WICHITA, Kan. – The Indiana State baseball team fell 12-5 to the Patriots of Dallas Baptist in an elimination game of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament hosted by Wichita State University. DBU is currently ranked 12th in a number of NCAA polls and is the second seed of the tournament. The Sycamores fall to 28-26 on the season, while the Patriots improve to 43-12. It is the seventh-straight winning season for Indiana State baseball.
After an hour and 21 minute rain delay, play began at 11:21 a.m. (ET) at Eck Stadium.
The Sycamores struck first in the bottom of the first inning. Landon Curry reached base on his school record 56th career hit by pitch and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Tyler Friis. Curry stole third base with one out before scoring on a sacrifice fly from Andy Young to give the Sycamores a 1-0 lead.
Indiana State tacked on another run in the bottom of the second inning. Jacob Hayes and Kaden Moore drew back-to-back walks to start the frame. Manny Estevez drove a ball up the middle to bring home Hayes and put the Sycamores up 2-0.
Dallas Baptist tied it up in the top of the third inning. Daniel Sweet reached on a bunt base hit before Justin Wall belted a two-run home run to left center to tie the game at 2-2.
The Patriots took the lead in the top of the fourth. A lead-off double from Drew Turbin started the DBU half of the inning. A single from Trooper Reynolds moved Turbin to third before a sacrifice fly from David Martinelli put the Patriots up 3-2.
DBU added to their lead in the top of the fifth inning. Singles from Wall, Nash Knight, and Tagg Duce loaded the bases. Turbin singled to bring home Wall and Knight. Reynolds followed with a two-run double before Daniel Salters hit a two-run home run to put the Patriots up 9-2.
ISU cut into the Patriot lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. Hunter Owen led off with a double and scored on a single from Hayes. Connor McClain then doubled to left center to score Hayes. A pair of wild pitches scored McClain and ISU trailed 9-5 after six innings.
Dallas Baptist answered back in the top of the seventh inning. DBU scored three runs, capped off by a Salters two-run single to increase the lead to 12-5 in favor of the Patriots.
At the plate, McClain finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Hayes went 2-for-3 with an RBI and scored twice. Estevez added two hits and an RBI. Owen and Andy DeJesus each contributed with one hit. Curry and Owen each scored a run.
On the mound, six pitchers made appearances. Greg Kuhlman (1-3) started and suffered the loss, pitching in 4.1 innings allowing six hits, five runs (five earned), walking three and striking out two. Michael Eberle gave up four hits. Trent Lunsford pitched 1.2 innings surrendering one hit and two earned runs. Connor Schwienebart also gave up a run. Ethan Larrison finished the game for the Sycamores, retiring the nine batters that he faced, and striking out four.
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