USI stumbles in homestand opener, 6-4

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EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball stumbled in its homestand opener, falling 6-4 to Oakland City Tuesday evening at the USI Baseball Field. The Screaming Eagles are 13-18 overall, while Oakland City is 21-16.   
 
USI dug itself an early 5-0 hole, allowing three runs in the top of the first and two more in the third. The Eagles got onto the scoreboard in the third when sophomore first baseman Adam Wildeman (Evansville, Indiana) scored on an error to shrink the margin to 5-1. Wildeman has advanced to third on a single by sophomore third baseman Tyler Wheeler (Sellersburg, Indiana) before scoring on the OCU miscue.
 
The Mighty Oaks got the run back in the top of the sixth and led 6-1 until the bottom of the seventh. Freshman pinch hitter/catcher Cordell Coburn (Evansville, Indiana) gave the Eagles’ bats a jolt in the seventh with a two-run bomb to left that pruned the deficit to 6-3.
 
USI creeped closer in the eighth, 6-4, when sophomore rightfielder Trent Robinson (Louisville, Kentucky) scored on a balk. Robinson had advanced into scoring position on a walk and a base hit by junior leftfielder Evan Kahre (Evansville, Indiana).
 
The two run deficit would be as close as the Eagles would come as the Mighty Oaks set USI down in order in the ninth to seal their win.
 
On the mound, freshman right-hander Gavin Morris (Brazil, Indiana) took the loss for the Eagles. Morris (0-1) allowed the three first-inning runs on four hits and a walk, while striking out two in 2.1 innings of work.
 
Up Next for the Eagles:
The Eagles continues the five-game home stand with a four-game GLVC set versus Truman State University Thursday through Saturday. Thursday’s game is a 6 p.m. start and West Side Nut Club Night at the USI Baseball Field.  
 
The Eagles hold an 8-7 all-time series lead over the Bulldogs, winning three-of-the-last-four, including the last meeting, 20-1, in 2019. Truman State is 13-20 this spring, 3-5 in the GLVC, and had a bye this weekend in the GLVC. The Bulldogs come to USI on a three-game losing streak and is 5-5 in the last 10 games.

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