TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Missouri State held off a late Indiana State rally in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Sycamores fell in the Missouri Valley Conference opener on Friday afternoon, 6-5.
 
The Sycamores (15-5, 0-1) trailed 6-0 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning before rallying against the Missouri State (10-10, 1-0) bullpen. Mike Sears opened the frame with a leadoff walk against MSU reliever Jake Syverson, and Josue Urdaneta singled through the left side of the infield to put two on with none out. Adam Pottinger drew a walk loading the bases and causing the Bears to turn to the bullpen and Eric Loomis.
 
The MSU reliever proceeded to walk both ISU pinch-hitter Riley Iffrig and Joe Kido scoring Sears and Urdaneta to cut the Missouri State lead down to 6-2. Garrett Ferguson (S, 1) took the mound for the Bears following the pair of walks and proceeded to retire Randal Diaz on strikes, before Dominic Listi drew a walk scoring Pottinger.
 
Luis Hernandez followed with an RBI single to left field plating Iffrig, before Parker Stinson connected on a fly ball down the left field line in foul territory. Missouri State left fielder Jake McCutcheon made a diving catch, but the play was deep enough to score Kido to cut the lead down to 6-5.
 
ISU loaded the bases again as Sears drew his second walk of the inning, but Ferguson was able to get Urdaneta to fly out to centerfield to end the rally.
 
After ISU's Zach Davidson struck out the side in the top of the ninth, the Sycamores mounted one final rally with Iffrig connecting on a one-out single up the middle. However, Ferguson was able to retire the final two Sycamores in picking up his first save of the season.
 
Missouri State took the early 3-0 lead in the top of the fourth on Caden Bogenpohl's three-run home run off ISU starter Cameron Holycross (1-1). The Bears put runners on base with Zack Stewart and Dylan Leach drawing walks prior to Bogenpohl's home run over the left center wall.
 
The Bears added two runs in the fifth on Leach's two-run single. The final run came around on Taeg Gollert's RBI single in the top of the sixth.
 
Indiana State had its chances to score in the game loading the bases with one out in the bottom of the fifth, but Missouri State starter Brandt Thompson (3-0) was able to get a grounder back to himself for the force out at the plate, before the wind knocked down Sears' drive to center field for the final out of the frame to keep the shutout attempt intact.
 
Listi paced the Sycamores offense going 3-for-3 from the plate as the redshirt senior outfielder reached base safely in all five plate appearances. Urdaneta added two hits in the loss.
 
Holycross took the loss going 4.0 innings allowing one hit and four runs while walking three and striking out four. Kyle Cortner went 1.2 innings allowing two runs while striking out three, while Brayden Lybarger went 2.1 scoreless innings prior to Davidson's appearance in the ninth.
 
The Bears recorded four hits in the contest highlighted by Bogenpohl's three-run home run. Gollert, Stewawrt, and Leach all singled in the win.
 
Thompson went 5.0 innings allow five hits and two walks while striking out six in taking his third win of the season. Tyler Tscherter, Jake Syverson, and Eric Loomis all bridged the gap to Ferguson's 2.0-inning save opportunity.
 
How They Scored

• Caden Bogenpohl put Missouri State up 3-0 in the top of the fourth inning as the Bears' right fielder connected on a three-run home run over the wall in left center scoring Zack Stewart and Dylan Leach.
• The Bears added two more runs in the top of the fifth to go ahead 5-0 on Leach's bases-loaded, two-run single to left field. Jahlani Rogers and Taeg Gollert both scored on the play to add to the MSU lead.
• Missouri State plated one more in the top of the sixth as Gollert singled home Logan Chambers to take the 6-0 lead.
• Indiana State sent 11 batters to the plate in the bottom of the eighth inning with Riley Iffrig, Joe Kido, and Dominic Listi drawing bases-loaded walks, while Luis Hernandez singled home Iffrig and Kido scored on Stinson's foul ball down the left field line to cut the Missouri State lead down to 6-5.

News & Notes

• Luis Hernandez extended his on-base streak to 19 consecutive games after drawing a walk in the bottom of the fifth inning. He extended his hitting streak to 19 consecutive games following his bases-loaded RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning. He finished the game 2-for-3 with three runs scored.
• Dominic Listi extended his on-base streak to 20 games on Friday afternoon after getting hit by a pitch in the bottom of the first inning. He finished 3-for-3 with a double and two walks on Friday afternoon.
• Listi reached safely in every game in the 2024 season to date and is the fourth player to post a 20-game on-base streak in a single season over the last two years joining Adam Pottinger (36 games – 2023), Luis Hernandez (26 games – 2023), Mike Sears (23 games – 2023).
• The Sycamores batted around in an inning six times in the last six games dating back to March 10 against Florida A&M in the 15-0 win.
• Indiana State falls in the MVC opener for the first time since the 2019 season when ISU fell to Missouri State in Springfield on March 29, 6-5 in 11 innings.
• The Sycamores tied a season-high issuing eight walks in Friday's loss.
• The four hits allowed by the ISU pitching staff tied a season-low.
• The Indiana State pitching staff has struck out exactly nine hitters in each of the last four games dating back to March 16 against Xavier.

Up Next
Indiana State continues conference play on Saturday afternoon as the Sycamores take on Missouri State to Bob Warn Field for game two of the three-game series over the weekend. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. ET with the game to be carried live on ESPN+ and 105.5 The Legend. The game day giveaway for the contest features a Can Koozie Giveaway (Sponsored by Zink/Bud Light) to the first 100 fans who are 21+ of age.
 
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