SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Indiana State baseball played its way into a rematch with second-seeded Dallas Baptist later Friday after taking an elimination matchup with Evansville, 11-3, at Hammons Field in game nine of the 2017 Missouri Valley Conference Baseball Championship.
 
The Patriots and Sycamores will follow an elimination game between host Missouri State and Wichita State. First pitch with DBU is tentatively scheduled for 5 p.m. ET. Follow @IndStBaseball on Twitter for updates.
 
It took three innings to get on the board but when the Sycamores (29-25) made it count, putting up four runs in the bottom of the third inning. Junior Tyler Friis walked to start things and was immediately plated in the next at bat when Tony Rosselli triples to right-center. Designated hitter Dane Giesler brought in Rosselli from third with a groundout.  
 
Senior Dominic Bifano made Evansville pay after walking Dane Tofteland to setup a force out as the left-hander sent a ball to the gap in left to score both runners.
 
Evansville (18-39) broke into the scoring column in the fourth and again in the sixth, both on fielder's choice plays.
 
Third baseman Cody Gardner continued the scoring for ISU as he singled home Bifano in the sixth before Dane Giesler broke the game open with his 17^th home run of the season with a three-run blast to right-center.
 
The Sycamores added runs in the seventh as well on a two-RBI single from Tyler Friis and an RBI single to left from Kyle Moore. The rest was academic.
 
Right-hander Jeremy McKinney made the start for the Sycamores but struggled with his command early on. He was able to get out of the first two innings without allowing a run as UE stranded five runners on base in those frames.
 
The Trees went to the bullpen early and got four solid innings from Damon Olds who was credited with the win, moving to 1-2 on the season. Olds, a Terre Haute product, went four innings and allowed just two runs while striking out five. Trent Lunsford and Evan Giles gave ISU solid innings out of the bullpen to finish the game and preserve arms for later Friday.
 
All games of the 2017 MVC Championship will air live on The Valley On ESPN3. Fans can also listen to the action on Sycamore All-Access via GoSycamores.com with Brian Fritz calling the action.  
 
For the latest information on the Sycamore Baseball team, be sure to visit GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.