Ashley Dickerson
GoSycamores.com
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Indiana State Baseball (2-0, 0-0 MVC) opened the 2016 season with back-to-back wins over the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (0-1, 0-0 Summit League) and the Little Rock Trojans (0-1, 0-0 Sun Belt). Multiple Sycamore efforts contributed to two team wins as senior Andy Young led the charge with three hits, four runs scored, and five walks on the day. Junior Hunter Owen added five hits, while sophomore Dane Giesler tallied four and senior Kaden Moore drove in six runs.
Game One vs. Oral Roberts
The Sycamores and the Golden Eagles were eager to open the 2016 season as they both put runs on the board early. After the Golden Eagles scored in the top of the first inning, the Sycamores answered as Owen reached on an error, then scurried his way around the bases to score on a passed ball. The Sycamores then plated three more in the third, another three in the seventh, and one more in the eighth inning.
Owen led the Sycamores with a two-for-four effort at the plate while scoring three times and knocking in two runs. Geisler was the first to get a hit in the 2016 season and finished the game two-for-four at the plate. Kaden Moore was also two-for-four with two RBIs. The Sycamores finished the game with 11 hits total.
The first win of the season went to sophomore righty pitcher Jeremy McKinney as he took over for junior Austin Conway in the top of the fifth. McKinney pitched 3.1 innings tallying four hits, five strikeouts and only allowing one run. Senior Dan Peterson made his first appearance since the 2013 season, pitching 1.2 innings and recording one strikeout.
Game Two vs. Little Rock
The Sycamores wasted no time plating runs in the second game as juniors Cody Gardner and Hunter Owen crossed the plate, followed by Young. Owen and Young came across to plate two more runs in the third inning off of back-to-back RBIs from Giesler and Moore. Striking again in the fourth inning, the Sycamores continued to extend their lead with another run scored by Owen.
Multiple Sycamores led the charge at the plate for Indiana State in game two. The hits kept coming from the meat of the lineup, as the Trojans kept looking to the bullpen. Moore finished the second game two-for-four with four RBIs, while Owen tallied three hits and scored three runs. Giesler added two hits and two RBIs as Young finished a perfect two-for-two with three runs scored.
Junior hurler Ryan Keaffaber recorded his first win in the 2016 season as he threw 7.1 innings against the Trojans, holding them to two runs. Freshman Tyler Whitbread made his first appearance as a Sycamore throwing 1.2 innings, while recording his first collegiate strikeout.
The Sycamores improve to 2-0 as they finished opening day recording a total of 23 hits and 16 runs throughout the two games. Young finished the day with three hits, four runs scored and five walks, while Owen finished with five hits, six runs scored, and two RBIs. Both Moore and Giesler finished with four hits on the day, while Giesler drove in four and Moore drove in six.
The Sycamores will return to action at Gary Hogan Field as they will take on Oral Roberts for the second time this weekend at 1:00 p.m. EDT. Be sure to follow Indiana State Baseball on Twitter and Facebook for most recent updates. Tomorrow's game can be viewed via the live stats link on our schedule.
