LEXINGTON, Ky. ? Heading
into Saturday's baseball game against No. 29 Kentucky, Indiana State was averaging just over eight
runs per game through their first 12 contests.
However, the potent ISU bats went silent and the Sycamores (9-4) were
shut out for the first time this season as the Wildcats (8-2) picked up a 5-0
victory at Cliff Hagen Stadium.
Junior Eric Valdez (1-1)
suffered the loss for the Sycamores, as he was touched up for five runs only
three of which were earned on six hits while striking out four Wildcat
hitters. Brendon Smith came in and
pitched two innings of scoreless relief and allowed just two hits while
striking out one to close out the game. Kentucky starter Chris Rusin (2-1) earned
the win in eight strong inning for the Wildcats, allowing no runs on just six
hits while striking out nine Sycamore batters.
For the
second game in a row, the Wildcats jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of
the second inning. Chad Wright led off
the inning and reached on a fielding error by ISU second baseman Koby
Kraemer. Valdez then forced Neiko Johnson to fly
out before walking Cory Farris and striking out Chris Wade. With two outs in the inning, Andy Burns made
that initial error a costly one as he cleared the bases with a two-run triple
into the right center field gap to put two unearned runs on the board and give
his team a 2-0 lead.
Kentucky added two more runs in the
bottom of the fourth inning to take a 4-0 lead.
After back-to-back walks to Johnson and Farris to start the inning, Wade
reached base on a bunt single to load the bases with nobody out. Burns then picked up a RBI on a sacrifice fly
to center field that scored Johnson from third base as Farris and Wade advanced
a base. Chris Bisson then picked up a
RBI as he reached base on a fielder's choice as Wade was put out on the play to
extend his team's lead.
The
Wildcats tacked on another run in the bottom of the fifth inning on sacrifice
fly from Johnson that scored Keenan Wiley from third base to make the score
5-0. That is where the score would stay,
as ISU was never able to mount an offensive comeback against the Wildcats.
Ciolli
led the way with two hits for the Sycamores, while Kraemer, Joe Meggs, Luke
Fieser and Ryan Strausborger each added a hit apiece to account for the six ISU
hits on the day.
The
Sycamores and the Wildcats will wrap up their three-game weekend set tomorrow,
with junior Joe Rodriguez (1-0) taking the bump for the Sycamores with the
first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
