March 31, 2005
USI hopes to stay on track against SIUE
Eagles and Cougars to play at TR Hughes Ballpark Saturday
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Southern Indiana baseball team hopes to stay on track when it plays a four-game home-and-home series against the Cougars of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville this weekend. The series will begin Saturday at 1 p.m. in O’Fallon, Missouri, when the teams play at TR Hughes Ballpark, home of the River City Rascals of the Frontier League.
The Screaming Eagles (10-14, 2-6 GLVC) broke a five-game losing streak Tuesday against Bellarmine University by splitting a doubleheader. USI lost the opener 1-0, but captured the nightcap, 2-1.
USI senior rightfielder Matt Keener (Newburgh, Indiana) started this week ranked second in the GLVC in home runs and third in RBIs and doubles. Senior centerfielder Noah Wetzel (New Salisbury, Indiana) ranked second in the league in hits and 15th in batting average.
For the season, Wetzel has a team-high .358 batting average and 11 stolen bases, while Keener has a team-best four home runs, 21 RBIs, and nine doubles. The pair also is tied for the team lead with 16 runs scored.
With sophomore right-hander Adam Summers (Dyer, Indiana) and senior right-hander Jae Fadde (West Lafayette, Indiana) pitching on Tuesday against Bellarmine, the Eagles turn to Keener and senior right-hander Andy Rumpler (Hamilton, Ohio) to lead the team on the mound this weekend. Keener (1-2) ranks second on the team with a 3.10 ERA in five appearances after a rough outing against the University of Wisconsin-Parkside over the weekend.
Despite absorbing the loss, Rumpler (0-2) dropped his ERA two runs a game with good outing against UWP last Sunday. He pitched six strong innings, allowing two runs.
In addition to Rumpler and Keener, USI hopes to get junior right-hander Mike Watson (Madison, Indiana) and sophomore right-hander Adam Vetter (Crown Point, Indiana) back on track after going 0-2 against UWP. Watson (1-1) allowed six runs in last Saturday’s opener, while Vetter (2-2) permitted seven tallies in the nightcap before it was suspended due to darkness.
The Cougars (11-6, 6-4 GLVC) are 4-2 in their last six games after splitting a four-game series with Lewis University last weekend and sweeping a doubleheader from Kentucky Wesleyan College at TR Hughes Ballpark.
Note: Directions to TR Hughes Ball Park from USI
Take I-64 West to I-70 West.
Take I-70 West to Kansas City
Take Exit #219/TR Hughes Rd/Belleau Creek Rd.
Bear Right on TR Hughes Blvd. to stadium
Ray Simmons, USI Sports Information
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