CHARLESTON, Ill. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball scored eight times in the nightcap and earned a doubleheader split at Eastern Illinois University Thursday afternoon in Charleston, Illinois. USI lost the opening game, 4-2, but took the nightcap, 8-1. The Screaming Eagles are 18-25 and 7-10 OVC, while Panthers goes to 14-25, 8-9 OVC.
Game 1:
The Screaming Eagles and the Panthers battle back and forth, but EIU came out on top, 4-2, in the opening game of the doubleheader.
USI opened up the game with a 1-0 lead in the first inning when senior rightfielder Ren Tachioka (Japan) scored after sophomore second baseman Caleb Niehaus (Newburgh, Indiana) reached on an error. EIU knotted the score at 1-1 with a tally in the bottom of the first, USI regained the lead briefly when junior first baseman Thomas Emerich (Ava, Missouri) scored on a ground out by Tachioka in the top of the fourth.
The Panther put together a run in the fifth and sixth to take command of the game, 3-2, and sealed the game with a run in the bottom of the eighth for the 4-2 decision.
USI freshman right-hander Grant Parson (Owensboro, Kentucky) started and took the loss for the Eagles. Parson (3-3) allowed three runs on six hits and a walk, while striking out four in seven innings of work.
Freshman right-hander Clayton Weisheit (Ferdinand, Indiana) followed and finished the game for the Eagles. Weisheit gave up one run on a home run and struck out one in two innings.
Game 2:
USI scored five times in the top of the first and cruised to an 8-1 victory in the night cap.
In the opening frame, USI scored five times on four hits and was highlighted by a two-run single up the middle by junior centerfielder Terrick Thompson-Allen (Sioux City, Iowa) and a RBI-single by Niehaus. The Eagles increased the lead to 6-0 on a sacrifice fly by Thompson-Allen, who finished game two with a pair of hits and a team-high three RBIs.
After EIU pushed a run across in the third, USI re-extend its lead to 8-1 with a pair of tallies in the fifth. Emerich knocked in the first run of the frame with a RBI-single up the middle, while junior second baseman Lane Crowden (Jackson, Missouri) scored on a Tachioka sacrifice fly for the seven-run advantage.
On the mound, junior right-hander Carson Seeman (Auburn, California) picked up the win with a dominating relief performance. Seeman (3-2) blanked the Panthers through six innings, allowing four hits and striking out four.
USI junior right-hander Peyton Brown (Clemmons, North Carolina) started and got a no-decision. Brown went the first three frames and permitted EIU’s lone second game run on two hits, while striking out four.
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