Box Score FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Indiana State secured their fifth multi-game series sweep of the weekend with a thrilling 4-3 win on Sunday afternoon in sunny South Florida over Rutgers. ISU jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, grabbed a late insurance run and the bullpen made it stand up in the later innings for the victory.

The Sycamores improved their gaudy record to 19-2 on the season while Rutgers fell to 5-15. The sweep over the Scarlet Knights of the Big 10 Conference was the Sycamores fifth of the season. Of those five sweeps this season, the Sycamores have recorded three of them away from home.

Jarrod Watkins led the way with a 3-of-4 effort at the plate and a pair of RBI. He is two-out double in the first inning staked the Sycamores to an early lead. Roby Enriquez was also 2-of-3 in the game with a pair of walks.

Starting pitcher Tyler Whitbread earned the victory by going six and third innings, allowing a pair of runs (one earned) while allowing six hits and three strikeouts. Whitbread improved to 4-0 on the season with the win. Jake Ridgway pitched two innings in relief and Tyler Grauer closed the door by recording the final two outs for his his third save of the season. 

The Sycamores got things going right away in the top of the first inning when Jake Means was hit by a pitch with one out and advanced to second base on a Roby Enriquez single to put runners at first and second base. Romero Harris kept the bats going with a single of his own to score Means which put the Sycamores ahead 1-0 just four batters deep into the contest. Max Wright then walked to load the bases and with two outs, Jarrod Watkins doubled to left centerfield to drive home Enriquez and Harris for the early 3-0 lead.

Rutgers put a pair of runners on base in the bottom of the first inning before Chris Brito hit a rock to right field which died on the warning track and was caught by Enriquez to save the 3-0 advantage.

The Scarlet Knights plated their first run when Mike Nyisztor connected on a single through the right side which scored Carmen Scalfini to trim the Sycamore advantage down to just 3-1. Peter Serruto singled to centerfield in the bottom of the fourth inning to bring home Victor Valderrama which whittled the Sycamore lead down to 3-2.

Starting pitcher Tyler Whitbread after he surrendered a one-out double in the seventh of the inning led the Sycamores to send Jake Ridgway to the mound. Ridgeway forced Nyisztor to fly out to right field and Enriquez fired the ball to third base where nailed Kevin Blum for the inning ending double play to escape the the threat.

ISU grabbed an insurance run in the eighth inning when Joe Boyle led off the frame with a walk and moved to third on a single by Jarrod Watkins. Boyle came home with one out when Luke Fegen grounded out to second base to extend the lead to 4-2.

In the ninth inning, Scalfini hit a home run to cut the Sycamore lead down to 4-3. With a runner on first base, Grauer entered the contest. Max Wright made the game saving play when he nailed David Soto, a pinch runner, as he tried to advance to second base for the second out of the inning. Grauer then forced Luke Bowerbank to ground out to end the game and give ISU their third victory of the weekend.

Rutgers starter Jack Parkinson was saddled with the loss for the Scarlet Knights.

Indiana State returns to action on Tuesday, March 26 when they host the Fighting Illini of Illinois at 6 pm (ET) inside the friendly confines of Bob Warn Field at Sycamore Stadium.