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Indiana State University Athletics

2023 Championship
5
Indiana State INS 41-15
6
Winner Evansville UE 37-23
Indiana State INS
41-15
5
Final
6
Evansville UE
37-23
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Indiana State INS 1 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 5 7 0
Evansville UE 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 6 8 0

W: Nate Hardman (2-1) L: Spencer, Jared (3-2)

6
Winner Indiana State INS 42-15
0
Evansville UE 37-24
Winner
Indiana State INS
42-15
6
Final
0
Evansville UE
37-24
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Indiana State INS 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 4 6 8 1
Evansville UE 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 2

W: Edmonson, Cam (3-0) L: Shane Harris (6-2)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Seth Montgomery | GoSycamores.com

Missouri Valley Tournament Champions; Sycamores top Evansville in elimination game to claim eighth MVC Title in program history

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Cam Edmonson recorded the final strikeout on the mound setting off the rush from the Indiana State dugout as the top-seed Sycamores topped No. 4 Evansville, 6-0, in the Missouri Valley Championship Game.

Edmonson recorded the final of his career-high eight strikeouts with two runners in scoring position to forestall another Evansville rally (37-24) leading to the dog pile behind the mound as the Sycamores (42-15) bounced back from a first game defeat to take the title.
 
Evansville forced the final elimination game against Indiana State as the Purple Aces came from behind to win the first game of the day with Chase Hug's walk-off grand slam in the 6-5 win in the opener.
 
The Sycamores bats and pitching staff ensured history would not repeat itself as Edmonson and Simon Gregersen combined to throw ISU's seventh shutout of the 2023 season and second of the MVC Tournament in clinching Indiana State's eighth MVC Tournament title in program history.
 
Randal Diaz and Adam Pottinger both homered in the win as the Sycamores finished the tournament with a plus-28 run differential over their five tournament games. Parker Stinson added the knockout blow in the deciding game with a ninth-inning three-run double to help ISU secure the MVC's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
 
The Sycamores will find out their postseason destination as the NCAA will announce the 16 Regional sites Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on the NCAA Baseball Twitter account and on the ESPN scroll. The entire NCAA field will be announced at noon ET on Monday on ESPN2.
 
Diaz was named the MVC Tournament Most Outstanding Player highlighting four Sycamores on the postseason squad. Connor Fenlong (P), Luis Hernandez (DH), and Pottinger (OF) were also honored on the team as voted on by the tournament staff and select media.
 
Game Two: Indiana State 6, Evansville 0
Adam Pottinger and Randal Diaz both homered to give Indiana State all the run support the Sycamores would need and Parker Stinson added a late three-run double setting off a celebration at Bob Warn Field as ISU topped Evansville in the final game of the 2023 MVC Baseball Championships, 6-0.
 
Pottinger provided the early run support with a solo home run off the scoreboard in right center field in the top of the fourth inning to give the Sycamores the 1-0 lead. Diaz added a one-out solo home run to left in the top of the eighth to double ISU's lead.
 
Parker Stinson came up with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the ninth inning looking to provide insurance late in the game. The junior outfielder fell behind 0-2 in the count before driving a bases-clearing double over the Evansville left fielder allowing Pottinger, Mike Sears, and Miguel Rivera to score and giving ISU the 5-0 lead. Diaz drove in his second RBI of the game with a single through the right side of the infield scoring Stinson to provide the final 6-0 margin.
 
The Indiana State pitching staff continued to showcase its dominance with Simon Gregersen and Cam Edmonson (3-0) combining to post ISU's second shutout of the tournament in the championship game.
 
Gregersen went the first 4.1 innings allowing three hits while striking out a career-high six hitters. Edmonson went the final 4.2 innings in relief with a nearly matching statistical line allowing three hits while striking out a career-high eight in the win.
 
Diaz went 3-for-5 from the plate with a double and home run, while adding a stolen base to lead the ISU offense. Pottinger added two runs scored, while Stinson drove in three in the win.
 
Mark Shallenberger led Evansville's offense with four of the Purple Aces' six hits in the game. Brent Widder added a double in the loss.
 
Shane Harris (6-2) took the loss on the mound going 3.2 innings allowing three hits and one run. Jarrett Blunt went 2.1 innings in the start, while Jakob Meyer and Nate Hardman closed out the contest.
 
How They Scored
  • Adam Pottinger put Indiana State on the scoreboard early with a solo home run to right field in the top of the fourth inning.
  • Randal Diaz doubled the ISU lead to 2-0 in the top of the eighth with a solo home run over the left field wall.
  • Parker Stinson connected on a two-out, three-run double to left field sparking a four-run rally for the Sycamores in the top of the ninth inning to provide the final 6-0 margin.
Game One: Evansville 6, Indiana State 5
Chase Hug connected on the walk-off grand slam to propel No. 4 Evansville to Saturday night elimination game as the Purple Aces took the first game at Bob Warn Field, 6-5.
 
The Sycamores (41-15) led from first pitch on Saturday as Randal Diaz opened the game with a single up the middle and scored on Luis Hernandez's RBI double. Evansville (37-23) rallied back on a two-run home run from Evan Waggoner in the second, but the Sycamores took the 3-2 lead again in the third on back-to-back home runs from Adam Pottinger and Miguel Rivera.
 
Mike Sears made it a 5-2 ballgame in the top of the sixth inning with a two-run home run to left center scoring Adam Pottinger as the Sycamores continued to press their advantage in the game.
 
Evansville mounted a late comeback against ISU reliever Jared Spencer (3-2) as the Purple Aces loaded the bases with two outs against the left-hander. Hug went down 0-2 in the count before lifting the ball over the right field wall and scoring Nick Stull, Ben Stuart, and Eric Roberts for the walk-off grand slam.
 
Brennyn Cutts went 6.1 innings on the mound for the Sycamores as the sophomore right-hander allowed five hits and two runs while striking out two. Cameron Holycross and Spencer went the final 2.1 innings in the loss.
 
Randal Diaz and Luis Hernandez both had multi-hit games for Indiana State, while Hernandez, Adam Pottinger, and Grant Magill all doubled.
 
Brent Widder and Ty Rumsey both had multi-hit games for the Purple Aces. Hug and Waggoner both homered.
 
Nate Hardman (2-1) took the win going 1.1 innings of hitless relief. Eric Roberts went 3.0 innings in the start, while Nick Smith and Michael Parks both covered the middle innings.
 
How They Scored
  • Luis Hernandez doubled home Randal Diaz in the top of the first inning as the Sycamores took the early 1-0 lead.
  • Evansville battled back on Evan Waggoner's two-run home run over the wall in left center scoring Simon Scherry to give UE the 2-1 lead.
  • Adam Pottinger and Miguel Rivera connected on back-to-back sacrifice flies in the top of the third inning to give Indiana State the 3-2 lead.
  • Mike Sears connected on his team-leading 19th home run of 2023 in the top of the sixth with his two-run blast clearing the wall in left center and scoring Pottinger to make it a 5-2 ISU lead.
  • Hug cleared the bases with the walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth to end the game. 
News & Notes                                                                                                                                    
  • Indiana State improved to 42-15 overall on the season with the championship game win.
  • The Sycamores won their eighth MVC Tournament title in program history (1979, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1989, 1995, 2019, 2013).
  • The eight MVC Tournament titles are the second most in Valley history, trailing only Wichita State (17).
  • Indiana State secured the Missouri Valley's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament marking the program's 12th time ISU will advance to the postseason and third in the last four seasons.
  • The Sycamores posted their MVC-leading seventh shutout of the 2023 season and second in the MVC Tournament in the championship game.
  • ISU's 6-0 win over Evansville marked the Valley's first shutout win in the MVC title game since the 2003 season when Wichita State topped Southern Illinois, 3-0.
  • Adam Pottinger's reached safely in both games on Saturday afternoon giving the junior outfielder a stretch of 33 consecutive games on base dating back to April 2. His on-base streak is the longest in the Mitch Hannahs era.
  • ISU was plunked by three more pitches over the two games giving Indiana State 116 on the season. The mark is the most in the Valley since Creighton was hit 116 times back in 2007.
Up Next
Indiana State and the rest of the NCAA Tournament Field will find out destinations over the next few days. The NCAA will announce the 16 Regional sites on Sunday evening at 8 p.m. The NCAA Division I Baseball selection show will air live on ESPN2 on Monday afternoon starting at noon ET.
 
Follow the Sycamores
For the latest information on the Sycamore Baseball team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  Fans can also receive updates on Sycamore Athletics by downloading the March On App from both the App Store and the Google Play Store.
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