TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State baseball finished the weekend a perfect 4-0 at Bob Warn Field at Sycamore Stadium, sweeping a doubleheader Sunday evening against Rutgers and Canisius. Indiana State defeated Rutgers by a score of 14-4 before knocking off the Golden Griffins 13-2. The wins improve ISU's record to 8-7. The games were part of the Indiana State Tournament, hosted by the Sycamores. Rutgers falls to 2-12, and Canisius is now 7-11.
In the first game against Rutgers, ISU struck early plating three runs in the first inning. Tyler Friis and Derek Hannahs both got on with singles before Andy Young provided the power, hitting a three-run homer to center field to put the Sycamores up 3-0 after one inning. The homer was Young's first as a Sycamore.
Rutgers got one back in the top of the third inning. John Jennings reached on a single and was driven home on a single to center field by R.J. Devish.
Sycamores got the run back in the bottom of the third inning. Jacob Hayes got it rolling with a triple to left field and Andy DeJesus brought him around to score on a single through the right side. After three complete, ISU led 4-1.
The Scarlet Knights tied the game up in the top of the fourth inning. Rutgers got three runs on three hits, highlighted by a Joe D'Annunzio home run to left field, tying the game up at 4-4.
Connor McClain put the Sycamores up in the bottom of the inning, hitting his first home run of the season to right field. ISU wasn't finished yet, Friis knocked in Gutierrez with an RBI single. Hannahs and Hayes earned back-to-back walks before Young delivered again. Young ripped a double down the right field line to clear the bases and put the Sycamores ahead 9-4 after four innings.
ISU tacked on another run in the bottom of the fifth. Gutierrez belted his first career triple and scored when he beat the throw on a fielder's choice off the bat of Landon Curry and put the Sycamores ahead, 10-4.
Indiana State added on two more runs in the seventh on a Friis double to score McClain and Gutierrez and push the lead to 12-4.
On the mound, Jeremy McKinney started and went 3.0 innings, gave up six hits, four runs, all earned, walked one and struck out one. Earning the win in relief was freshman Ethan Larrison. Larrison tossed 6.0 innings, allowing just two hits, walking one and striking out two.
At the plate, Friis finished four-for-five, with three RBI and two runs scored. Young was three-for-five with two runs and a career-high six RBI. Gutierrez finished three-for-four with an RBI and a game-high three runs. McClain added two extra base hits including a home run and a double. Moore, DeJesus and Hayes also added two hits each. Hannahs and Hayes each scored two runs.
In the nightcap, the Sycamore offense picked up where it left off, scoring eight runs in the bottom of the first inning. Indiana State took advantage of three walks and a hit batter in the inning, while ISU belting five hits, all for extra bases. Hayes got it started with a two-RBI triple, Young brought Hayes home on a ground out. Taylor Steen made his presence felt, hitting his first career home run over the right field wall, the three-run homer pushed the lead to 6-0. Friis capped off the inning with a two-run double to end the scoring at 8-0 ISU.
Canisius got one back in the top of the fourth inning on a solo homer by Jesse Puscheck to put the score at 8-1.
The Sycamores added five more runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning. Young delivered a bases-clearing triple for his 10th RBI of the day, fourth of the contest. DeJesus followed with a single to bring him in, and came around to score on a ground out by Steen.
The Golden Griffins added one in the top of the seventh inning. After a Cyrus Senior triple, Jake Lumley drove him home on a ground out to second.
Ryan Keaffaber (2-0) got the ball in his first start of 2015. Keaffaber went 6.1 innings, allowing seven hits, one run, one earned, walked one and struck out five. Greg Kuhlman made his first appearance out of the bullpen, tossing in 1.1 innings, allowing two hits, one run, one earned, walking two and striking out two. Connor Schwienebart also made an appearance, going 1.1 innings, retiring the four batters that he faced.
Eight of nine starters had hits in the contest. Friis, Hayes, and Gutierrez had two hits each. Young and Steen recorded four RBI, Friis and Hayes also tacked on two RBI.
The Sycamore offense scored 27 runs on the day, the most in a two-game stretch since March 27-28, 2013 when the Sycamores scored 35 against Illinois-Chicago and Ball State.
The Sycamores return to action on Tuesday, Mar. 17th when they travel to Lincoln, Neb. to take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers for two games before heading to Springfield, Mo. to open conference play against Missouri State.
The final game of the Indiana State Tournament will be Monday, Mar. 16th when Rutgers will face Canisius at 12:00 p.m. at Bob Warn Field at Sycamore Stadium.
For the latest information on the Sycamore Men's Baseball team, make sure to visit GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook and Twitter.
