TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Adam Pottinger scored the walk-off run in the bottom of the 10th inning on an errant throw as Indiana State took the series opener against Southern Illinois on Saturday afternoon at Bob Warn Field, 6-5.
 
Pottinger led off the bottom of the 10th inning against SIU (23-15, 10-3 MVC) reliever Paul Bonzagni (7-3) with a double down the left field line to put ISU (24-14, 12-1 MVC) immediately in scoring position. Grant Magill followed with a bunt dropped in front of the mound and fielded by Bonzagni.
 
The SIU right-hander attempted to make a play on Pottinger advancing to third, but the throw sailed over the third baseman and down the line into the Indiana State bullpen allowing Pottinger to score on the play and sending the Sycamore dugout onto the field in celebration.
 
Cameron Holycross (4-0) went 4.0 innings in scoreless relief and retired nine Salukis in a row from the end of the seventh inning to two outs in the 10th in picking up his fourth win of the year. The right-hander surrendered just a two-out single in the top of the 10th and tied a career-high with five strikeouts in the win.
 
The Sycamores took control of the game early with Luis Hernandez (solo) and Seth Gergely (two-run) home runs in the first two innings to build a 3-0 lead. Gergely added an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth to add to the Sycamore lead.
 
Southern Illinois swung the momentum back to the Salukis in the top of the seventh inning as Mathieu Vallee connected on a three-run home run off ISU starter Matt Jachec to give the visiting team their first lead of the contest.
 
Pottinger came through in the clutch in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the game back up with a one-out RBI single scoring Randal Diaz to tie the game up at 5-5.
 
Indiana State threatened to win the game in the bottom of the ninth as the Sycamores put runners on the corners with two outs, but the SIU defense came through with a groundout up the middle to send the game into extra innings.
 
Holycross struck out the first two Salukis in the top of the 10th inning and was able to get SIU's Kaeber Rog to pop up in the infield to send the game into the bottom of the frame for the walk-off.
 
Gergely and Adam Pottinger both had three hits apiece as the Sycamores tallied 13 hits in the contest against the Salukis. Mike Sears and Grant Magill both added a pair of singles in the win. Gergely led the team with three RBI.
 
Jachec went 6.0 innings in taking the no decision on Saturday afternoon. The Sycamore ace allowed seven hits and five runs while striking out six.
 
Bennett Eltoft and Rodriguez combined for four of SIU's eight hits in the game. Eltoft added a pair of RBI while Steven Loden doubled in the loss.
 
Jordan Bloemer went the first 3.2 innings for SIU allowing seven hits and four runs while striking out five. Scott Harper added a 2.2 inning stint in relief, while Bonzagni closed out the final 2.2 innings in the contest.
 
How They Scored

• Indiana State took the 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as Luis Hernandez connected on a one-out solo home run to right field to put the Sycamores ahead early.
• Seth Gergely connected on an 0-1 offering from SIU starter Jordan Bloemer and drove the pitch over the trees in right center scoring Josue Urdaneta with the two-run home run to put the Sycamores ahead 3-0 in the bottom of the second.
• Southern Illinois cut the ISU lead down to 3-2 in the top of the third inning as the Salukis plated two on the Bennett Elftoft two-run single scoring Nathan Bandy and Mathieu Vallee in the frame.
• Gergely added to the Indiana State lead in the bottom of the fourth inning as the redshirt senior connected on a two-out RBI single to right field scoring Adam Pottinger to put the Sycamores ahead 4-2.
• Vallee put Southern Illinois ahead 5-4 in the top of the seventh inning with a three-run home run over the right field wall to give the Salukis their first lead of the game.
• Adam Pottinger tied the game back up at 5-5 in the bottom of the seventh with a one-out RBI single to center field scoring Randal Diaz.
• Pottinger scored on an errant throw on Grant Magill's bunt in the bottom of the 10th inning to give Indiana State the walk-off 6-5 win over the Salukis.

News & Notes                                                                                                                                    

• Indiana State's winning streak reached 12 consecutive games on Saturday afternoon equaling the longest winning streak in the Mitch Hannahs coaching era.
• The streak equaled the 12-game stretch back in 2014 when ISU went undefeated from February 15 – March 10 that year with wins over Connecticut, Ohio State (twice), Lipscomb, Belmont, MTSU, New Orleans (three), and Western Illinois (three).
• The 12-game winning streak ties the sixth-longest winning streak in program history according to current records on hand equaling the 12-game stretches in both 2014 and 1998 (Mar. 10-29).
• ISU improved to 12-1 in Missouri Valley play equaling the best start to MVC play in program history set back in 2012.
• The Sycamores 12-game winning streak is currently the third-longest active winning streak in the country trailing both Army (13) and Dallas Baptist (13).
• Indiana State improved to 3-2 in extra-inning games this season with Saturday's contest the Sycamores' second walk-off on the year.
• ISU previously walked off Illinois State back on April 8 on Josue Urdaneta's 10th-inning RBI single scoring Mike Sears in the 4-3 win.
• Luis Hernandez and Seth Gergely both homered in the game giving Indiana State 21 home runs in MVC play through the first 13 conference games. ISU hit 20 home runs in conference action in 2022.
• Hernandez's home run was his third of the season and first since going deep against Indiana back on April 4.
• Gergely's home run was his fourth of the year and first since a two-homer game back on March 25 against Valparaiso.
• The Sycamores have homered 43 times this season and are two shy of their 2022 total (45) for the year.
• ISU's 13 hits on Saturday afternoon marked the fourth consecutive game the Sycamores have posted double-digit hits marking their longest streak of the season.
• Adam Pottinger ran his on-base streak to 12 consecutive games and hitting streak to eight following his 3-for-4 day at the plate.
• Pottinger's three-hit game was the first of his Indiana State career and sixth multi-hit game of the season.
• Gergely's three-hit game was his four game with three or more hits this year and continues a stretch that has seen the centerfielder reach base in 34 of the 36 games played this season.
• Cameron Holycross continues to excel out of the bullpen in 2023 as his ERA dropped to 1.20 on the year. He's surrendered four earned runs over 30.0 innings with a 28:12 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
• Mike Sears was hit by pitch in the game running ISU's Missouri Valley leading total to a 61 through the first 36 games of the year.

Up Next
Indiana State and Southern Illinois are back in action tomorrow afternoon on national television as the Sycamores and Salukis will battle on ESPNU on Sunday afternoon at Bob Warn Field. First pitch for the game is set for 3 p.m. ET. The game will also be streamed live on 105.5 The Legend.
 
Sunday's game is Youth Sports and Kids Club Day with all kids 8th grade and younger wearing their youth jerseys getting in for free. Parents and family get in at a discounted $4 rate.
 
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