TERRE HAUTE, Ind. ? Heading
into Sunday's series finale against Bradley, Indiana State was looking for its second
straight series sweep over a Missouri Valley Conference opponent. After a rocky start, the Sycamores (20-11,
7-3 MVC) scored 12 unanswered runs to defeat the Braves (11-19, 0-7 MVC)by a
score of 12-4 and earn the series sweep at Sycamore Field on Easter Sunday.
ISU
starter Joe Rodriguez (4-1) struggled in the first two innings and gave up four
earned runs. However, the left-hander
regained his composure and allowed just three hits over the next five plus
innings to pick up his fourth win on the season. In all, Rodriguez pitched 7.1 innings and
gave up four runs on seven hits while striking out four to move to 3-0 in three
starts in Valley play. Bradley starter Rob
Scahill (1-1) suffered the loss, after allowing six runs on nine hits in 5.1
innings on the mound.
Bradley picked up three runs on two hits in the top
of the first inning off Rodriguez to take a 3-0 lead. Nick Mitidiero drove in the first run with a
RBI single into center field and Adam Kimble drove in two runs later in the
inning with a double down the left field line to give his team the early 3-0
lead. The Braves then added a run in the
top of the second inning on a RBI single by Colby Luttrell to make the score
4-0.
Indiana State
began to chip away at the lead with two runs in the bottom of the third
inning. With two outs in the inning,
Brady Shoemaker singled to shortstop and Nick Ciolli walked to give the
Sycamores a couple of base runners. Luke
Fieser was up next and singled into right field to score Shoemaker as Ciolli
advanced to third base and Tyler Graham was hit by a pitch to load the
bases. With Bronco Lafrenz at the plate,
Scahill uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Ciolli to score for the second and
final run of the inning.
The score stayed there until the
bottom of the sixth inning, when the Sycamores took the lead for good with six
runs on five hits to make the score 8-4.
Joe Meggs singled through the right side to
lead off the inning and Ben Ferrell advanced Meggs to second base with a
sacrifice bunt to third base. Ryan Strausborger followed with a double down the
left field line to score the first run of the inning and extend his hitting
streak to 15 games. Kyle Burnam then singled through the left side to score
Strausborger before Shoemaker walked after working the count full.
With two runners on and one out, Joe Bircher
came in to pitch for Scahill but it did not help as Ciolli doubled to left
field to bring in Shoemaker and Burnam for two more runs. Fieser then reached on an error and advanced all
the way to third base on the errant throw as Ciolli scored the unearned run. After getting the second out of the inning,
Bircher gave up a double to Lafrenz doubled down the left field line at Fieser
scored the final run of the inning to cap off the six-run rally.
ISU added a run in the bottom of the
seventh inning and capped off the game with three runs in the eighth inning on
Brian Jett's sixth home run of the season to bring the score to 12-4 and earn
the sweep. Shoemaker finished the day
3-for-4 with two runs scored and Fieser was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a
RBI.
ISU returns to action on Tuesday, when it
begins a two-game mid-week series at Missouri. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST
at Taylor Stadium in Columbia,
Mo.
