KEVIN JENISON
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State's participation in the 2014 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament came to an end Wednesday afternoon as the Missouri State Bears eliminated the Sycamores 9-1 on Bob Warn Field at Sycamore Stadium. The Sycamores have now lost three straight for just the second time this season.
“When you get to this point of the season, it is not who has the best record or has done the most during the regular season,” Mitch Hannahs, Indiana State baseball coach, said. “It is who is playing the best, has the deepest pitching staff, and is hitting well from top to bottom. Missouri State is one of those teams that are playing well right now and they could go a long way in this tournament.”
Indiana State (35-16) will have to wait until Monday to learn whether they will make the NCAA tournament field. The selections will be aired on ESPNU at 12:00 p.m. (ET) Monday. Missouri State (24-30) advances to meet the loser of tonight's Dallas Baptist-Bradley game at 12:30 p.m. (ET) Thursday.
The Sycamores were the second of the two top seeded teams in the Valley tournament to be eliminated Wednesday after Wichita State dispatched top-seeded and regular season champion Evansville with an 8-6 victory.
Missouri State took advantage of two Indiana State errors and three base hits to jump out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the third. Aaron Meyer reached on the first of two Sycamore errors in the inning as Tyler Wampler had the ball bounced away from his glove. Meyer advanced as Trey Massenberg drew a four pitch walk.
Both moved up on Blake Graham's sacrifice bunt and both scored on Joey Hawkins single up the middle. Patrick Drake followed with a two out single and Dylan Becker also singled up the middle. However, Becker's hit was misplayed by Curry which allowed both Hawkins and Drake to score.
Indiana State had their first hit of the game in the fourth when Jacob Hayes singles through the right side but he was left stranded in the inning. The Sycamores were able to get on the scoreboard two innings later with a run on a walk and two hits in the sixth.
Hayes walked with one out and reached second as McClain singled into right field. Hayes came around to score the first Sycamore run of the game on an RBI single through the left side by Derek Hannahs. However, both McClain and Hannahs were left stranded.
Missouri State opened up the game in the bottom of the eighth as the Bears scored five runs on five hits. Singles from Patrick Drake and Dylan Becker was followed by a walk to Spencer Johnson which loaded the bases with one out. Eric Cheray singled in one run before Aaron Meyer attempted to score another on a squeeze play but Becker was out at home. Two more runs scored on a pinch hit double by Conner Wilson and two more on a single by pinch hitter Trey Hair.
Brad Lombard started on the mound for Indiana State and went 3.1 innings, allowing four runs on four hits while striking out none and walking one. Ryan Keaffaber worked 4.1 innings in giving up four runs on three hits while striking out two and walking three. Josh Dover faced four batters in a third of an inning in the eighth, allowing a run on two hits while striking out none and walking none.
Indiana State had just three hits in the game, all singles, with Jacob Hayes, Connor McClain, and Derek Hannahs each hitting one.
