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Indiana State University Athletics

Morris
7
Winner Indiana State INS 23-28, 11-13 MVC
6
Missouri State MOST 27-22, 17-7 MVC
Winner
Indiana State INS
23-28, 11-13 MVC
7
Final
6
Missouri State MOST
27-22, 17-7 MVC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Indiana State INS 0 2 2 0 3 0 0 0 0 7 9 0
Missouri State MOST 0 0 1 3 2 0 0 0 0 6 7 2

W: Morris, Gavin (6-3) L: Slater,Owen (3-2)

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

Beck, Cartagena homer, Morris shuts down Bears late in 7-6 Sunday win

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Carter Beck and Jorge Cartagena both homered and drove in two RBIs apiece, while Gavin Morris worked 4.0 shutout innings out of the bullpen on Sunday afternoon as Indiana State secure the series finale win at Missouri State, 7-6.
 
Beck and Cartagena both homered in the third inning to stretch Indiana State's (23-28, 11-13) lead to 4-0 over the early innings. After Missouri State (27-22, 17-7) rallied back to tie the game in the fourth inning, the duo both responded with RBI hits in the three-run fifth inning and Jackson Taylor added an RBI single in the frame to put the Sycamores ahead 7-4.
 
Morris (6-3) entered in the bottom of the sixth inning with a 7-6 lead and the Brazil, Ind. native put together another signature performance in Valley play going 4.0 shutout innings in securing his fourth win in MVC competition.
 
The Bears put runners on base in all four innings, but did not have a runner advance into scoring position until the bottom of the ninth on Taeg Gollert's one-out double. The Sycamore right-hander responded by retiring Max Knight on a fly ball to left field and then caught Carter Bergman swinging at strike three to close out the Indiana State win.
 
The Sycamores went ahead early as Nomar Garcia connected on a two-run single in the top of the second inning to stake starting pitcher Jack Armstrong to an early lead. The Bears rallied back with Jake McCutcheon providing key hits in the third (RBI double) and fourth (two-RBI single), while Tyler Epstein connected on a two-run home run in the bottom of fifth.
 
Beck had a team-high three hits with a double and home run, while driving in two RBIs and scoring twice to headline the Indiana State offense. Cartagena and Taylor both finished with two hits apiece in the win.
 
Armstrong went 3.1 innings in his first start of the 2025 season allowing three hits and two runs while walking four and striking out five. Jacob Spencer and Carson Seeman served as the bridge to Morris, before the Indiana State relief ace closed out the game.
 
Morris needed just 46 pitches to go the final 4.0 innings allowing two hits and two walks while striking out three on his way to tying Max McEwen for the team lead with his sixth win of the 2025 season.
 
McCutcheon was the lone Bear with multiple hits on Sunday afternoon and added three RBIs as Missouri State was limited to seven hits overall in the loss. Epstein added two runs scored and two RBIs.
 
Tyler Charlton drew the start allowing four hits and four runs over 2.1 innings on the mound. Owen Slater (3-2) took the loss allowing the go-ahead rally in the fifth inning, while Jackson Holmes and Knight went the final 4.2 innings in scoreless relief.
 
How They Scored
  • Nomar Garcia connected on the two-out, two-run single in the top of the second inning scoring Jackson Taylor and Andrew Ortiz to put Indiana State ahead 2-0 early.
  • Carter Beck and Jorge Cartagena both connected on solo home runs to left field in the third inning to stretch the Indiana State lead to 4-0.
  • Jake McCutcheon put Missouri State on the scoreboard with an RBI double to left center in the bottom of the third inning with Caden Bogenpohl crossing the plate on the play to cut the deficit down to 4-1.
  • The Bears tied the game up at 4-4 in the bottom of the fourth as Zack Stewart scored on a wild pitch and McCutcheon connected on a two-run single through the left side of the infield scoring Tyler Epstein and Bogenpohl to even the game.
  • The Sycamores scored three runs in the fifth inning to retake the lead. Beck doubled home Carlos Pena, while Cartagena drove in Beck with a single through the right side to make it a 6-4 game. Three batters later, Jackson Taylor connected on a two-out RBI single through the right side scoring Cartagena to make it a 7-4 game.
  • Epstein pulled Missouri State back to within one run with a two-run home run over the left field wall scoring Max Knight in the bottom of the fifth inning to provide the final runs of the 7-6 ballgame.
 
News & Notes
  • Carter Beck became the first Indiana State player since the 2000 season to record at least 10 home runs and 10 stolen bases in the same season after his solo home run in the third inning. He becomes the first to accomplish the feat since Clint Barmes (10 HR, 20 SB) achieved the marks in the 2000 season.
  • Beck is one of just two players in the Missouri Valley this season to achieve the feat joining Murray State's Carson Garner (13 HR, 14 SB).
  • Indiana State has multiple players with double-digit home runs for the third consecutive season as Carter Beck (10) joined Carlos Pena (14) in the statistical feat on Sunday afternoon.
  • Gavin Morris recorded his sixth outing going at least 4.0 innings after entering the game to start the bottom of the sixth inning against Missouri State. It marked the fifth time he has pitched twice in the same weekend series in Valley play and fourth in the last five after also throwing in Friday night's opener.
  • Morris was lights out again on Sunday afternoon as the senior right-hander went 4.0 shutout innings. He lowered his MVC-leading ERA down to 1.56 in conference games while allowing opponents to hit just .169 from the plate. He's currently tied for third in wins (4), sixth in saves (4), and eighth in strikeouts (36) in 34.2 innings pitched.
  • Jorge Cartagena has hit safely in each of the last five games and six of the last seven since joining the lineup on May 7. He's added five extra-base hits during the time frame with three doubles and two home runs.
  • Jack Armstrong made his starting debut on Sunday afternoon going 3.1 innings against the Bears.
  • The Indiana State pitching staff picked up the win despite allowing 10 walks on Sunday afternoon, their second-highest total of the 2025 season trailing just the 11 free passes surrendered back on April 6 at Belmont.
  • Indiana State (11-13) remains 1.5 games ahead of Bradley (9-14) and two games up on Evansville (9-15) in the Missouri Valley standings at the time of this release.
Up Next
Indiana State closes out the 2025 regular season next week as the Sycamores host Illinois State in a three-game series running May 14-16 in Terre Haute, Ind. at Bob Warn Field. All three games are expected to be carried live on ESPN+ and 105.5 The Legend.
 
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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