BOX SCORE AND PLAY-BY-PLAY
Game 10: USI 7, GVSU 3
Game 11: USI 11, GVSU 4
EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- The 11th-ranked University of Southern Indiana baseball team won its second NCAA Division II Midwest Regional title with a two-game sweep of Grand Valley State University, 7-3 and 11-4, Sunday afternoon at the USI Baseball Field. USI, the top seed in the regional, raised its record to 48-13, while GVSU, the second seed, finishes the season 37-16.
The Screaming Eagles advance to the NCAA Division II National Championship Series for the second time since 2007. USI reached the national semifinals in 2007, going 2-2 during the championship series.
The NCAA II National Championship Series will be May 22-29 at the USA Baseball Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina. USI’s first round opponent will be against the Central Region representative May 23 (St. Cloud State University and Minnesota State University Mankato are playing for the Central Region title today).
USI was led to the region title by sophomore second baseman Brad Vance (Louisville, Kentucky), who was three-for-five with a three-run blast in the second inning and four RBIs in the game. The home run was 10th of the season for Vance.
The tournament Most Valuable Player, Vance hit .407 with nine runs scored, 12 RBIs, three doubles, three home runs, and a .825 slugging percentage in the six games.
USI junior centerfielder Justin Blinn (Vincennes, Indiana) and senior third baseman Wes Fink (Clarksville, Tennessee) also had three hits each in the win.
On the mound, junior right-hander Taylor Dennis (Covington, Indiana) was dominating in getting his 10th win of the year. Dennis (10-1) allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits, while striking out three in 6.1 innings of work. He also is only the second USI hurler to reach double-digits in wins for a season and two games in the tournament.
The Eagles forced the deciding game by defeating the Lakers, 7-3, in the 10th game of the regional. USI was led by the strong pitching performances of sophomore right-hander Trevor Leach (Danville, Indiana) and senior closer/shortstop Wandy Rosario (Boston, Massachusetts).
Leach, who won twice and had a save in the regional, held the Lakers in-check for the first five innings. He allowed eight hits and two runs, while striking out two to get the win.
Rosario pitched the last four innings, scattering four hits and allowing one run to earn his 13th save of the year. He also scored twice and had an RBI in five plate appearances.
At the plate, Vance had three hits and a RBI to lead the Eagle hitters. Senior rightfielder Caleb Ehmke (Waterloo, Indiana) also had a pair of hits.
In addition to Vance’s regional MVP award, USI had five players named to the All-Regional Tournament team – Vance, Rosario, Leach, Fink, and junior leftfielder Michael Huling (South Bend, Indiana).