EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana junior shortstop Clayton Slack knocked in the game-winning RBI with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth to give the Screaming Eagles an 8-7 win over Southeast Missouri State University Saturday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. USI, which has won three-straight games, is 24-26 overall and 12-11 OVC, while SEMO is 27-23, 13-10 OVC.
The fourth OVC series win of the season matches the total USI had all of last season, while the walk-off winner was the sixth of the year for the squad and the second by Slack.
The Eagles flew out to a 2-0 lead with a tally in the first and second innings. Junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens crossed the plate with the first USI run on a base hit by sophomore third baseman Parker Martin, while junior first baseman Kannon Coakley scored the second run on a ground out by senior leftfielder BJ Banyon.
The Redhawks tied the score with solo home runs in the third and fourth innings. USI would regain the lead, 3-2, when Kitchens scored for the second time in the game on a ground out by junior catcher Micajah Wall.
SEMO would bounce back in the top of the sixth with a four-run frame to lead 6-3. The three-run margin would last until the bottom of the seventh when USI exploded for a four-run rally of its own to regain the lead, 7-6.
Coakley started the rally with a two-run double to pull the Eagles to within one, 6-5. Slack would knock in Coakley with the 6-6 tying run on a double before senior centerfielder Khi Holiday drove in the junior shortstop with the lead run on a single.
After SEMO tied the game, 7-7, with its third home run of the game in the top of the ninth, Slack sent USI home 8-7 winners with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to center field. USI had loaded the bases with a walk by Wall, a single by sophomore second baseman Anthony Umbach, and a hit batter by Coakley.
USI senior right-hander Ian Anderson picked up the win for the Eagles in relief. Anderson (4-2), who is tied for the team lead in victories this season, allowed one run on three hits (one the ninth inning home run), and struck out one in his frame of work.
The Eagles got an impressive start from junior right-hander Andres Gonzalez. Gonzalez gave up three runs on six hits in 5.1 innings of work, while striking out two. The 5.1 innings of work were Gonzalez’s second-longest outing of the season.
