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Indiana State University Athletics

Hayden
5
Winner Indiana State INS 3-0
0
South Florida USF 0-2
Winner
Indiana State INS
3-0
5
Final
0
South Florida USF
0-2
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Indiana State INS 0 0 2 0 0 1 2 0 0 5 8 0
South Florida USF 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 1

W: Hayden, Luke (1-0) L: CEBERT, Jack (0-1) S: Holycross, Cameron (1)

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

Hayden, Holycross combine for five-hit shutout in 5-0 win over South Florida

TAMPA, Fla. – Luke Hayden and Cameron Holycross combined on a shutout on the mound, while Luis Hernandez drove in three RBIs as Indiana State closed out the 2024 opening weekend in Tampa with the 5-0 win over host South Florida.
 
Hayden (1-0), making his starting debut with the Sycamores (3-0), was masterful over 6.0 innings of work surrendering four hits while striking out five against the USF (0-2) lineup. The Sycamore right-hander allowed just two runners in scoring position in the game over 77 pitches on the mound as Indiana State remained undefeated on the season.
 
Holycross (S, 1) went the final 3.0 innings in relief as the right-handed pitcher picked up where he left off in the 2023 season. The ISU ERA leader in 2023 with a 1.98 mark, Holycross faced one batter over the minimum and struck out three to retire USF and close out the shutout win.
 
The Sycamores struck early with a pair of unearned runs in the top of the third inning as the Sycamores took advantage of a South Florida error and Grant Magill's hustle around the base paths to take the lead. Dominic Listi reached on a throwing error by the USF second baseman and the ball ricocheted in front of the Bulls' dugout allowing Magill to score from second ahead of the tag at the plate to give ISU the 1-0 lead. Hernandez followed three pitches later with an RBI single to left scoring Randal Diaz to double up the Indiana State lead.
 
Hayden continued to set the Bulls down in the contest facing one batter over the minimum from the third through the fifth innings including getting a pickoff at first to end the third frame and keep the ISU lead intact.
 
Parker Stinson added insurance with a one-out solo home run in the top of the sixth that cleared the right field wall in front of the USF scoreboard. Luis Hernandez added a two-run single in the top of the seventh scoring Josue Urdaneta and Diaz to provide the final 5-0 margin.
 
Holycross retired the first six batters he faced in his first relief appearance of the year before surrendering a leadoff double in the bottom of the ninth. He bounced back to retire the final three outs with Adam Pottinger corralling a fly ball in centerfield to end the game.
 
Diaz, Hernandez, and Urdaneta all posted multi-hit games on their way to combining for six of ISU's eight hits in the contest. Stinson's home run marked ISU's lone extra-base hit in the game.
 
USF starter Jack Cebert (0-1) took the loss after going the first 5.0 innings on the mound. The Bulls' right-hander allowed four hits and two unearned runs while striking out seven. Adan Longoria, Tanner Mink, Chandler Dorsey, and Peyton Jula went the final 4.0 innings.
 
Five Bulls scattered hits throughout the game with Drew Brutcher and Rafael Betancourt both doubling in the loss.
 
How They Scored
  • Grant Magill hustled around and scored from second on a USF throwing error in the third inning to give ISU the early lead, while Luis Hernandez singled home Randal Diaz to make it 2-0 Sycamores in the top of the third.
  • Parker Stinson connected on his first home run of the season with a solo shot in the top of the sixth to make it 3-0 ISU.
  • Hernandez continued to swing the hot bat connecting on a two-run single in the top of the seventh inning driving home Diaz and Urdaneta to provide the final 5-0 margin.
News & Notes
  • Randal Diaz (23) and Grant Magill (13) both extended their on-base streaks on Saturday afternoon as the Sycamore duo continued double-digit streaks dating back to 2023.
  • Dominic Listi reached base for the third consecutive game to start his ISU career and was on the base paths in three of his five official plate appearances in the contest.
  • Parker Stinson became the second ISU player to homer in 2024 joining Henry Brown who connected on a three-run shot in Friday's opener against Louisville.
  • Luke Hayden followed up Jacob Pruitt's 6.0-inning start on Saturday with a 6.0-inning spot of his own in recording the win over South Florida.
  • Cam Edmonson, Jacob Pruitt, and Luke Hayden combined to go 16.0 innings over three starts on the weekend with a combined 0.56 ERA and a 16:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio in wins over Louisville, UConn, and South Florida.
  • Indiana State utilized three closers on the weekend with Jared Spencer (Louisville), Adam Berghorst (UConn), and Cameron Holycross (USF) all picking up saves over the first three games.
  • ISU ties up the all-time series against South Florida at 2-2 with Monday afternoon's win. 
Up Next
Indiana State remains in the Sunshine State as the Sycamores travel to North Port, Fla. and CoolToday Park, the spring training home of the Atlanta Braves, on Wednesday, February 21, as ISU travels to take on Florida Gulf Coast in midweek baseball action. First pitch between ISU and the Eagles is set for 7 p.m. ET. The game is not scheduled to be streamed.
 
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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