (1-4)
Southern Indiana…. 000 111 40X – 7 9 3 (5-3)
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Pitchers: Wayne State – Horvath,Chris; Horn,Taylor(7); Pawelek,Addison(7) and Kelly,Justin.
Southern Indiana – Williams, Devin; Decker, T.J.(6); Gulledge, Ryan(9); Hudson, Colin(9) and
Brown, Logan.
Win-Williams, Devin(1-1) Loss-Horvath,Chris(0-2) T-2:48 A-390
Game: 8-WSU
BOX SCORE VS. TNU (HTML)
Southern Indiana 9, Trevecca Nazarene 4 (Mar 05, 2016 at Evansville, IN)
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Trevecca Nazarene… 000 003 001 – 4 13 4 (6-6)
Southern Indiana….. 010 314 00X – 9 6 2 (6-3)
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Pitchers: Trevecca Nazarene – Bolton, John; Newman, Jon(5); Carvell, Jase(6); Sisk, Austin(6);
Peters, Jesse(7); Dunn, Mason(8) and Burns, Tyler. Southern Indiana – Holder, Alex and
Bertram, Ryan.
Win-Holder, Alex(1-1) Loss-Bolton, John(2-1) T-2:46 A-390
Game: 9-TNU

The University of Southern Indiana baseball team posted a pair of victories Saturday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field, defeating Wayne State University, 7-2, and 20^th-ranked Trevecca Nazarene University, 9-4. USI sees its record go to 6-3 mark, while WSU goes to 1-4 and Trevecca finished the day 6-6.

USI junior rightfielder Kyle Kempf (Evansville, Indiana) smashed a three-run triple and scored on an error to seal a 7-2 victory over Wayne State in the Screaming Eagles’ first game of the day. The Eagles, who trailed 1-0 before scoring seven unanswered runs, also had RBI base hits from senior centerfielder Hamilton Carr (Evansville, Indiana), sophomore leftfielder Drake McNamara (Mt. Vernon, Indiana), and senior designated hitter Ryan Bertram (Zionsville, Indiana).

On the mound, junior right-hander Devin Williams (Evansville, Indiana) posted his first win as an Eagle. Williams (1-1) allowed an unearned run on five hits and three walks, while striking out four in 5.2 innings of work.

The Eagles were out hit by Trevecca Nazarene, but took advantage of four Trojan errors to win 9-4 in their nightcap. USI scored once in the first, three in the fourth, one in the fifth, and four in the sixth get the victory.

Carr, senior first baseman Andrew Cope (Evansville, Indiana), and sophomore leftfielder Buddy Johnson(Shelbyville, Kentucky) had two RBIs each to lead the way for the Eagles.

USI senior right-hander Alex Holder (Princeton, Indiana) got the complete game victory against Trevecca. Holder (1-1) allowed four runs, one earned, on 13 hits, while striking out four in his nine innings of work.

The Eagles concludes their 10-game homestand and the USI Invitational Sunday when they host Wayne State University for a noon first pitch. Live coverage of the game can be found at GoUSIEagles.com.

(IceMen score five goals in the first period, coast to third straight win.)
Records: Evansville: 22-25-6-2; Tulsa: 28-23-3-2

Goalies: TUL – Olkinuora (L), 5-6-1-1, 7 saves
TUL – Carr (-), 21-17-2-0, 8 saves
EVN – Bengtsberg (W), 8-10-4-1, 31 saves

Scoring:
1st Period: 1. EVN – Duco 7 (Sims, :23); 2. EVN – Penny 7 (PP, Moon, Rumble, 2:35); 3. EVN – Humphries 2 (Leveille, Penny, 12:00); 4. EVN – Harrison 2 (Himelson, Dunn, 18:41); 5. EVN – Duco 8 (Fawcett, Sims, 19:38)
2nd Period: No Scoring
3rd Period: 6. TUL – Brewer 19 (DeSalvo, Johnston, 3:37); 7. TUL – Vladykovskii 1 (DeSalvo, Pleskach, 15:00); 8. EVN – Moon 12 (EN, unassisted, 16:01)

EVANSVILLE, IN – The Evansville IceMen exploded for five goals in the first period Saturday and coasted to their second straight 6-2 win over the Tulsa Oilers at the Ford Center. It was Evansville’s third consecutive victory and eighth straight home game with at least a point.

Veteran Mike Duco set the tone early, when he scooped up a bouncing puck off of a Tulsa turnover and ripped a shot into the top corner over the glove of Oilers goalie Jussi Olkinuora 23 seconds into the game. Late in a 5-on-3 power play, Ryan Penny batted in a loose puck to make it 2-0 just 2:35 in. Later in the period, Spencer Humphries scored the third IceMen goal after catching a pass in the right circle and snapping a shot under the crossbar.

The IceMen weren’t done. Still in the first period, Andrew Harrison fired home a one-timer in the left circle with 1:19 left. Then Duco bookended the opening period scoring with a shot that snuck under Olkinuora’s blocker from the short side with 22 seconds left.

There were only 14 combined shots in the second period with no scoring as the IceMen carried their 5-0 lead into the third. Evansville goalie Christoffer Bengtsberg made 16 saves in the first two frames, while Kevin Carr replaced Olkinuora at the start of the second and stopped all five shots.

The Oilers snapped Bengtsberg’s shutout 3:37 into the third period, when Phil Brewer stashed a rebound into an open net for his second goal of the weekend. Tulsa added another when Igor Vladykovskii deflected a puck through a net-mouth scramble over the goal line. Nathan Moon added a full-length empty net goal with 3:59 left to complete the 6-2 win. Bengtsberg finished with 31 saves.

The IceMen wrap up the weekend with a 5:15pm game Sunday against the Wichita Thunder at the Ford Center. It will be the third and final meeting of the season, after the Thunder won the first two January 3 and 27. Sunday is Faith Night in Evansville, and the band Mission 6 will be performing after the game. Fans can present their faith service program or pamphlet at the Ford Center Ticket Office for $5 off any ticket in the building.

UPCOMING HOME GAMES
Sun. 3/6 – Wichita at Evansville (5:15pm) – Ford Center
Faith Night / Subway Family Night / Last Day of Book Drive
Wed. 3/9 – Quad City at Evansville (6:15pm) – Ford Center
College Night
Sat. 3/12 – Indy at Evansville (7:15pm) – Ford Center
Baby Races
Sun. 3/13 – Quad City at Evansville (5:15pm) – Ford Center
Subway Family Night

MARCH BOOK DRIVE
Evansville’s Book Drive finishes Sunday when the IceMen take on the Wichita Thunder. Bookmarks will be handed out for every book donated, and anyone with a bookmark can present it at the Ford Center Ticket Office for a $6 ticket anywhere in the arena for the IceMen game Wednesday March 9th against Quad City. All of the books will be donated to Evansville Hangers.

FAITH SUNDAYS
Bring any pamphlet or program from your faith service to the Ford Center Ticket Office and receive a $5 discount on tickets anywhere in the building for Sunday home games! There are three remaining Sunday home games: March 6, 13 and 20. Also, stay for the free postgame faith concert after the Sunday, March 6 game against Wichita. All Sunday games are scheduled for 5:15pm.

SUNDAY – SUBWAY FAMILY NIGHT
Bring your friends and family out to the Ford Center Sunday by taking advantage of the Subway Family Night ticket special. It includes a Goal Zone or Corner ticket to the game, an IceMen Subway t-shirt, and vouchers for popcorn and a soda, all for just $21. There is also an opportunity to upgrade to Center Ice or Club seats for just $4 more. Evansville hosts Quad City this Sunday at 5:15pm.

POSTGAME SKATE – MARCH 20
IceMen Season Ticket Holders and Blizzard Buddies are welcome to participate in a postgame skate Sunday, March 20 after the IceMen take on the Cincinnati Cyclones at 5:15pm at the Ford Center. Fans are encouraged to bring their own skates if they have them, as a limited number of skates will be provided.

FRIDAY HAT PACKS
Get a ticket and a limited edition IceMen hat for only $20 for any Friday home game the rest of the season! This offer is good for any of the remaining Friday games at the Ford Center: February 26, March 4 and April 1. Call the IceMen front office at 812-421-GOAL (4625) for details.

DOMINO’S 4-GAME HAT PACK
Choose any four IceMen home games and get a FREE limited edition IceMen hat and a large 1-topping Domino’s pizza, starting at only $17 per ticket. Call the IceMen front office at 812-421-GOAL (4625) for details.

Down to their last out and trailing by three runs on Saturday, the University of Evansville baseball team battled back to pick up an 11-10 win in 10 innings over visiting Northern Illinois at Charles H. Braun Stadium.

“Our offense showed a lot of fight today,” UE head coach Wes Carroll said. “We didn’t play our best baseball, but fortunately, we were able to find a couple of quality at-bats in the ninth to come back and tie it up and then again in the 10^th to scratch across the winning runs.”

As the game entered the bottom of the ninth, it looked as if NIU (1-9) had grabbed hold of the comeback narrative as the Huskies rallied from a six-run deficit to grab a 9-6 lead. Things would keep going NIU’s way early in the ninth as NIU pitcher Joey Ceja sat down the first two UE hitters on just five pitches.

However, a Josh Jyawook single would get things started for the Aces (5-4), and Jonathan Ramon followed up with a triple to right to cash in the first score. Eric McKibban doubled home another in the ensuing at-bat before Korbin Williams followed up with a double of his own to plate the equalizer.

A fielding error resulted in another score for NIU in the top of the 10^th, but Nate Reeder, the hero of Friday’s win over the Huskies, got things going once again for the Aces. The freshman led off the inning with a double down the left field line, and a ground out and wild pitch brought him home to even things up. Both Shain Showers and Jyawook walked to load the bases and chase NIU reliever Aaron Rumfield from the mound. However, the pitching change didn’t result in much of a difference for the UE line-up as McKibban earned a bases-loaded walk to give the Aces their fourth consecutive victory.

McKibban led the way offensively for UE as he finished 3-for-5 with a pair of runs and three runs batted in, and Reeder registered three hits on the day as well, scoring twice. Ramon, Jyawook and Showers also enjoyed two-hit days as UE out-hit the visitors from DeKalb, Ill., 15-9.

The Aces drew first blood in the contest when Bommer Synek grounded out in the third cash in the first score of the game. Singles from Showers and Jyawook drove in three more to make it 4-0, and a pair of errors in the fifth resulted in two runs as the Aces took a 6-0 lead.

Brandon Gomer, who did not surrender a run over the opening five innings on the mound for UE, gave up a pair over the course of a four-run sixth for the Huskies. The freshman right-hander ended the game with two earned runs on one hit and a pair of walks over 5.1 innings of work.

The Huskies would add three more in the seventh to take their first lead of the weekend and set the stage for the dramatic ninth inning.

Brent Jurceka (3-0), who allowed one unearned run in the 10^th, picked up his second victory in as many days, while NIU’s Jon Savarise was pegged with the loss.

UE will be back in action on Sunday as the team will welcome back Northern Illinois for the weekend finale at Braun Stadium at 1 p.m.

Evansville to face UNI on Sunday at 1 p.m.

ST LOUIS –For the second time since joining the league in 1994, the University of Evansville men’s basketball team will play in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship Game after defeating Indiana State, 68-42, in the semifinals on Saturday at the Scottrade Center.

Evansville (25-8) will now face UNI in the championship game on Sunday at 1 p.m. on CBS.

“Just really proud, really happy four our team,” Aces head coach Marty Simmons said.  “Most young kids grow up dreaming of having this opportunity and our guys worked really hard.  They’ve done a great job of staying together and we just feel really fortunate.”

The Aces scored the first five points of the game and never looked back, leading by as many as 30 before taking the 68-42.  D.J. Balentine led the charge with 14 points while also notching six assists.  He was one of four to score double figures for the Aces.  Blake Simmons hit three triples on his way to 13 points.  Jaylon Brown finished the night with 11 points while Mislav Brzoja had 10 points and 9 rebounds.

UE won its 25^th game of the season, tying the program Division I mark, which was set in the 1988-89 campaign.  That year, UE made the NCAA Tournament, playing Seton Hall.

A 3-for-4 start from the floor saw the Purple Aces scoot out to a 10-4 lead.  UE scored the first five points of the game and added to it from there as Jaylon Brown and Adam Wing knocked down early triples.

Indiana State (15-17) got within three, but the triples kept finding the bottom of the net for the Aces, who hit five in the first half.  Blake Simmons hit two in the opening stanza before one from Mislav Brzoja put the Aces up 25-15.  The lead extended to 15 points on three occasions, including the halftime score of 37-22.

UE continued to add to the lead in the second half, going up by as many as 30 points before taking the 68-42 win.  The Aces shot 41.1% for the game and finished with a 46-38 advantage on the glass.  ISU hit 25.5% of their attempts.  Devonte Brown was the lone double digit scorer for ISU, posting 15.

Blake Simmons has waited a lifetime for tomorrow’s opportunity and is ready to go.

“It’s still hard to wrap our minds around that tomorrow we’re playing for a chance to make the NCAA Tournament,” he said.  “We can’t wait, we’re really excited for the opportunity.

The University of Southern Indiana men’s tennis team defeated Austin Carson Newman University, 8-1, Friday afternoon on the road in Jefferson City, Tennessee. The 33rd ranked Screaming Eagles move to 3-2 with the win in their first of three matches this weekend.

Jack Joyce<http://gousieagles.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2437> (Bournemouth, England) lead USI picking up two nearly perfect wins. Joyce and his doubles partner Aaron Barris<http://gousieagles.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2436> (Marietta, Georgia) picked up the first decision of the day with an 8-2 win at number one doubles. Joyce would later go on to a win at number three singles only dropping one game in the match winning 6-1, 6-0. Joyce was the lone Screaming Eagle to win to matches in the contest.

Senior Joel Stern<http://gousieagles.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2442> (Mjoelby, Sweden) picked up the fifth and deciding point for USI in sealing the victory at number five singles. Stern defeated Carson-Newman’s Kevin Mendes 7-5, 6-4. The other doubles win for USI came at number three with the duo of Jack Lipchik<http://gousieagles.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2441> (Kokomo, Indiana) and Andrew Dones<http://gousieagles.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2513>(Georgetown, Indiana) picking up their first win together.

It is a short turnaround for USI as they travel along I-81 in Tennessee for a 10 a.m. match tomorrow morning with King University.
University of Southern Indiana Men’s Tennis
Southern Indiana vs Carson-Newman (Mar 04, 2016)
Southern Indiana 8, Carson-Newman 1
Mar 04, 2016 at

Singles competition
1. Samuel Kiladejo (USI) def. Joao Pedro Oliveira (C-N) 6-3, 6-7, 6-5
2. James Hardiman (USI) def. Juan Sebastian Perez (C-N) 6-0, 6-3
3. Jack Joyce (USI) def. Stefano Daza (C-N) 6-1, 6-0
4. Anthony Van Rompay (USI) def. Marc Bantel (C-N) 7-6, 6-4
5. Joel Stern (USI) def. Kevin Mendes (C-N) 7-5, 6-4
6. Paul Forichon (USI) def. Jesus Barcete (C-N) 3-6, 6-2, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. Jack Joyce/Aaron Barris (USI) def. Stefano Daza/Juan Sebastian Perez (C-N) 8-2
2. Joao Pedro Oliveira/Jesus Barcete (C-N) def. Paul Forichon/Samuel Kiladejo (USI) 9-8
3. Jack Lipchik/Andrew Dones (USI) def. Lee Presson/Kevin Mendes (C-N) 8-3

Match Notes
Southern Indiana 2-2
Carson-Newman 1-3
T-4:00 A-35

Aces face Illinois State or Indiana State on Saturday

ST LOUIS –It was the senior trio of D.J. Balentine, Adam Wing and Egidijus Mockevicius pacing the squad once again as they led the University of Evansville men’s basketball team to a 66-56 win over Missouri State in the quarterfinals of Arch Madness on Friday evening at Scottrade Center.

With the win, UE will face either Illinois State or Indiana State on Saturday at 5 p.m.  The game will be carried on the CBS Sports Network.

Balentine recorded 21 points as he knocked down 8 of his 17 attempts.  Wing finished the night with 13 points while Mockevicius posted his 10^th double-double and national leading 27^th of the season.  He had 12 points and 18 rebounds; his tally of 18 is the most in an MVC Tournament game since it moved to St. Louis 26 years ago.  In three games against the Bears (13-19) this season, Mockevicius has averaged 17 boards.  Joining the trio was junior Jaylon Brown, who notched 11 points and 6 rebounds.

For UE (24-8) head coach Marty Simmons, it marked the 150^th victory in his time at Evansville.
“It was a tough game.  I want to give Coach Lusk, his assistants and his team a lot of credit.  They have battled through a lot of adversity and they play extremely hard.  It was a very competitive game,” Simmons said.  “We’re extremely happy and pleased to move on.  I felt like we did some good things and its always good to advance.”

Shots were falling in for the Aces as they connected on five of their first six attempts to take a 12-8 lead in the opening moments.  Mockevicius posted 6 points and 5 boards over that span as UE took the early advantage.  Evansville would take a 20-14 lead before a Chris Kendrix triple cut the gap to 20-17.

At that point, DJ Balentine found his groove.  A triple capped off what would be a 7-0 run that pushed Evansville’s lead to double figures for the first time at 27-17 with 8:27 remaining in the opening period.  Over the final minutes of the half, the Bears defense held the Aces to 1-of-15 shooting as the Aces also missed their final nine shots.  They outscored UE by an 8-2 margin to make it a 29-25 game at the break.

Missouri State continued to fight in the second half.  In the first minute, a triple by Wing put UE up 34-27, but a 7-0 stretch saw the Bears tie it right up at 34-34 just over two minutes later.  With the score tied at 36, Evansville made its move, scoring six in a row and never looking back.

With 7:57 remaining, the Bears cut the gap to three at 48-45 on a Dequon Miller layup.  That is where Balentine took over.  Back-to-back triples put the Aces up nine and they were able to hang on from there.  MSU got within seven in the final minutes, but that was it as UE was able to survive and advance.

The Aces now have their eyes set on either Illinois State or Indiana State.  UE split the season series with both in 2016.

“We’re thankful to be in the position that we’re in,” Wing commented.  “Our senior class had never made it to the semifinals before and we are so excited.”

Balentine echoed those sentiments.

“Whoever we play, we’re going to be ready to go,” he said.