University of Southern Indiana senior left-hander Aaron Piening (Indianapolis, Indiana) could not have written the script any better for his final home appearance, pitching and hitting the Screaming Eagles to 2-1 victory over Bellarmine University Sunday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. USI raised its record to 25-26 overall, 13-11 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, while Bellarmine falls to 15-25, 8-16 GLVC.

Piening, making only his second start of the season, raised his record to 3-1 with his first complete game of the year. The Carmel High School graduate went nine innings and faced 36 batters, allowing six hits, one unearned run, and three walks while striking out a season-high eight batters.

At the plate down 1-0, Piening drove in both of USI’s runs in the bottom of the sixth with a two-out double to left center. The double scored sophomore centerfielder Andy Nucci (Ft. Wayne, Indiana) and sophomore shortstop Josh Perkins (Lafayette, Indiana). Piening finished his afternoon at the plate going one-for-three, while Nucci finished with a three-for-four performance.

The victory over Bellarmine also allows USI to retain at least a one-game lead over Northern Kentucky University and a two-game lead over Saint Joseph’s College. Northern Kentucky was at Lewis University, while St. Joseph’s was at the University of Indianapolis for single games Sunday. Scores were not available at release time.

The Eagles will finish the regular season next weekend with a three-game series at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, Saturday and Sunday, May 5-6. The Saturday doubleheader will begin at noon, while the Sunday single game will start at 1 p.m.