BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball rallied in the final innings before falling to #25 Western Kentucky University, 13-9, Tuesday afternoon at Nick Denes Field in Bowling Green, Kentucky. USI, which saw its season-best six-game winning streak come to an end, is 16-16 overall, while WKU goes to 28-5.
USI fell behind early with WKU taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. The Hilltoppers sealed the victory three innings later when they scored 11 times in the fourth to lead, 12-0.
The Eagles began to chip away at the deficit, scoring four times in the top of the sixth to trail 12-4. USI junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens highlighted the four-run frame with a three-run blast to left. The home run was Kitchens’ team-best fifth of the season.
USI closed the gap further in the seventh, scoring three times to trail, 12-7. USI senior leftfielder BJ Banyon started the scoring by crossing the plate on a balk, while junior third baseman Patrick McLellan doubled in junior shortstop Clayton Slack and junior catcher Charlie Marisca with the sixth and seventh runs, respectively.
After WKU responded with a tally to push the lead back to six, 13-7, USI rallied for the third straight inning with two more runs on an RBI walk by senior centerfielder Khi Holiday and an RBI single by Kitchens to close the margin to 13-9.
The eventual 13-9 final score would be as close as the Eagles could get after going down in order in the ninth inning.
Offensively, Kitchens finished the day two for five with four RBIs and a home run, while McLellan went two-for-five with a pair of RBIs. Marisca also had a pair of hits in the loss.
USI sophomore right-hander Brady Watts started and got the loss for the Eagles. Watts (0-1) allowed a run on one hit while striking out one in two innings of work.
Up Next for the Eagles:
The Screaming Eagles continue the nine-game road swing this weekend in OVC play when they visit Tennessee Tech University for a three-game set April 11-13 in Cookeville, Tennessee.
TTU is 21-12 overall and 6-3 OVC after taking two of three from Western Illinois University last weekend. The Golden Eagles host Lipscomb University Wednesday before hosting USI. The Screaming Eagles lead the all-time series with the Golden Eagles, 4-2, after winning two of three at home last year.
