#1 Southern Indiana (1-0): 6
at Armstrong Atlantic State (1-2): 4
Box Score (12 innings)
SAVANAH, Ga.—Junior second baseman Brad Vance hit a two-out single with the bases loaded in the top of the 12th inning to drive in a pair of runs and give the defending national champion University of Southern Indiana baseball team a 6-4 victory in its season-opener Friday afternoon.
Vance, who was 3-for-6 at the plate with two RBIs, came through with his eventual game-winning single after the top-ranked Screaming Eagles had left the bases loaded in both the ninth and 11th innings.
Senior right-handed hurler Tyler Choate, who began the game as the Eagles’ designated hitter, came on in the seventh inning to earn his first victory since February 27, 2010—Choate missed most of the 2010 season due to injury.
Choate (1-0) gave up one run off six hits while striking out six batters in six innings of work to pick up the win. Senior right-hander Trevor Leach gave way to Choate to begin the seventh after giving up just three runs, two earned, off six hits. Leach also had four strikeouts.
USI (1-0) overcame a 3-1 deficit in the top of the sixth inning by taking advantage of a lead-off double by senior outfielder Michael Huling and three consecutive walks. After a bases-loaded walk was issued to junior outfielder Brian Chestnut, junior catcher Jarrod Rose came through with a two-run double to give the Eagles a 4-3 advantage.
Huling, who was 2-for-4 at the dish, scored the game’s first run in the first inning when senior first baseman Adam Enright hit a two-out single into right field. Enright was 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI and three walks. He also was hit by a pitch in his last at-bat in the 12th inning.
As a team, the Eagles drew 11 walks and saw their batters get hit three times. They finished with 12 hits, 10 of which were singles.
The Pirates of Armstrong Atlantic State (1-2) evened the score with a tally in the bottom of the first inning, then got a lead-off home run off the bat of third baseman Drew Walker to take a 2-1 lead in the second frame. They took advantage of a two-out error in the last half of the fourth inning to plate a run and take a 3-1 lead.
USI and Armstrong Atlantic State continue their three-game series Saturday at noon (CST). Sunday’s series-finale is schedule for a 10 a.m. start.