KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to record a 6-5 walk-off victory over the Missouri State Bears Saturday in a game they never led until the very end. The victory gave Indiana State their fourth MVC series win of the season.
Indiana State (32-13, 11-6 MVC) will square off again on Sunday with Missouri State (21-27, 7-10 MVC) with the first pitch at 1 p.m. (ET). Seven Sycamore seniors will be honored in pre-game ceremonies starting at 12:40 p.m. (ET).
The Sycamores trailed throughout the game but were always within striking distance of the Bears. Missouri State had a 5-3 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth inning after scoring two in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the eighth.
Indiana State was not able to knock the zero off their tally on the scoreboard until the fifth inning when Derek Hannahs reached on a passed ball after striking out. Landon Curry, Cody Zimmerman, and Jacob Hayes drew consecutive walks to score the Sycamores first run of the game.
Two more scored in the sixth on three hits as Indiana State kept up their rally. Brian Romero led off the inning with a single and advanced to third on Jeff Zahn's single to right as the Bears right fielder threw to home in an attempt to keep Romero from scoring. Both did score on a double to left center by Connor McClain.
The Sycamores were able to answer the bell again in the bottom of the eighth after Missouri State padded their lead with a run in the top of the inning to take a 5-3 lead. Romero led off the inning with a triple into right center and scored on a Tyler Wampler single to center.
Missouri State was unable to add to their lead in the top of the ninth as the Bears went down in order.
Indiana State, showing the resilience they have had all season, rallied again in the bottom half of the ninth. Curry got the Sycamores going with a single through the right side and Zimmerman followed with a single up the middle. Hayes and Fitzgerald continued the hitting streak with back-to-back singles that scored Curry with the tying run.
With no outs, the bases loaded, and the infield draw in, Romero hit a screamer down the third base line that bounced off the Bears third baseman into the hands of the shortstop who threw Zimmerman out at home. The bases were still loaded when Wampler stepped the plate and hit a worm burner down the first base line that was mishandled by the first baseman and allowed Hayes to score the winning run.
Brad Lombard started on the mound for Indiana State and went four innings, allowing four runs on eight hits while striking out two and walking one. Austin Conway pitched an inning and did not give up a run or a hit while A.J. McElderry also pitched an inning and kept the Bears from scoring on two hits. Josh Dove took over in the seventh and finished the game to record his third win of the season as he gave up a run on one hit while striking out one and walking one.
Romero led the Sycamores at the plate with a triple and two singles in five trips. Zimmerman had two singles while McClain had a double, and Curry, Hayes, Fitzgerald, Wampler, Zahn, and Hannahs had a single each.
The Sycamores have now won four straight and eight of their last nine games.
