TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Indiana State baseball snapped a four-game losing streak and evened its weekend series with Bradley following a 12-8 victory over the Braves Friday night at Bob Warn Field. With the win, ISU moved into third-place in the Missouri Valley Conference standings and clinched a top-four finish, avoiding any play-in games in the MVC Tournament next week in Normal.
 
CJ Huntley led the way offensively with three doubles, three RBIs and two runs scored while reaching base each of his five plate appearances (BB, HBP). Collin Liberatore went five and a third innings in his 13th start of the season on the mound for ISU, improving to 10-1 on the season.
 
The Sycamores took advantage of five Bradley (31-17, 11-9 MVC) errors on the night, with four of the 12 runs scored being unearned. ISU did however leave 10 runners on base while the B raves stranded just two runners.
 
Indiana State (35-15, 12-8 MVC) used a pair of twin-killing double plays to end the first and second innings after BU recorded hits in each frame.
 
It wasn't until the third inning until the Sycamores broke into the hit column following the first of three doubles from Huntley. He would later come in to score and give ISU an early lead on Luke Fegen's single through the left side of the infield.
 
ISU continued its barrage of runs in the fourth with four more runs. After the first two runners in the inning reached on walks and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch, ISU would catch its first break of the night as BU threw a ball way, allowing both runs to score. Huntley drive in two more runs with a double to left as the Sycamores batted around in the inning.
 
Liberatore would lock in to throw consecutive 1-2-3 innings which featured all three of his strikeouts on the night.
 
Bradley would finally get into the scoring column in the sixth with four runs of their own, pulling within one run at 5-4. Eli Rawlinson homered off the left-field foul pole to open the inning before Brendon Daugherty doubled in a run and Jean-Francoise Garon sent a two-run home run over the wall in left.
 
Indiana State answered Bradley's rally with three runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth, taking advantage of a pair of BU errors. Jake Means sent the first run across on a single through the left side before an errant throw on a fielder's choice scored two more runs.
 
Clay Dungan doubled in two runs in the seventh before Means collected his second hit of the night to score another in the inning. Huntley drove in his third run of the night on his third double in the eighth for insurance.
 
Andy Shadid homered in the seventh and Dan Bolt hit a two-run blast in the eight to keep the Braves in striking distance, but Geremy Guerrero finished off the visiting squad in the final inning and a third to secure the win.  
 
Jake Ridgway went two innings for ISU, allowing four runs while striking out three in relief.
 
Ben Olson took the loss for the Braves, falling to 1-2 on the season after allowing two earned runs and four runs total and striking out a pair.
 
Bradley outhits the Sycamores 11-10 in the game and was led by a foursome of Braves with a pair of hits each. Garon went 2-for-4 with two runs scores, two RBIs and one of the teams' five home runs.
 
UP NEXT
The Sycamores will look for the series victory over Bradley Saturday at 2 p.m. Prior to first pitch, ISU will honor its 15 seniors in a pregame ceremony starting at approximately 1:30 p.m.
 
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.