TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Indiana State baseball is off to its best start in program history after a doubleheader sweep of The Citadel Bulldogs Saturday afternoon at Bob Warn Field. The Sycamores took game one of the day 5-1 before winning the nightcap, 4-2 to improve to 15-1 on the season.
 
Starting pitching was superb for the Sycamores in both contests as ISU used the bullpen for just two innings on the day. Senior left-hander Triston Polley (4-0) tossed a complete game in the opener while striking out a career high 10 batters. Right-hander Collin Liberatore (4-0) went seven complete innings and allowed just a run on four hits while retiring six Citadel batters on strikeouts in game two.
 
Tyler Ward struck out one in two innings of work in the finale to close out the Bulldogs.
 
Over the two games, Roby Enriquez and Joe Boyle each tallied three hits apiece to go with an RBI while Jake Means drove in four runs on a pair of hits while scoring a run for the Trees. A five-run second inning was all the scoring the Sycamores needed in game one. ISU took advantage of two Bulldog miscues in the inning while going for four base hits. The Citadel (7-11) looked to be out of the inning five batters in while not allowing a run but a fielding error at third base cost the 'Dogs a run. A batter later, Clay Dungan singled up the middle to add another before Jake Means put the exclamation on the inning with a two-run double to the gap in right. Indiana State added one more run on an error at third base to make it 5-0 Sycamores before a strikeout ended the inning.
 
The Citadel put two runners on base in the first six innings -- one on a bloop single into center in the first and another on a walk in the seventh. Sycamore catcher Max Wright took care of both, throwing both of them out on steal attempts.
 
Polley retired 13-straight batters up until the sixth inning on what was one of his best starts in a Sycamore uniform. The Bulldogs spoiled the shutout in the ninth for the Avon, Indiana native after a leadoff double came around to score on a groundout.
 
Jarrod Watkins was the lone Sycamore to record multiple hits in the opener.
 
Shane Connolly (2-2) was charged with the loss after five runs crossed the plate in his six innings of work, though none were earned.
 
The Sycamores scored the first runs of the game again in the nightcap when Means drove in two of his four RBI on a single off the third base bag to score Luke Fegen and Brandt Nowaskie. Roby Enriquez made it a three-run game later in the inning with a single through the right side of the infield to score Clay Dungan.
 
Redshirt senior Joe Boyle added to the Indiana State lead in the bottom of the fourth when he belted ball over the wall in left field for his second home run of the season.
 
The Citadels' Ben Peden homered in the seventh to cut into the ISU lead before the Bulldogs made it interesting in the ninth with two infield singles to open the frame. One Bulldog would cross the plate but Ward would get out of the jam with a strikeout and a groundout to end the game.
 
Enriquez, Boyle and Fegen each tallied two hits in the game while Means drove in a pair of runs to lead the squad.

Jordan Merritt fell to 2-3 on the season with the loss. He allowed eight hits and four runs in seven innings for the Bulldogs.
 
Indiana State outhit the Bulldogs in the doubleheader, 14-10. Sycamore pitching held The Citadel to a .167 average against and two extra base hits in 18 innings.
 
The Sycamores will look for the series sweep of the Bulldogs Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. Right-hander Tyler Whitbread is scheduled to make the start on the mound. Fans with a valid Military ID will receive two free tickets to each game for Military Appreciation Weekend. For ticket information, call (812) 237-3737 or order tickets online HERE.
 
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.