MIAMI – Indiana State took both games of a doubleheader against Florida International Sunday afternoon at FIU Baseball Stadium in Miami. The Sycamores claimed the series with a 9-4 victory in the opener before taking game three, 7-2. ISU improved to 6-4 on the season while FIU fell to 4-6.
 
Redshirt senior Max Wright was dominant at the plate in both games, finishing the day with a .600 average (3-for-5) with a home run, five walks, three runs scored, an RBI and a hit-by-pitch. The Ontario native also led the team with a 1.200 slugging percentage and a .818 on-base percent.
 
Outfielder Sean Ross tallied three base hits in the two games while reaching base on a walk and a pair of hit-by-pitches.
 
As a team, Indiana State outhit FIU Sunday 20-15 and did not have an error while FIU committed five miscues in the field.
 
Game One | Indiana State 9, Florida International 4
 
On a windy day, the long ball powered Indiana State to a game one victory as Dominic Cusumano homered in his first two at bats and Max Wright sent his third homer of the season out in the third.
 
To go along with the offensive output, right-hander Javin Drake (1-1) put together another solid outing. The Western Illinois graduate transfer went seven complete innings and allowed just three earned runs while striking out five.
 
Cusumano took a 1-1 pitch over the right field wall in the second before blasting a two-run bomb in the third. ISU put together a four-run third inning. Following Cusumano's homer, Sean Ross singled in Miguel Rivera with a ball to left field. ISU added two more runs in the fourth on a pair of bases-loaded walks to Cusumano and Fuentes.
 
Indiana State took a seven-run lead into the sixth before FIU got a two-run home run to get on the scoreboard. ISU got those runs back in the seventh as Rivera scored on a wild pitch and Jordan Schaffer plated a run on a sacrifice fly.
 
Redshirt senior Austin Cross tossed the final two innings of action for the Sycamores, striking out one and allowing one walk.
 
Wright, Cusumano, Fuentes and Ross each went for a pair of hits in the game while ISU outhit the Panthers 10-7.
 
Matt Fernandez (1-1) was charged with the loss for FIU after allowing five earned runs and six hits in 2.2 innings. Seven FIU pitchers saw the mound in the opener of the doubleheader.
 
Game Two | Indiana State 7, Florida International 2
 
The Sycamores jumped out to an early lead in the second inning when FIU committed one of their four errors of the game, allowing a run to come home on a sacrifice bunt. ISU added a run in the third when Schaffer scampered home on a passed ball.
 
Grant Magill and Schaffer each drove in runs in the third and fourth innings. Magill's single to right brought home Diego Gines and Schaffer's double scored Ellison Hanna II.
 
The big inning for the Sycamores came in the sixth when yet another error proved costly for FIU. With the bases loaded, Brian Fuentes pushed a ball to third base and the ensuing throw was errant, allowing all three runs to come home and make it a 7-2 game in favor of Indiana State.
 
Connor Cline (2-0) made his third start of the season for the Sycamores and was solid throughout his four innings of work. The right-hander allowed five base hits and gave up two earned runs while striking out four of the 17 batters he faced en route to the win.
 
Will Buraconak, Connor Fenlong and Tyler Grauer each saw relief work in the win. Buraconak went two innings and did not allow a run while retiring two on strikeouts. Fenlong finished with one strikeout while not allowing a baserunner in the seventh and eighth innings. Grauer pitched a scoreless ninth and struck out one.
 
Schaffer led all Sycamores with a 3-for-5 day at the plate in the nightcap. The Terre Haute native scored two runs, drove in one and recorded a double. Gines also tallied multiple hits with a 2-for-5 game.
 
The Sycamores will be back in action on Tuesday when the team takes on Florida Gulf Coast in midweek action beginning at 6:30 p.m.
 
For the latest information on Sycamore Baseball, be sure to visit GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.