Ashley Dickerson
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE Ind. – Indiana State Baseball (24-14, 4-3 MVC) fell to No.24 Dallas Baptist, 3-2 on Friday evening. The Patriots took an early two-run lead, but the Sycamores bounced back, tying it up in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Patriots tacked up another run in the top of the eighth to eventually give them the one run edge over the Sycamores.
In the top of the first inning, Dallas Baptist's Darick Hall, recently named to the Golden Spike Award watch list and John Olerud Award watch list, hit a two-run homer that would put the Sycamores in an early rut.
The Sycamores got the bats going in the fourth inning as senior Andy Young singled through the left side. Junior Hunter Owen drew a one out walk, just before junior Tony Rosselli singled up the middle to plate Young, cutting the Patriot lead in half.
Indiana State scored again in the bottom of the sixth inning, as junior Hunter Owen led off with a single up the middle, followed by back-to-back walks issued to senior Kaden Moore and Rosselli. Sophomore Tyler Friis picked up a RBI, sending Owen home to score as he grounded into a double play, but knotting the score at 2-2.
Dallas Baptist put their leadoff on with a single in the top of the seventh, and sacrificed him to second on the next batter. Jameson Hannah, the Patriots' leadoff man then singled up the middle to give them the go-ahead run over the Sycamores.
Indiana State put runners in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh as sophomore Dane Giesler led off with a double to the wall that fell just shy of a home run. He would then advance to third on a freshman Chris Ayers sacrifice before senior Andy DeJesus was intentionally walked. Owen was then called out on a close play at first to end the inning, which would have allowed Giesler to score.
The Sycamores led off the bottom of the ninth with a single from freshman Clay Dungan, but would not score, as they would fall to No.24 Dallas Baptist, 3-2.
Rosselli finished the night 1-for-2 with two walks and a RBI, while Giesler was 2-for-3 with a double.
The Sycamores will continue the series with the Patriots on Saturday, April 23 at 1:00 p.m. ET. and will be broadcast locally on WAWV.
