TERRE HAUTE, IN ? The Indiana State Sycamores had one bad inning but it was enough for the Missouri State Bears to defeat ISU 15-6 in the opening game of a three-game Missouri Valley Conference series at Sycamore Field Friday night.
Indiana State (13-27 overall and 6-10 in the MVC) and Missouri State (31-14 and 14-5) will play again at 1 p.m. Saturday. The same two teams will also play at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Missouri State broke out on top early with consecutive singles by Aaron Conway, Ben Woodbury and Brayden Drake. That scored one run but ISU's Michael Manus settled down and worked out of a bases loaded jam to limit the Bears to just one run.
The Sycamores came right back in the bottom half of the first. Chris Schmidt singled up the middle with two outs and stole second. Brady Shoemaker walked and then Nick Ciolli belted his third home run of the season, driving the first pitch he saw from MSU starter Tim Clubb over the right centerfield fence.
Indiana State picked up another run in the third when Ryan Strausborger led off with a triple and scored as Gary King grounded out to shortstop.
The skies opened up in the top of the fourth and so did the Bears offense. A pair of one out doubles, two walks and one run scored preceded a 20 minute rain delay. When action resumed, Missouri State scored 10 more runs, four on a Josh Mazzola grand slam over left field fence.
ISU starter Michael Manus was relieved by Clay Kovac who was then relieved by Nathan Inman as the Sycamores struggled to get the Bears out of the inning.
Indiana State got one back in the bottom of the fourth as Brian Ramirez doubled with one out and scored on a two-out RBI single by Sean Osborne.
Missouri State got that run back in the eighth as Mazola hit his second home run of the game.
Another ISU run came across in the bottom half of the eighth as David Brumagin singled to right and scored on Brian Ramirez's third double of the game.
Missouri State scored their final two runs in the top of the ninth on two hits and a Sycamore error.
Brian Ramirez' three doubles led the ISU offense while Nick Ciolli added a home run and a single. Ryan Strausborger had a triple and a single, and Gary King, Chris Schmidt, Brady Shoemaker, David Brumagin and Sean Osborne each had a single.
Manus (1-8) was the losing pitcher for the Sycamores, giving up nine runs on seven hits. ISU also used Clay Kovac, Nathan Inman and Chad Dawson in relief work.
