PEORIA, Ill. – For the second time in as many days the Indiana State starting pitcher went the distance as Connor Fenlong posted his second complete game shutout in a 2-0 win over Bradley at Dozer Park on Saturday afternoon.
 
Schedule Update: Sunday's series finale has been moved up to an 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. CT first pitch at Dozer Park. The game will not be televised but can be listened to live via 105.5 The Legend.
 
Indiana State (31-13, 18-2 MVC) scored runs in both the fourth and sixth innings to provide all the support Fenlong (7-2) would need as the Sycamore right-hander scattered six hits and struck out four in topping the Braves (14-27).
 
Saturday's win over Bradley secured ISU's seventh consecutive MVC series win as the No. 15 Sycamores have limited the Braves to just one run over the two games played this weekend at Dozer Park. ISU secured their first series win over Bradley since the 2019 season and first series win in Peoria since 2016.
 
Fenlong and Matt Jachec became the first Sycamore teammates to throw back-to-back complete games since the 2019 season when Triston Polly (13-2 (7)) and Collin Liberatore (8-0) went the distance in two consecutive contests against Valparaiso on April 12-13.
 
Fenlong also became the first Sycamore pitcher to post a pair of complete game shutouts in the same season since Ryan Keaffaber went scoreless against Southern Illinois (Apr. 9) and Evansville (May 20) back in 2016.
 
Fenlong pitched around runners throughout a majority of the contest as Bradley threatened to put a crooked number up on the board at several points in the game. Adam Pottinger threw out Connor Manthey at the plate in the bottom of the third to keep it a 0-0 game and Bradley left runners on base, in scoring position in the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth innings.
 
However, the Sycamore defense shined in the contest as ISU posted its sixth consecutive game without an error in the field. ISU entered the contest as the top-ranked defense in the NCAA Division I fielding at a 0.984 clip.
 
ISU's offense provided all the support Fenlong would need in the top of the fourth inning as Luis Hernandez connected on a sacrifice fly to center field scoring Randal Diaz to give the Sycamores the 1-0 lead. Diaz would score again in the top of the sixth inning on Josue Urdaneta's RBI double to provide insurance.
 
Fenlong picked up his MVC leading sixth win in Valley play this season in the contest. He surrendered two walks and hit one batter over his 111-pitch effort. It was his second shutout over his last three starts after blanking Southern Illinois, 10-0, in seven innings back on April 23.
 
Diaz recorded two of ISU's five hits in the game and added a double in the sixth inning. Seth Gergely and Adam Pottinger also recorded hits in the win.
 
Ryan Vogel was 3-for-4 to lead Bradley's offense on the day. Connor Manthey and Cole Luckey both doubled in the loss.
 
Jacob Norris (2-4) took the loss on the mound allowing four hits and two runs while striking out four over 5.2 innings. Easton Harris went the final 3.1 innings of scoreless relief.
 
How They Scored

• Indiana State cracked the scoreboard in the top of the fourth inning as Randal Diaz and Adam Pottinger both singled before Luis Hernandez connected on a sacrifice fly to center scoring Diaz for the first run of the game.
• Josue Urdaneta's two-out RBI double brought home Diaz in the top of the sixth inning to double the Sycamore lead at 2-0. 

News & Notes                                                                                                                                    

• Indiana State improved to 18-2 in Missouri Valley play on Saturday afternoon as the Sycamores continue to pace the conference. ISU is closing in on clinching a top-two seed in the tournament with seven games to play.
• Connor Fenlong and Matt Jachec became the first ISU pitchers since 2019 to post complete games in back-to-back contests. The duo of Triston Polley and Collin Liberatore put together the effort back against Valparaiso on April 12-13, 2019 with 13-2 (7) and 8-0 wins.
• Connor Fenlong became the first Sycamore starter to post two shutouts in the same season since Ryan Keaffaber shut out Southern Illinois (April 9) and Evansville (May 20) back in the 2016 season.
• Indiana State's five complete games to date in the 2023 season are the most since Triston Polley (3), Collin Liberatore (1) and Tyler Whitbread (1) combined for five back in 2019.
• Adam Pottinger became the third Indiana State player to post a 20-game on-base streak this season following his first inning walk. He finished the game 1-for-3 with a single in the top of the fourth inning.
• Pottinger also picked up his sixth outfield assist of the season after throwing out Connor Manthey at the plate in the bottom of the third inning.
• Seth Gergely and Josue Urdaneta both extended their on-base streaks to 12 games on Saturday afternoon.
• Two more Sycamores were hit by pitches on Saturday as Miguel Rivera and Grant Magill were both plunked. ISU continues to lead the MVC with 80 HBPs through 44 games.
• The Sycamore defense has gone six consecutive games without an error and eight of their last nine dating back to April 22 against Southern Illinois.
• ISU's six games without an error is the longest streak by the Sycamores since 2016 when ISU went 10 consecutive games without an error spanning April 5-23.
• ISU entered the weekend with the NCAA Division I's best defense fielding at a 0.984 clip for the year.

Up Next
Indiana State closes out the three-game series against Bradley on Sunday morning as the Sycamores and Braves are back in Dozer Park. First pitch in game three is set for 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. CT. The game will not be televised but will be streamed live on 105.5 The Legend.
 
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