TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Senior Triston Polley tied a career high in strikeouts after fanning eight batters in eight innings as Indiana State defeated the visiting Austin Peay Governors in their home opener Friday afternoon at Bob Warn Field, 8-1.
 
Polley (2-0) was strong from start to finish as he retired APSU batters in order in four different instances while retiring batters on strikeouts in each of his first four innings of work. In total, the left-hander allowed just one earned run on three base hits.
 
The Sycamores (8-1) put the first run of the game across in the fourth inning after Roby Enriquez doubled to leadoff the inning. Enriquez would cross the plate after Joe Boyle doubled down the line in left. After loading the bases, the Sycamores would tack on one more run in the fourth on CJ Huntley's sacrifice fly.
 
The Governors (3-5) cut the ISU lead to just one with an RBI groundout in the fifth inning, but the Sycamores quickly answered the run in the sixth on Huntley's double to the left field corner.
 
The bats got hot late for Indiana State as the team tallied five runs in the eighth inning on four hits. Clay Dungan got the offense rolling with a single to right before Luke Fegen and Huntley reached on infield singles. Watkins went on to collect a bases loaded walk to add an insurance run for the Sycamores.
 
Jake Means would make the Governors pay for loading the bases though as he launched his first career grand slam over the wall in left field to close out the game.
 
Means finished with a pair of hits and four RBI while Dungan and Enriquez each tallied a trio of hits in the game. Huntley tallied his first two hits of the season while driving in two runs.  
 
As a team, the Sycamores tallied 13 base hits in the game, including four extra-base hits. Austin Peay finished with four base hits.
 
Brandon Vial was charged with the loss after allowing three runs in five and a third innings. The right-hander allowed seven base hits as he fell to 0-1 on the year.
 
The Sycamores return to action Saturday afternoon for game two of the series with Austin Peay. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. ET from Bob Warn Field with right-hander Collin Liberatore set to take the mound.
 
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