TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Indiana State baseball team fell 7-6 to the Bradley Braves on Sunday afternoon at Bob Warn Field at Sycamore Stadium. The Sycamores fall to 21-23 overall and 6-12 in the Missouri Valley, while the Braves improve to 31-13, and 9-6 in the Valley.
Bradley took the lead in the top of the second inning. After a walk and a hit by pitch, Evan Gruener singled to right to bring home Paul Solka and give the Braves a 1-0 lead.
The Braves increased their lead in the top of the third inning. A hit by pitch and a single put two runners on for Solka, who delivered a three-run home run to center field and put the Braves up 4-0.
Indiana State got on the board in the bottom of the third. With two outs, Andy Young doubled to left center and was driven home on a Jacob Hayes single. After three complete, ISU trailed 4-1.
Bradley got the run back in the top of the fourth inning. Gruener led off with a single and scored on a single from Isaac Smith and put the Braves up 5-1.
The Sycamores continued to battle back, scoring a run in the bottom of the fourth. Hunter Owen led off with a solo home run to left and cut the lead to 5-2 for the Braves.
The Braves added a pair of unearned runs in the top of the sixth inning. Two hit by pitches and a single loaded the bases before an error by the ISU center fielder scored Mike Riesner and Carson Weber and put the Braves up 7-2.
Owen led off the sixth inning the same way he led off the fourth, belting a home run to left center and cut the lead to 7-3 in favor of the Braves.
ISU cut into the Bradley lead in the seventh inning. Hayes reached on a walk and moved to second on a single from Manny Estevez. Owen then hit a sharp grounder to third that was thrown away by the Bradley third baseman allowing Hayes to score from second and cut the lead to 7-4.
Indiana State threatened in the top of the ninth inning, putting the winning run on base. After a pair of hits, ISU had runners on first and second with two outs. Connor McClain worked a walk to load the bases for Landon Curry. Curry singled through the right side to score Estevez and Owen and cut the lead to 7-6. The Sycamores couldn't come up with another hit as Curry and McClain were stranded to end the threat.
On the mound, Ethan Larrison (3-4) started and recorded the loss, going 3.0 innings, giving up three hits, and four runs (four earned). Trent Lunsford worked an inning in relief, giving up two hits and an earned run. Connor Schwienebart worked 1.2 innings in relief, allowing one hit and two unearned runs. Austin Conway pitched 3.1 innings, allowing three hits and striking out two.
At the plate, the Sycamores were led by Owen, who finished 3-for-4 with two RBI, and three runs scored, on two home runs and a double. Curry finished 2-for-6 with two RBI. Estevez went 2-for-5 with a run scored, and Andy DeJesus went 2-for-5. Hayes finished 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while Moore and Gutierrez each picked up a hit.
The Sycamores return to action on Friday, May 8th at 6:30 p.m. at Bob Warn Field at Sycamore Stadium as the Sycamores host Southeast Missouri State in the final non-conference series of the season. Game times will be 6:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday evenings, and 1:00 p.m. on Sunday.
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.
