Ashley Dickerson
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Sycamore Baseball improved to 26-16 overall, and 6-5 in MVC play, as they took two games from No. 23 Missouri State (28-13, 3-7 MVC) during Friday's doubleheader. The Sycamores out-hit the Bears 19-16 on the day, while junior Jeremy McKinney picked up a 7-6 win in game one and a save in game two. Freshman Tyler Ward improved to 6-3 on the mound in the Sycamores' 2-1 game two win. The two wins mark the third and fourth wins over ranked opponents for the 2016 season.
Game One
Missouri State struck first in the top of the first inning, scoring two unanswered run. Then, in the second inning, the Sycamores pulled ahead, scoring three runs as freshman Clay Dungan was walked, and was hit in by junior Tony Rosselli. Junior Dominic Bifano was then walked, setting senior Andy Young up for a two-run triple, putting ISU up 3-2.
The Bears answered with a two-run homer in the top of the third inning that would put them on top, 4-3.
In the top of the fifth inning, the Bears' Jake Burger knocked a home run, giving the Bears a 5-3 lead.
In the bottom half of that inning, Rosselli drew a walk just before Bifano knocked him in with a double, cutting the Bears' lead to 5-4.
The Sycamores scored again in the eighth inning, as junior Hunter Owen singled, sophomore Dane Giesler doubled, and senior Kaden Moore drove both runs in, reclaiming the lead, 6-5.
The Bears scored one in the top of the ninth to tie it, but the Sycamores answered as Giesler would stroke a walk off double up the middle to score senior Andy DeJesus.
Andy Young and Kaden Moore both finished with two hits and two RBIs, while DeJesus went 3-for-5 at the plate.
Game Two
Throughout the first five innings of game two, neither team could push across a run. Finally, the Sycamores struck first as Young led off with a single and reached second on a passed ball, just before Giesler knocked him in with a single to go up 1-0.
The Bears quickly answered, scoring one run in the top of the seventh to tie the game, 1-1.
The Sycamores took back the lead in the bottom of the seventh as Owen hit a sac fly to score sophomore Tyler Friis. Indiana State would hold on to win game two by a final score of 2-1, clinching the series win over No. 23 Missouri State.
Game three of the series has been pushed back to a 6:30 p.m. ET start time on Saturday, April 30. For more updates, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
