TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Dominic Bifano and the Sycamore bats propelled Indiana State to an 8-4 home-opener win over the visiting Oakland Golden Grizzlies Friday afternoon at Bob Warn Field.
 
Bifano, a Carmel, California native, connected on his second home run of the season in the sixth to give the Sycamores their first lead of the day at 3-2 on the two-run blast to right field. Senior outfielder Kyle Moore put the icing on the cake in the eighth when he powered out his fourth home run of the year to make it an 8-4 game following several tough defensive plays in left field.  
 
The Sycamores (8-9) trailed until the sixth inning before the offense exploded for four runs to take a 5-2 lead. Clay Dungan kicked off the inning with a single and moved around the bases on Bifano's home run. That was when CJ Huntley and Jeff Zahn went for back-to-back doubles to trade bases. Cody Gardner would later send Zahn home on a single to left.
 
Dungan again got the offense going in the seventh with a leadoff walk before being brought home on a Dane Giesler single. Ayers would cross the plate to end the scoring for the Sycamores after Bifano put down the squeeze play up the first-base line.
 
Ethan Larrison earned the win out of the bullpen, improving to 1-1 on the year. He pitch two innings of relief work, giving up three hits while striking out a trio of Golden Grizzly batters. Jeremy McKinney (1) earned the save after going 2.1 innings, allowing only one hit and striking out two.
 
Fourth-year man Ryan Keaffaber picked up the no decision for the Sycamores after 4.1 innings of work. The southpaw allowed two runs on struck out four on the day.
 
Jake Lee fell to 0-4 on the season after giving up five runs in 5.2 innings for Oakland (1-14). Emerson Misch went 2-for-4 with two runs scored to lead Oakland at the plate. Number nine-hitter Ryan Fitzgerald belted a two-run home run in the second to give Oakland a lead up until the sixth.
 
Indiana State returns to the diamond Saturday at 2 p.m. to face Oakland in game two of the series. Right-hander Will Kincanon with toe the rubber for the Sycamores. Luke Martin will have the call on Sycamore All-Access through GoSycamores.com.
 
For the latest information on the Sycamore Baseball team, be sure to visit GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.