EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The Kentucky Wesleyan College baseball team dropped a close non-conference game on Tuesday, falling 2-0 to the University of Southern Indiana.  With the loss, the Panthers move to 18-18 on the season.

A pitcher's duel saw only five hits between both teams in the first five innings with only one base runner reaching scoring position.  Play was halted in the top of the fifth for a 90-minute rain delay.

The Screaming Eagles loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the sixth but a pop up and a ground out held them scoreless. 

Southern Indiana broke open the scoring in the bottom of the eighth, scoring two runs off of back-to-back doubles.  Kentucky Wesleyan was unable to start a rally in the top of the ninth, going three up and three down.

Alex Franzen earned the start, pitching 4.0 innings before the rain delay.  Franzen struck out four and held Southern Indiana to zero runs and three hits.  Nate Verst suffered his first loss of the season, pitching 3.0 innings and striking out three while allowing one run off of four hits.  In 1.0 innings of relief, Spencer Jackson struck out one and gave up one runs off of two hits.

Josh Galvan was the lone Panther to tab multiple hits, going three-for-three at the plate.  Cody Bridges, Seth Campbell, Adam Brown, Andrew Kirkland and Nathan Stemle each recorded one hit.

The Panthers will head to Cedarville, Ohio this weekend for a four-game G-MAC series against Cedarville with a pair of doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday, both slated for an 11 am CT first pitch.

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