EVANSVILLE, IN ? The Indiana State Sycamores evened their three-game series with Evansville at a game apiece, rallying from a 13-9 deficit to defeat the Purple Aces 14-13 Saturday.
Indiana State (11-22 overall and 5-6 in the MVC) and Evansville (8-29 overall and 2-11 in the Valley) will play the third game of the series at 2 p.m. (ET) Sunday. Evansville took the first game 6-4, a game which began on Friday and was completed on Saturday due to rain.
The Sycamores took a 5-0 lead in the top of the second as they batted around in the inning. Brian Oliver led off with a single and advanced on a David Brumagin sacrifice bunt. After Sean Osborne walked Ben Caple and Cole Standridge hit back to back doubles to bring in three runs.
Standridge scored ISU's fourth run when Ryan Strausborger reached on an error and Chris Schmidt drove in the Sycamores fifth run with a single to right field.
Evansville came back with four in the bottom of the second and two in the third to take a 6-5 lead.
The Sycamores had another big inning in the fourth. Brady Shoemaker belted a three-run home run over the right field fence and Brian Oliver took advantage of an Evansville error and a passed ball to also score in the inning.
The Purple Aces tied the game in the fifth, taking advantage of three Sycamore errors. Four more came across in the seventh with three scoring on a Derek Melton home run over the right field fence.
But Indiana State rallied once more, scoring three times in the eighth. Shoemaker led off with a walk and scored on a Brian Oliver double, who then scored on a Brian Ramirez single. Ramirez advanced to second on a passed ball and was able to score as Osborne grounded out to second.
Trailing 13-12 entering the final inning, the Sycamores came through again. Schmidt led off with a single and stole second. Oliver walked with Nick Ciolli coming on to pinch run. Both runners scored on a Ramirez double to right, putting ISU up 14-13.
David Gurbach set Evansville down in order in the bottom of the ninth as Indiana State picked up the win.
Ryan Strausborger had three singles for ISU while Pascual Del Real, Chris Schmidt and Sean Osborne had two singles each, Brian Oliver and Brian Ramirez had a double and a single each, Brady Shoemaker a home run, Cole Standridge a double, and Ben Caple and David Brumagin a single each.
Gurbach (1-0) picked up the win for ISU. He was the third Sycamore pitcher on the night. Micah Spencer went 3.1 innings with Nathan Inman working 3.2.
