TERRE HAUTE, Ind. ? The Indiana State Sycamores used an early offensive blast as well as solid defense and runs in each of the last three innings to down Saint Louis, 7-5, in the home opener today (Feb. 24) in front of 233 fans at Sycamore Field.
ISU improved to 4-1 on the season while the Billikens fell to 2-3.
The Sycamores wasted no time getting on the board in the bottom of the first inning when Brian Jett doubled down the right field line with the bases juiced to score Nick Ciolli and Kyle Burnam for the quick 2-0 advantage.
SLU got on the board in the second inning against starter Cordell Greene when they scored on back-to-back sacrifice flies by Jerry Mancuso and Lucas Calderon to knot the score at two.
In the bottom of the third, Ciolli belted a solo home run, his first round tripper of the young season, to give ISU a 3-2 lead.
In the top of the fourth, Greene gave up a pair of singles to lead off the frame, but catcher Bronco Lafrenz picked Mancuso off at second base to help ease the jam. After getting Calderon to pop out to third, Greene walked Cody Cotter which forced head coach Lindsay Meggs to go to Brendon Smith in the bullpen. Smith struck out J.D. Dunn to end the threat.
Greene finished his first career start by going 3.2 innings, allowing six hits and a pair of runs while striking out five.
ISU started its late game offense with a run in the bottom of the sixth inning off an RBI single from Ben Ferrell, which scored Brian Ramierez.
The Sycamores tacked on another score in the seventh off a sacrifice fly from Brady Shoemaker, which scored Ryan Strausborger for a 5-2 lead.
Smith walked Zach Miller to lead off the top of the eighth inning which sent left hander Matt Bayes to the mound to try and shut the Billikens down. After getting the first two batters out, Calderon hit a home run to left field which trimmed the Sycamore advantage down to 5-4.
The Sycamores tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning on an RBI single from Strausborger as well as a RBI single from Ciolli to score a pair of unearned runs after an error earlier in the inning by Mancuso.
With ISU holding onto a 7-4 lead, the Sycamores brought on Matt Shelton who was looking for his first save of the season. Shelton did just that despite a two out home run by Ben Bratten which made it 7-5. Shelton got Tom Pinnell to strike out swinging to end the game.
Smith, who went 3.1 innings, allowing three hits and one run while striking out three improved to 1-0 on the season. Shelton allowed just the home run and struck out one in the ninth for the save.
SLU starter Zach Outman went 6.0 innings, allowing five hit, four runs and struck out five despite falling to 0-1 on the season.
Strausborger, Ciolli and Ramirez all posted a pair of hits in the game while Ciolli and Jett each drove in a pair.
Indiana State returns to action this weekend at the Palm Beach Challenge in Palm Beach, Fla.
