TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Indiana State baseball team won the opening game with the Arkansas-Little Rock Trojans in dramatic fashion at Bob Warn Field at Sycamore Stadium Friday night. ISU earned a 6-4 victory on a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning. ISU improves to 18-21, while Arkansas-Little Rock falls to 14-24.
ISU broke up the scoreless game in the bottom of the fifth inning. Derek Hannahs walked, and Jacob Hayes followed with a double. Connor McClain drove them in on a pinch-hit single to give the Sycamores the lead. Manny Estevez added to the lead, singling to right to bring home McClain and put ISU up 3-0 after five innings.
Arkansas-Little Rock got on the board in the top of the seventh inning. Kyle Kirk led off with a double to left field, and scored on a Sam Vogel single to right. Mitchell Scheuler helped cut into the ISU lead, belting a double to left center to bring Vogel around from first and bring the score to 3-2 in favor of ISU.
The Sycamores got a run back in the bottom of the seventh. Andy DeJesus doubled down the left field line and moved to third after a UALR balk. Estevez came through, singling to left and bringing home DeJesus. ISU led 4-2 after seven innings.
The Trojans added a run in the top of the eighth. Kirk singled and came around to score on a two-base error by the ISU centerfielder.
Arkansas-Little Rock was able to tie it up in the top of the ninth, scoring once. Scheuler was walked to lead off the inning, and scored on a single from Justin Steelmon and tied it up at 4-4.
Andy Young led off the bottom of the ninth, singling to right field. After a sacrifice bunt moved him to second, Estevez delivered in a big way, hitting his second home run of the season over the left field wall and giving the Sycamores the 6-4 victory.
Jeff Degano started the game for the Sycamores. Degano went 5.0 innings, allowing two hits, walking one and striking out eight. Greg Kuhlman pitched 1.1 innings in relief, allowing two hits, and two earned runs. Connor Schwienebart made his 11th appearance out of the bullpen, going 0.2 innings, giving up two hits and striking out one. Austin Conway (2-1) earned the win, pitching in 2.0 innings, giving up two hits, two runs; one earned, walking one and fanning three.
At the plate, ISU was led by Estevez, who finished 3-for-5 with four RBI and the walk-off home run. DeJesus added the only other multi-hit performance, going 2-for-4 and scoring once. McClain was 1-for-2 with two RBI and a run scored. Hannahs, Hayes, and Young each added one hit and scored one run.
ISU returns to action Saturday night April 24th, against Arkansas-Little Rock. Game time is set for 6:30 p.m.
For the latest information on the Sycamore Baseball team, make sure to visit GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook and Twitter.
