 University of Southern Indiana Baseball split a doubleheader and won the GLVC-opening series with the University of Illinois Springfield Sunday afternoon in Springfield, Illinois. USI took the opening game, 10-9, in 10 innings, but dropped the nightcap, 11-0.
The Screaming Eagles go to 6-6 overall and 2-1 GLVC, while Illinois Springfield finishes the weekend 9-4 overall, 1-2 GLVC.
Game 1:
USI sophomore third baseman Lucas McNew drove in a pair of runs with a two-out double in the 10th to lead the Eagles to a 10-9 victory over Illinois Springfield in the opening game of the double header. McNew finished the game with four RBI a double and a home run to lead the USI hitters.
The Eagles struck first in the opening frame when junior leftfielder Bryce Krizan hit a two-run home run to put the Eagles up 2-0 to start a back and forth battle. Illinois Springfield rebounded and would lead 6-4 after two and 7-4 after three innings.
USI tied the game, 7-7, in the top of the sixth on a two-run double by McNew and a solo shot by freshman centerfielder Steven Molinet. The solo home run was Molinet’s first collegiate blast.
After USI regained the lead briefly in the top of the seventh when Molinet scored on an error, the Prairie Stars knotted the game at 8-8 with a tally in the bottom half of the seventh. USI junior right-hander Brady Bowling got the Eagles to the 10th by getting them out of a bases loaded no one out jam with double play and a fly out.
Bowling (1-0) posted his first win of the season after allowing a single tally in the 10th following McNew’s eventual game-winning double in the top half of the frame.
Game 2:
The nightcap was all Prairie Stars as they blanked the Eagles, 11-0, in a game that was shortened by the run rule. Illinois Springfield scored in each frame, scoring one in the first and second and three in the third and fourth before closing out the game with two in the fifth and one in the sixth.
USI sophomore left-hander Sammy Barnett took the loss after going the first four frames for the Eagles.
Up Next for the Eagles:
Due to length of the opening game, the Eagles and the Prairie Star had to postpone game two to Sunday at 11:30 a.m. and will be a part of a doubleheader in Springfield.
Following Sunday’s doubleheader, the road trip concludes with a non-conference visit Florida when the Eagles make a stop at University of West Florida in Pensacola, Florida, for a two-game series Tuesday and Wednesday. The Eagles trail the all-time series with West Florida, 2-0, after losing both games of a series in 2018 in Pensacola.
