TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Indiana State baseball secured the No. 3 seed in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship Saturday after clinching a series win over Bradley, 10-2, at Bob Warn Field.
 
The Sycamores (36-15, 13-8 MVC) will play No. 4 Evansville Wednesday night in Normal, Illinois with first pitch slated for 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT from Duffy Bass Field. For more information and tickets to the 2019 MVC Championship, click HERE.
 
Right-hander Tyler Whitbread tossed eight innings and allowed just four hits to the Braves in his outing with the first base hit for the visitors coming in the sixth inning of action. The Camlachie, Ontario native struck out eight on the day while walking just two batters.
 
Bradley (31-18, 11-10 MVC) did not record a baserunner until Eli Rawlinson drew a one-out walk in the third, but Whitbread picked up a strikeout and a fly ball to end the threat. In total, Whitbread retired Bradley in order in five innings as he improved to 7-2 on the season.
 
Whitbread got plenty of offensive support in the outing as the Sycamores went for nine base hits in the game, led by Luke Fegen who finished with two doubles and four RBIs. From the nine-hole, Fegen drove in two runs in the second with a two-out double down the line in left to increase the Sycamore lead to 3-0 after Clay Dungan came around to score in the first following a leadoff triple.
 
ISU continued to pour on runs against the Braves, who entered play with the lowest ERA in the MVC.
 
Back-to-back singles from CJ Huntley and Jarrod Watkins kicked off the third inning. Jake Means reached on a fielder's choice after beating out a throw at first as the Braves looked to turn an inning-ending double play. Huntley scored from third after moving up on a wild pitch earlier in the at bat.
 
Bradley would get on the scoreboard in the sixth after a weak chopper to third from Luke Shadid broke up the no-hit bid. Brendan Dougherty doubled down the line in left to bring in the first run of the game for the Braves a batter later.
 
Indiana State answered the Bradley run with two runs in the sixth and a four-spot in the seventh. In the sixth, Means and Roby Enriquez scored on a pair of wild pitches.
 
Jordan Schaffer took advantage of his at bats at the designated hitter position after moving runners into scoring position on bunts in the second and sixth before knocking in two runs in the seventh on a triple to center. Fegen added two more with his second double of the game to cap off the four-run inning as the Sycamores cruised to the victory.
 
Senior Tyler Ward tossed a scoreless ninth, retiring two Braves on strikeouts.
 
Sam Lund took the loss for the Braves after giving up four runs in three innings, falling to 5-4 on the season. Luke Shadid led BU at the dish with a 2-for-4 effort.
 
UP NEXT
The Sycamores will travel to Normal, Illinois next week for the Missouri Valley Conference Championship hosted by Illinois State. ISU will take on Evansville Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT.
 
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.