Sycamores Drop Midweek Contest to No. 11 Indiana, 5-3

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State saw its nine-game winning streak come to a close Wednesday night as No. 11 Indiana picked up a 5-3 victory at Bob Warn Field. The Sycamores fell to 14-6 while the Hoosiers improved to 17-5 on the season.

Indiana State fell behind in the second following a solo home run off the bat of IU catcher Ryan Fineman. The Sycamores answered back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame after Hunter Lewis led off the inning with a walk. He would eventually come across to score when Jake Means singled to the gap in left. Max Wright would give ISU the lead when he scored on a Jarrod Watkins double to make it 2-1.

Indiana didn’t waste any time as they evened the score at two in the third after the three-hole hitter Luke Miller singled and moved to second on a wild pitch before being brought home on a base hit from Logan Sowers.

Sowers would push the Hoosier on top 4-2 in the fifth inning with a two-run home run to left field. IU looked to add on to their lead but Indiana State went to the bullpen in sophomore Donnie Ames who got the Sycamores out of a jam and retired 10-straight batters until Sam Crail singled in the eighth. Ames went three and two-third innings, allowing just one hit in his outing.

IU added an insurance run in the top of the ninth when the Jeremy Houston walked and moved to second on a wild pitch. He would round third and make it a 5-2 game when Matt Lloyd (Okotoks, Alta.) singled to left two batters later.

The Sycamores looked to rally as CJ Huntley hit his second homer of the season in the ninth on a solo shot to left. Clay Dungan reached on a walk with two outs to bring the tying run in Roberto Enriquez to the plate, but a groundout back to the pitcher would secure the win for Indiana.

Watkins, Huntley and Means each tallied two hits to lead the Sycamores. 

 Tyler Whitbread was charged with the loss, falling to 2-2 on the season. Lefty Tristan Weaver made the start, giving up a pair of runs in three innings.

Tim Herrin was credited with the win for the Hoosiers to move to 1-0 after going four scoreless innings in relief.

The Sycamores squandered several chances at the plate, leaving 12 runners on the bases. ISU left runners on in all but the seventh inning, including two runners in the first three innings of play.