Box Score SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Indiana State's season came to an end on Friday afternoon at Hammons Field as the Sycamores fell to No. 1 Southern Illinois in an elimination game, 8-2.
 
The Sycamores wrap up the season with a 26-22-1 overall record on the year following the loss, while Southern Illinois improves to 41-15 following the tournament win.
 
The Salukis jumped ahead early with a three-run top of the third, while Nick Hagedorn and J.T. Weber both homered to pace the SIU offense in the win. The Sycamores attempted to mount several rallies down the stretch, but ISU was unable to crack the SIU defense leaving the bases loaded in the sixth, while hitting into a double play in the seventh to limit the comeback attempt.
 
Seth Gergely connected on a pair of doubles and drove in both ISU RBI, while Aaron Beck added a two-hit game in his final game in the Sycamore Blue & White. Randall Diaz added a two-hit game and Jordan Schaffer doubled, while Keegan Watson, Parker Stinson, and Joe Kido all hit safely in the loss.
 
Luke Patzner (3-4) took the loss after going the first four innings. The redshirt sophomore surrendered nine hits and five runs while striking out three. Connor Fenlong added 4.0 innings in relief, while Jake Ridgway worked a perfect ninth inning in his final game with the Sycamores.
 
Four Salukis posted multi-hit games, while Weber and Hagedorn homered to pace a 15-hit Southern Illinois offense. Weber, Pier-Oliver Boucher, and Evan Martin all doubled in the SIU win.
 
Noah Farmer (7-1) went the first 5.2 innings in taking the win as the senior right-hander allowed eight hits and two runs while striking out three. Trey McDaniel went the final 3.1 innings allowing two hits in taking the save.
 
How They Scored

• SIU took the early 3-0 lead in the top of third inning as J.T. Weber and Pier-Oliver Boucher both connected on RBI doubles, while Kaeber Rog added an RBI groundout to put the Salukis up 3-0.
• Seth Gergely nearly tied the game up with a bases-loaded two-out, two-run double to left field in the bottom of the third with Jordan Schaffer and Joe Kido both scoring on the hit, but Keegan Watson was thrown out at the plate to keep it a 3-2 ballgame.
• Nick Hagedorn connected on a two-run home run in the top of the fourth with the ball carrying over the wall in right center and scoring Grey Epps to put SIU ahead 5-2.
• Epps hustled to beat out a double play ball in the top of the fifth allowing Rog to score and give the Salukis the 6-2 lead.
• J.T Weber added to the Saluki lead with a two-out solo home run to right field to put SIU ahead 7-2 in the top of the sixth.
• Weber added another Saluki run in the top of the eighth with an RBI single scoring Hagedorn to give SIU the 8-2 lead.

News & Notes

• Indiana State closed out the year with the 46th 20-plus win season in program history.
• The Sycamores have won at least 20 games in 12 of the last 13 games. The lone exception came in the COVID-shortened 2020 season.
• ISU has also finished with a winning record in 13 consecutive seasons dating back to 2008.
• ISU has won at least one Missouri Valley Conference tournament game since 2014.
• The Sycamores move to 3-8 all-time when the tournament is held in Springfield, Mo.
• Friday's contest marked the final time Jordan Schaffer, Jake Ridgway, Aaron Beck, Jack Parisi, Raine Richter, and Sean Ross put on the Sycamore colors in their collegiate career.

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