EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana completed a three-game series sweep and clinched a spot in the Ohio Valley Conference Championship in two weeks with a 5-2 win over Southeast Missouri State University Sunday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. USI, which has won four-straight games, is 25-26 overall and 13-11 OVC, while SEMO is 27-24, 13-11 OVC.
With the sweep, USI moves into the fifth slot in the OVC standings with three games to play in the conference season. The Screaming Eagles finish the 2025 conference slate next weekend (May 15-17) at Lindenwood University.
The OVC Championship will be held May 21-24 in Marion, Illinois, at the Mountain Dew Ballpark.
The Eagles spotted the Redhawks a run in the second inning before getting the bats going in the third frame. USI junior first baseman Cole Kitchens tied the game 1-1 with an RBI double with one out.
USI jumped into the lead in the fourth inning when it posted three runs. Junior shortstop Clayton Slack knocked in USI’s second tally of the game, while senior centerfielder Khi Holiday pushed the lead to 4-1 with a two-run single through the left side.
After SEMO pushed a run across in the top of the fifth, junior leftfielder Hunter Miller re-extended the lead to three runs, 5-2, with an RBI single to right. That would be the final run of the contest as the Eagles shut down the Redhawks in the final four innings to close out the victory.
For the game, Holiday led USI with two RBIs, while sophomore third baseman Parker Martin and junior catcher Micajah Wall had a team-best two hits in the win.
USI freshman Marshall Loch picked up the win after getting the Eagles out of a jam in the third inning. Loch (3-2) struck out the only batter he faced to get the win.
Senior right-hander Hiroyuki Yamada started and went the first 2.2 innings, allowing a run on three hits, while senior left-hander Mason Sweeney worked an inning and walked two.
Junior right-hander Blake Kimball posted his first save of the season in relief. Kimball, who made two relief appearances this weekend, set down the three batters he faced.
Prior to the game today, Yamada, Sweeney, and senior outfielder/designated hitter BJ Banyon were honored with Senior Day honors.
