KEVIN JENISON

GoSycamores.com

NASHVILLE, Tenn.  – David Stagg won his second game of the season while Ryan Keaffaber earned his fourth save of the season as the Indiana State Sycamores defeated the Belmont Bruins 4-2 in the Mule City Classic Saturday at Rose Park on the campus of Belmont University.

The Sycamores (5-1) will wrap up play in the Mule City Classic on Sunday when they visit Middle Tennessee State for a 2 p.m. (ET) start. Belmont (4-2) will host Dayton on Sunday.

Stagg (2-0) went seven innings for the win, giving up two runs on four hits while striking out a season high 11 batters and walking just one.  Tyler Browning took over in the eighth and worked just a third of an inning in giving up a hit and a walk before Ryan Keaffaber came on to earn his fourth save of the season. Keaffaber shut down the Bisons with a strike out and a walk.

Patrick McGrath (1-1) threw a complete game for Belmont in being charged with the loss, allowing four runs on seven hits while striking out four and walking.

Indiana State scored all four of their runs in the fourth and made them stand up.

Jacob Hayes led off the Sycamore fourth by sending a 0-2 pitch over the right center field fence for his second home run in two games. The Sycamores were not done scoring in the fourth as Mike Fitzgerald walked, Jeff Zahn singled and both advanced a base on Tyler Wampler's sacrifice bunt. Connor McClain loaded the bases after being hit by a pitch. Derick Hannahs came through with a two-out double off the left centerfield fence that cleared the bases and put the Sycamores up 4-0.

Belmont picked up a pair of runs in the sixth when Drew Ferguson hit a lead-off home run, Alec Diamond followed with a double and scored on Nick Egli's sacrifice fly to center.

Zahn finished with two singles to lead the Sycamore offense while Hayes had a solo home run, Wampler and Hannahs a double each, and Hunter Owen and Mike Fitzgerland had a single each.