VALPARAISO, Ind. – Tyler Nelson dropped down the safety squeeze bunt in the top of the ninth and Jordan Schaffer added a RBI single as Indiana State took the series opener at Valparaiso on Saturday afternoon, 2-0.
 
The Sycamores (17-8, 3-1 MVC) struggled with runners on base throughout the contest in a pitcher's duel at Emory G. Bauer Field as Indiana State had left eight runners on the paths through the first eight innings of the contest. However, heads-up running by Randall Diaz with a theft of third base with one out in the ninth and Nelson's run-scoring bunt were all that mattered as the Sycamores topped Valparaiso (11-12, 0-1 MVC) in the Saturday game.
 
Matt Jachec (7-1) picked up his Missouri Valley-leading seventh win of the 2022 season as the redshirt sophomore hurled his fifth consecutive quality start. Jachec went the first eight innings of the contest pitching around six hits and one hit by pitch on his way to keeping the Beacons off the scoreboard. Joey Hurth (S, 5) worked a perfect ninth inning on the way to his fifth save of the year as the redshirt sophomore struck out the side to close out the contest.
 
Schaffer paced the Sycamores with a 3-for-5 game at the plate, while Josue Urdaneta, Sean Ross, Isaiah Thompson, and Diego Gines all posted hits in the contest. Ross added his second triple of the season, while Urdaneta and Gines both doubled in the win.
 
Nolan Lebamoff (0-1) took the loss after allowing one run over 2.1 innings of relief work. Colin Fields went the first six innings in the no decision and pitched around Sycamores on base throughout the contest on his way to finishing with eight strikeouts.
 
Kyle Schmack and Nolan Tucker posted two-hit games for the Beacons.
 
How They Scored

• Tyler Nelson dropped down the safety squeeze bunt in the top of the ninth inning scoring Randall Diaz and Jordan Schaffer brought home Grant Magill with a RBI single to give Indiana State the 2-0 lead in the final inning.

T9 | EXECUTED PERFECTLY!!@TylerNelson255 drops down the bunt and @rvndal28 comes across the plate - it's a 1-0 Sycamore lead! pic.twitter.com/VLMKeqehrV

— Indiana State Baseball (@IndStBaseball) April 9, 2022

News & Notes

• Sean Ross ran his hitting streak to eight consecutive games with his second triple of the 2022 season in the top of the first inning against Valparaiso.
• Ross became the second Sycamore to post multiple triples in the 2022 season and gives the Sycamores three three-baggers this week after Seth Gergely and Tyler Nelson both tripled this past Wednesday against Purdue.
• Jordan Schaffer picked up his ninth multi-hit game of the season and 34th of his Indiana State career after going 3-for-5 at the plate on Saturday.
• Matt Jachec posted his fifth consecutive quality start and sixth of the 2022 season as the right-hander went 8.0 innings allowing six hits and one hit-by-pitch.
• Jachec tied his season-high with his 8.0 inning appearance equaling the mark set against Kansas back on March 19.
• Joey Hurth struck out the side in the ninth for his seventh game this season where he's posted three strikeouts.
• Indiana State ran its winning streak to 16 consecutive games against Valparaiso with the win.
• The Sycamores improved to 3-1 in two-run games on the year.

Up Next
Indiana State and Valparaiso close out the weekend series tomorrow with a scheduled doubleheader against the Beacons at Emory G. Bauer Field. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. ET with both games set to be carried live on ESPN3 and 105.5 The Legend.
 
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