MARION, Ill. – University of Southern Indiana junior centerfielder Terrick Thompson-Allen (Sioux, Iowa) hit a three-run blast and junior right-hander Gavin Seebold (Jeffersonville, Indiana) threw eight strong innings to lead the Screaming Eagles to an 11-2 win over University of Tennessee at Martin in the second round of the OVC Baseball Championship Wednesday afternoon at Mtn Dew Park. The Eagles are 26-30 overall, while the Skyhawks finish their year, 21-35.
The Eagles advance to play top-seeded University of Arkansas at Little Rock Thursday at 11 a.m. Little Rock, which is 32-22 overall, 19-8 in the OVC, leads the all-time series with USI, 5-0, after sweeping a series early this month.
Thursday’s action in the OVC Baseball Championship will begin the double-elimination portion of the tournament that runs through Saturday.
USI kicked off the scoring in the opening frame when junior shortstop Caleb Niehaus (Newburgh, Indiana) singled up the middle to score junior third baseman Ricardo Van Grieken (Venezuela) for a 1-0 lead. The Skyhawks bounced back to tie the score, 1-1, with a tally in the top of the fourth.
Thompson-Allen, who was two-for-four with a team-high four RBIs, put the Eagles back into command with a three-run blast to right field for a 4-1 advantage. UT Martin closed the gap in the top of the seventh, 4-2, with a home run of its own.
The Eagles put the game away with a seven-run frame in the bottom of the seventh. USI scored seven times on seven hits and a UT Martin error to lead 11-2. USI junior catcher Logan Mock (Livermore, California) highlighted the frame with a two-double to finish the scoring.
On the mound, Seebold was dominating through a season-high eight innings. The junior right-hander allowed two runs on seven hits and a walk, while striking out three.
Sophomore left-hander Trevor Geddes (Prospect, Kentucky) finished the game for the Eagles, throwing a scoreless ninth, allowing a walk and striking out one.
