EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana junior shortstop Clayton Slack singled in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Screaming Eagles to an 8-7 victory over the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Sunday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. USI is 12-15 overall and 4-2 in the OVC after the second game of the series, while Little Rock goes to 10-18, 1-5 in the OVC.
USI was in a hole to start the game as Little Rock scored five times in the top of the first to lead 5-0. USI junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens pushed the Eagles’ first run of the game across in the bottom of the first with an RBI single that extended his hitting streak to 16 games.
The 16-game streak is the longest by any Screaming Eagle since Logan Brown produced a 21-game stretch in 2018.
The Trojans re-extended the lead back to five runs with a tally in the second before the Screaming Eagles exploded for four runs in the third to pull to within one, 6-5. Slack led the charge in the four-run frame with a two-run single to finish the scoring in the inning.
In the top of the fifth, the Trojans threatened to take command once again, loading the bases with no one out, but USI junior left-hander Jake Porter struck out the side to preserve USI’s one-run deficit.
USI pulled ahead for the first time, 7-6, with a tally to tie the score in the fifth and another in the sixth on an RBI double by Kitchens. Little Rock tied the game in the seventh, 7-7, with a home run and set the stage for Slack and USI in the ninth.
In the ninth, Kitchens reached on an error, while sophomore pinch runner Anthony Umbach pinch ran and advanced to second when junior third baseman Patrick McLellan reached on a walk. Umbach advanced to third on a fly out by junior first baseman Kannon Coakley and scored the 8-7, USI game-winner on the single by Slack.
On the mound, USI senior right-hander Ian Anderson picked up his second win in relief. Anderson (2-0) pitched four innings, allowing one run on one hit, while striking out two.
Porter preceded Anderson to the mound, throwing three scoreless relief innings, allowing four hits and a walk. He also struck out a season-high six batters.
