OREM, Utah – Indiana State baseball improved to 5-5 on the season after sweeping a Saturday doubleheader against Utah Valley at Brent Brown Ballpark. The Sycamores took the opener 10-5 before winning the nightcap 11-8.
 
Senior Tony Rosselli led the charge at the plate for the Sycamores, batting .778 on the day. The Terre Haute native went a combined 7-for-9 with three doubles, a triple and three RBIs. Chris Ayers (.556) and Kyle Moore (.500) also recorded exceptional days at the plate for the Trees. Ayers had five hits and scored a pair of runs to go along with an RBI while Moore connected on his second home run of the year en route to four hits and four RBIs.
 
Every Sycamore that had more than one plate appearance picked up a hit as the club combined for 32 hits on the day. The Sycamores went for extra bases in 13 of those including nine doubles, two triples and two home runs.
 
Game One | Indiana State 10, Utah Valley 5
 
The Sycamores scored four runs in the ninth inning to secure a 10-5 win over Utah Valley (2-8) to kick off the Saturday doubleheader with the Wolverines.
 
Indiana State got on the scoreboard in the top of the second inning after Dominic Bifano doubled down the right field line and then advanced to third on a Kyle Moore single to left field. Bifano then crossed the plate to give the Sycamores a 1-0 lead on a Jeff Zahn fielder's choice.
 
The Sycamores got two more in the top of the third inning after Clay Dungan singled to right field and then scored on a Rosselli double to left. Rosselli then crossed the plate on a Dane Giesler single to center to give Indiana State a 3-0 advantage.
 
Utah Valley tied things up in the bottom of the third inning. Trevor Howell reached on a walk before advancing to second on a Trevor Peterson single. Zac Willis then cleared the bases with a three-run shot over the left field wall to tie the game, 3-3.
 
The Wolverines responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the seventh inning. Howell hit a two-out single to right field and then advanced to second on a throwing error. Peterson then singled to right to send Howell across the plate. Peterson stole second base before touching home on a Willis single to center field, cutting the Indiana State lead to a 6-5 advantage.
 
With one out in the top of the ninth, Rosselli doubled down the left field line and then advanced to third on a Dane Tofteland single. Bifano then singled in Rosselli. Kyle Moore then hit a three-run homer over the left field wall to give the Sycamores a 10-5 lead.
 
Jeremy Hill got the start for the Sycamores and went two innings, giving up no runs and three hits. Jeremy McKinney improved to 3-0 on the young season after finishing the final 6.2 innings, allowing just two runs while striking out seven.
 
Rosselli led the team with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate that included three doubles and a pair of RBIs. Moore also added three hits for the Sycamores as well as three RBIs. Dominic Bifano also scored a pair of runs and picked up two hits.
 
Game Two | Indiana State 11, Utah Valley 8
 
Indiana State used big offensive innings to rally past the Wolverines in the nightcap, besting UVU 11-8. The Sycamores went for 17 hits in the contest and scored three or more runs in the third, fourth and ninth innings en route to the victory.
 
Once again, Rosselli came up big at the plate for the Sycamores, going 4-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Gardner added three hits including a double and a pair of RBIs while Ayers also went for a trio of hits including a double. Senior Jeff Zahn connected on his second home run of the season on a solo shot in the fourth.
 
The scoring began in the third as ISU and Utah Valley traded runs before the Wolverines took the lead in the bottom half with a three-run inning with a two-RBI double and an RBI groundout. The Sycamores came back in the fourth to score three runs of their own to take the lead once and for all.
 
Zahn's solo home run followed by a Tyler Friis double that scored two runs was all ISU needed to get the bats going to the tune of eight hits in the fourth and fifth innings.
 
Giesler added to the lead in the fifth on an RBI triple before Moore drove in a run on a single to right-center. Gardner capped off the four-run fifth with a double down the left-field line that scored Moore and Bifano, pushing the Sycamore lead to 8-3.
 
Utah Valley would make things interesting in the eighth as they scored four runs to make it an 8-7 lead but ISU came right back with a three-run ninth to close out the game.
 
Triston Polley got the start on the hill for the Sycamores and went two innings giving up three runs. Right-hander Tyler Ward (2-1) came out of the bullpen for the first time this year for the win after going five complete innings and allowing only one run while striking out three. Austin Conway closed out the final 1.1 innings, retiring three of the eight batters he faced via the strikeout.
 
The Sycamores will look to take the series Sunday at 2 p.m. ET/12 p.m. MT at Brent Brown Ballpark. Live stats and free video will be available 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.