EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball swept a doubleheader from Morehead State University, 9-5 and 14-6, Sunday afternoon at German American Bank Park at Charles Braun Stadium in Evansville. USI is 15-15 overall and 6-2 in the OVC, while MSU goes to 10-18, 1-7 OVC.
Game 1:
USI rallied from a 5-0 deficit, scoring six times in the bottom of the eighth, to win the opening game, 9-5.
The MSU Eagles built a 5-0 lead after five and a half frames, scoring three in the third and single tallies in the fifth and sixth. Morehead State also had USI’s bats stymied and without a hit until the bottom of the sixth.
USI started their comeback in the sixth by scoring three times to cut the deficit to 5-3. The three-run rally was highlighted by a two single by junior third baseman/leftfielder Patrick McLellan.
The score would remain 5-3 until the bottom of the eighth when USI exploded for six runs to take a 9-5 advantage. The six-run rally was punctuated by an RBI triple by McLennan to tie the score, 5-5; an RBI double by junior first baseman Kannon Coakley for a 6-5 lead; and a three-run home run by sophomore second baseman/third baseman Parker Martin to seal the 9-5 win. The home run was Martin’s first of the season.
McLellan and Martin led the way for USI with three RBIs each, while Martin also had a team-high two hits in the win. USI junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens saw his 17-game hitting streak end, going hitless in four at-bats.
USI graduate left-hander Camden Dimidjian picked up the victory in relief. Dimidjian (1-1) got his first win as a Screaming Eagle by going three innings and allowing one run on two hits. He also struck out two in the three innings.
USI senior right-hander Ian Anderson picked up his first USI save by striking out the side in the ninth after entering with the bases loaded and no one out.
Game 2:
USI junior right-hander Blake Kimball threw seven strong innings and sophomore third baseman Parker Martin drove in five RBIs to lead the Screaming Eagles to a 14-6 win in the nightcap.
The Screaming Eagles opened the nightcap with a 1-0 lead when junior shortstop Clayton Slack scored on a groundout by junior leftfielder Patrick McLellan. The lead would only hold until the top of the second when Morehead State took the lead for the first time, 2-1.
USI bounced back to tie the score in the third on an RBI ground out by junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens. Morehead State responded right back with a tally in the top of the fourth to regain the lead, 3-2, and would hold the margin until the bottom of the fifth when the Screaming Eagles exploded for six runs on six hits to lead 8-3. Martin led the offensive explosion with a two-run double.
The Screaming Eagles added two more runs in the seventh and sealed the victory with four more in the eighth. Martin, once again, led the offensive punch with a two-run blast in the seventh and an RBI walk in the eighth.
Martin was three-for-seven in the doubleheader with two runs scored and eight RBIs.
Kimball (4-3) was dominant in seven innings of work, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks. He also tied a season-high with five strikeouts.
USI senior right-hander Hiroyuki Yamada and freshman right-hander Colin Wolfe finished the game on the mound for the Screaming Eagles. Yamada threw a third of an inning, allowing three runs, while Wolfe threw 1.2 scoreless innings.
