DALLAS -- Indiana State baseball's season came to a close Friday evening in an elimination game against top-seed and No. 24-ranked Missouri State, 9-6, in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship at Horner Ballpark.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
After the first 12 batters were retired in order to begin the game, Indiana State got on the board with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third after bases loaded RBI walks to Dane Giesler and Romero Harris.
 
The Sycamores added a run in the fourth on an RBI groundout from Max Wright to score Roberto Enriquez who walked to open the inning and moved to third on Luke Fegen's double down the line in right.
 
Missouri State's offense came to life and scored four runs to take their first lead of the game in the fifth inning -- first on a bases loaded walk -- before Jeremy Eierman cleared the bases with a double to left field -- changing the game and waking up the MSU crowd in the stands.  
 
The Bears tacked on two more runs in the top of the sixth on a two-run home run to left-center from Matt Brown before adding a pair of sacrifice fly insurance runs in the top of the seventh.
 
Indiana State looked to get the offense going in the seventh after loading the bases with one out but a popup to first and a groundout to shortstop ended the threat.
 
Missouri State continued to roll offensively in the late innings as Brown connected on his second home run of the night to lead off the eighth inning.
 
The Sycamores emptied the bench in the ninth, pinch hitting seven batters. ISU loaded the bases before Nolan Brimbury drove in a run on an infield hit, Chris Ayers scored on a balk and Jordan Schaffer collected an RBI groundout to make it a 9-6 game.
 
Max Wright was the lone Sycamore to record multiple hits, finishing 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
 
Indiana State closes the season 31-24 overall and say goodbye to three seniors in Dane Giesler, Ethan Larrison and Weston Rivers.

ON THE MOUND
Weston Rivers went six and a third innings for the Sycamores, tying a career high with five strikeouts. Missouri State would pick up seven hits late in his outing as the redshirt senior fell to 4-1 on the year.
 
Logan Wiley moved to 7-5 on the season for the Bears after going six and a third allowing just three earned runs.  

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