SPRINGFIELD, Mo. ? A share of the Missouri Valley Conference regular season title was on the line on Saturday at Hammons Field, with an Indiana State win over Missouri State securing a share of the trophy with the hosts. The Sycamores (33-18, 15-7 MVC) collected 13 hits on the day, but stranded 12 runners and the Bears (32-19, 17-5) took advantage to win the championship outright with a 6-1 win in the season finale.
ISU starter Joe Rodriguez (7-2) struggled on the mound and suffered the loss, after giving up six earned runs on 11 hits while striking out seven MSU batters. Senior Michael Manus was solid in relief though, as she struck out three and did not allow a hit in 2.1 innings of work. MSU starter Pat Doyle (4-2) earned the win, after surrendering just one run on 11 hits while striking out six ISU hitters.
Both pitchers controlled the early going, as the first two innings went by without either team scoring a run. After the Sycamores were shut down in the top of the third inning, the Bears pick up a run in the bottom of the third inning thanks to a controversial play.
MSU shortstop Curt Courtwright led off the inning with a single, but later looked like he was picked off as he broke for second base as Rodriguez threw over to first. That started a run down that eventually ended with Courtwright being tagged by ISU first baseman Brian Jett. However, the ball came out as Jett applied the tag and Courtwright was awarded second base.
That brought Indiana State head coach Lindsay Meggs out of the dugout, who argued that Courtwright gave up on the play and made several steps towards the Missouri State dugout in defeat. That would make him out by rule, but the umpiring crew held up the play and the game continued under protest from Meggs.
That play would prove critical to the inning, as the Bears eventually loaded the bases with two outs and Courtwright scored on a bases loaded walk by Dallas Hord from Rodriguez to make the score 1-0.
Indiana State came right and answered with a run of its own in the top of the fourth inning to knot the score at 1-1. With two outs in the frame, designated hitter Brian Ramirez singled up the middle and third baseman Luke Fieser reached on a bunt single. That brought Jett to the plate, who singled into left field to score Fieser and pick up a RBI for the Sycamores.
From there, it was all Missouri State as the Bears scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and added two more in the bottom of the sixth inning to extend their lead to 6-1. A two-run double by Ben Carlson in the sixth inning capped off the Missouri State rally.
ISU had its chances, but left the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning and left a runner on base in the eighth and ninth innings to bring the score to its final at 6-1. Five ISU batters finished with at least two hits, led by Jett's 2-for-3 day with the lone RBI in the game. Ryan Strausborger, Brady Shoemaker, Ramirez and also chipped in with two hits apiece.
Indiana State will now wait to find out who it will play on Wednesday in the opening round of the 2009 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in Wichita, Kan. The Sycamores will be the No. 2 seed thanks to a Creighton loss earlier in the day to Wichita State. The remaining seeds and pairings will be determined late Saturday night after the Shockers and the Bluejays complete their doubleheader at Eck Stadium.
