EVANSVILLE, Ind. — University of Southern Indiana Baseball comes home for the first time in nine games when it opens the Ohio Valley Conference 2024 schedule by hosting Tennessee Tech University this weekend. The series start Friday with a 6 p.m. first pitch before continuing Saturday at 3 p.m. and concluding Sunday at 1 p.m.
Links to follow the Eagles during the opening weekend of 2024 can be found on USIScreamingEagles.com and on the USI Baseball Schedule.
This week’s game promotions include “Jersey Day” Saturday and “Family Day” Sunday. Fans get a free ticket Saturday when they wear a baseball jersey to the game, while kids 12-and-under are admitted free on “Family Day” and run the bases after the game.
This weekend is the last chance to catch the Eagles at home in March before they hit the road for a game at Ball State University March 26 and visit Morehead State University March 28-30 to close out the month.
USI Baseball Notes:
Second season of OVC play. USI will start its second season of OVC action this weekend when it hosts Tennessee Tech University this weekend. The Screaming Eagles reached the OVC Tournament last spring, losing in the first round.
USI predicted 8th in 2024 OVC. The USI Screaming Eagles are predicted to place eighth in the Ohio Valley Conference in 2024.
USI finishes road swing, 5-4. The Eagles were 5-4 in the longest road swing since 2018 when USI played 11 games away from the USI Baseball Field in the GLVC Tournament, the NCAA II Midwest Regional, and the NCAA II Baseball Championship. USI was 7-4 in that run through the post-season.
USI falls in road trip finale. USI lost the road trip finale at Western Kentucky University, 5-3. USI sophomore shortstop Caleb Niehaus led the Eagles with two RBI in the loss.
USI gets one vs. Illinois. The Screaming Eagles lost a pair of heartbreakers, 2-1 and 6-5, to the University of Illinois before salvaging the series finale, 8-3. Senior designated hitter Jack Ellis led the USI hitters with a home run in each of the games.
USI last week. The Screaming Eagles were 4-2 last week, including a doubleheader sweep of Bellarmine University, a single-game win over Middle Tennessee State University, and losing a three-game series at Illinois. Senior designated hitter Jack Ellis led USI by hitting .476 with seven runs scored, three home runs, and eight RBI. Senior rightfielder Ren Tachioka followed with a .462 average (12-26) with five runs scored and seven RBI.
Screaming Eagles on the bump last week. USI junior right-hander Gavin Morris had a team-best two wins last week, while freshman right-hander Grant Parson had the best start of last week, throwing six scoreless innings in getting a no-decision at Illinois.
Eagles on the road swing. The Eagles are 5-3 on the road swing, entering the final road game with Western Kentucky University Tuesday. Senior designated hitter Jack Ellis is batting .480 during the road trip (12-25) with three home runs and eight RBI in five games. Senior first baseman/designated hitter Tucker Ebest has driven in a team-best 11 RBI during the first eight games of the trip. Junior right-hander Gavin Morris leads the staff with two wins.
Archuleta gets 700th win. USI Head Coach Tracy Archuleta reached 700 career wins after the Screaming Eagles defeated Middle Tennessee State University on Tuesday. He is the winningest coach in the history of the program with 552 victories in 17-plus years.
First series sweep since 2022. The Eagles three-game sweep of Bellarmine University March 10-11 was the first series sweep since USI took four from the University of Indianapolis to end the 2022 season.
TTU in 2024. The Golden Eagles of Tennessee Tech University are 12-9 overall this season after falling 8-4 at home to the University of North Alabama Tuesday. TTU also has won six of the last 10 games heading into the start of the OVC schedule.
USI vs. TTU. The Screaming Eagles won the first ever series with the Golden Eagles, 2-1, last season and earned a spot in the OVC Tournament on the final day of the regular season.
Ball State in 2024. The Cardinals head into the weekend with a 10-11 record with four games to play before facing the Eagles. Ball State is 6-8 since playing the Eagles in February.
USI vs. Ball State. Ball State leads the all-time series, 3-0, after defeating USI in February, 10-4, at the USI Baseball Field. USI junior outfielder Terrick Thompson-Allen led the Eagles with two hits, a run scored, and two RBI in the loss.
