The University of Southern Indiana baseball team rallied twice to defeat Missouri University of Science & Technology, 7-5, on the first day of the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Thursday morning in Quincy, Illinois. USI sees its record go to 34-19 overall, while Missouri S&T watches its mark go to 35-18.

The Screaming Eagles began the scoring in the opening frame when sophomore second baseman Sam Griggs(Evanville, Indiana) singled in senior centerfielderHamilton Carr (Evansville, Indiana) to put USI on top, 1-0. The lead would last until the top of the second when the Miners scored a pair of tallies to lead, 2-1.

After Missouri S&T increased the lead to 3-1, USI rallied for the first time to take the lead 4-3 with a three-run fifth inning. Griggs singled in his second RBI of the game before senior catcher Ryan Bertram(Zionsville, Indiana) blasted a two-run home run to put the Eagles out in front.

The Miners erased the Eagles lead with a pair of tallies in the top of the sixth and jumped back in front, 5-4.USI, however, was not to be denied in the NCAA II Midwest Regional opening game by regaining the lead for good with two in the bottom half of the sixth to make the score 6-5.

Senior shortstop Kyle Niemeier (Evansville, Indiana) drove in the eventual game winning run and sixth with an RBI-single through the right side of the infield. Carr had tied the game one batter earlier with a ground out.

The Eagles picked up an insurance run in the eighth inning when freshman pinch runner Jacob Fleming (Evansville, Indiana) scored on a throwing for the final score of 7-5.

Griggs and Bertram led the way for USI with two RBIs each, while sophomore designated hitter designated hitter Joe Reburn (Newburgh, Indiana) tied a career-high with a team-best three hits.

On the mound, junior right-hander Lucas Barnett (Sellersburg, Indiana) picked up his team-best seventh win of the year in six tough innings of work. Barnett (7-5) allowed five runs on nine hits and two walks, while striking out four.

Senior right-handed closer T.J. Decker (Brazil, Indiana) closed out the game for the Eagles by pitching the final three frames for his team-high seventh save of the year. Decker allowed one hit and two walks, while striking out one.

The fourth-seeded Eagles advance in the winners bracket Friday at 5 p.m. and will play top-seeded and host Quincy University. The Hawks rose to 38-16 after defeating eighth-seeded Alderson Broaddus University, 20-0.

University of Southern Indiana Women’s Golf senior Anastasia Carter (Granger, Indiana) sits in a tie for 36^th after round two of the NCAA Division II National Championships at CommonGround Golf Course. Carter’s 73 in the second round bested her round one score by six strokes.

With birdies on 11 and 12, Carter was two strokes under-par in her first three holes of round two. Consecutive bogeys on 13 and 14 brought her back to even-par, just before an eagle on the par-five 15^th. Carter’s combined score for the three par fives on the back nine was three under-par. Closing her first nine with a bogey and two pars, Carter carded a 35 (-1) on the back nine.

Moving to the front nine, Carter recorded bogeys on holes one, five and eight. She ended her round with her third birdie of the day to finish the front with a 38 (+2). With her one-over round of 73, Carter moved 20 spots up the leaderboard after finishing the first round in a tie for 56^th.

Hally Leadbetter of Rollins College leads all individuals at the event after her round of 69 on Thursday. Leadbetter’s total for the event sits at 141, giving her a two-stroke lead. Four players sit in a tie for second, each carding rounds of one under in the second round.

Rollins remains in the lead for teams competing at the national championships, after having a share of the lead at the conclusion of the first round. The defending national champion University of Indianapolis moved into second place with a team score of two-under-par (286) in the second round. Dallas Baptist University remains in third place, 13 strokes off the pace set by Rollins, with a total score of 591.

The third round will see Carter paired with Kasey Frazier of Wheeling Jesuit University and Caroline Fredensborg of Arkansas Tech University.  The group will tee off at 9:50 a.m. (CDT), central starting on the back nine.

University of Southern senior shortstop Kyle Niemeier (Evansville, Indiana) was named first-team Division II Conference Commissioners Association All-Midwest Region by the Division II Sports Information Directors. The All-Region honor was the first of Niemeier’s career.

Niemeier, who was named first-team All-GLVC East Division last week, ranks third on the Screaming Eagles with a .343 average. The senior shortstop also has posted career-highs with 32 RBIs and 41 runs scored after he was two-for-five with a run scored and the game-winning RBI today in the Eagles’ win over Missouri University of Science & Technology.

In addition to Niemeier, senior outfielder Kyle Kempf (Evansville, Indiana), senior catcher Ryan Bertram(Zionsville, Indiana), and junior right-handed pitcher Devin Williams (Evansville, Indiana) were named to the Midwest Region second team.

Bertram leads the Eagles in hitting this spring with a .352 batting average with 43 RBIs and three home runs. The first-team All-GLVC East catcher hit his career-best third home run of the season in the victory over Missouri S&T, while the two-run blast gave him a new career-high in RBIs.

USI’s all-time leader in hits, Kempf is second on the team in hitting with a .348 batting average. The 2016 preseason All-American and first-team All-GLVC East performer is third on the team with 42 RBIs, while tying Bertram for third on the team with three home runs.

Williams was tied for first on the team with a 5-3 mark before going down with an injury two weeks ago. The junior right-hander remains in the lead for the Eagles with a 1.95 ERA, while posting four complete games and two shutouts in 12 starts.

The Eagles continue NCAA II Midwest Region play Friday at 5 p.m. when they play top-seeded Quincy University.