Evansville, Ind. -- The Youngstown State baseball team fell short in both games of a doubleheader against Southern Indiana on Sunday at USI Baseball Field.
The Screaming Eagles used a big eighth inning to pull away for a 10-1 victory in game one of Sunday's twinbill before defeating the Penguins 4-1 in the nightcap and series finale to complete the three-game series sweep.
USI improved its record to 12-4 with Sunday's doubleheader sweep while Youngstown State dropped to 1-13.
Game 1 Recap
Southern Indiana scored the final eight runs of the game to pull away for a 10-1 win over Youngstown State in game one of Sunday's doubleheader at the USI Baseball Field.
The Screaming Eagles jumped ahead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning before the Penguins plated a single run in the top of the third. USI pushed its lead to 4-1 with two more runs in the home half of the fourth before adding six runs in the eighth to secure the series win.
Alex Jang went 2-for-4 at the plate while Nathan Beckley doubled and scored a run. Brayden Kuriger singled, walked and drove in a run while Nic Goodwin singled and stole a base.
Jack Messmore allowed four runs on three hits with three strikeouts over six innings pitched in his fourth start of the season. Tyler Heflin was responsible for six runs, one of which was earned, on five hits in 1.2 innings of relief while Lane Rhodes came on to record the final out of the eighth inning.
USI struck first in the bottom of the second inning when Noah Foster reached on an error, Zion Stephens drew a two-out walk and Drue Saenz followed with a two-run triple to right field.
YSU got on the scoreboard in the top of the third when Beckley hit a two-out double and scored on Kuriger's RBI single through the left side.
The Screaming Eagles extended their lead to 4-1 with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. Hunter Miller hit a leadoff double and scored when Jesse Velders delivered an RBI double. Stephens pushed Velders to third with a sacrifice bunt before Saenz brought him home with a sacrifice fly.
USI added six insurance runs in the home half of the eighth to produce the final margin. Clayton Slack was hit by a pitch and scored following a throwing error, Stephens plated two runs with a single to center field, Saenz followed with an RBI double and Patrick McLellan added a two-out RBI single to cap the rally.
Saenz finished 2-for-3 with a double, a triple and four RBIs to pace the Screaming Eagles offensively.
USI starter Ryan Weller allowed one run on four hits over five innings to earn the win while three different relievers combined to allow two hits over four scoreless innings of relief.
Game 2 Recap
Southern Indiana limited Youngstown State to three hits while using a pair of two-run innings to extend its winning streak to four with a 4-1 victory in game two of Sunday's doubleheader at USI Baseball Field.
The Screaming Eagles took an early 2-0 lead on a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning before the Penguins cut the deficit in half with a single run in the top of the fourth. USI added two tallies in the sixth inning while blanking YSU over the final five frames.
James Carlson doubled while Misael Uriepero singled and walked twice for the Penguins offensively.
YSU starter Mikey Rodriques suffered the loss after allowing two runs on two hits with a pair of strikeouts over three innings on the mound. Brandon Mikos surrendered two runs on four hits over 2.2 innings out of the bullpen while Kale Wemer did not allow a hit over a career-high 2.1 innings of scoreless relief. Wemer retired the side in order in both the seventh and eighth innings.
Southern Indiana scored the first two runs of the contest in the bottom of the first when Foster hit a one-out double and McLellan followed with a two-run homer to left field.
Youngstown State shaved USI's lead to 2-1 with a single run in the top of the fourth. Goodwin drew a leadoff walk and came around to score on a wild pitch.
The Screaming Eagles added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth to extend their lead to 4-1. Parker Martin reached with a one-out single and scored on Micajah Wall's RBI double. Collin Senior drove home Wall with an RBI single through the right side for the game's final run.
USI starter Eben Hansen was awarded the victory after giving up one hit over three scoreless innings of work. Trey O'Neil struck out the side in the top of the ninth to earn the save as the last of six relievers to appear for the Screaming Eagles.
Youngstown State is currently scheduled to face Central Michigan in a non-conference contest on Wednesday. First pitch at ForeFront Field in Avon, Ohio, is slated for noon.
