Whitbread, Wright help Indiana State to first regional final since 1989

Great Lake Canadians alum Tyler Whitbread (Camlachie, Ont.) struck out six in 5 1/3 innings to help the Indiana State Sycamores to a 10-5 win over the Ohio State Buckeyes and into the Nashville NCAA Regional final against Vanderbilt. Photo: Indiana State Athletics

June 2, 2019

By Tim McCaughan

Indiana State Athletics

Bats Propel Sycamores to First Regional Final Since 1989; Face Vanderbilt Sunday at 9 p.m. ET

NASHVILLE -- For the third consecutive game of the NCAA Baseball Nashville Regional, the Sycamores recorded double digit hits and this time the pitching staff made it hold up to the tune of a 10-5 victory over Ohio State on Sunday afternoon on the campus of Vanderbilt.

ISU improved to 43-17 on the season while Ohio State sees their season come to an end with a record of 36-27. The Sycamores will get another shot at host Vanderbilt on Sunday evening at 9 p.m. E.T. on the ESPN Family of Networks in the NCAA Baseball Nashville Regional.

The 43 victories are the most by a Sycamore program since the 1990 season when Indiana State finished with a 43-21 record under legendary head coach Bob Warn. Sunday night's game marks just the third time in program history that ISU has advanced to a NCAA Baseball Regional Final.

Tyler Whitbread (Camlachie, Ont.) scattered 12 hits over five and a third innings of work while allowing four runs and six strikeouts. He picked up the victory to improve to 9-2 on the season. Austin Moralis allowed a run in one inning of relief while Jake Ridgeway picked up the save by recording two and two thirds innings of scoreless relief.

The Sycamores made it their third consecutive game in Nashville with double digit base hits as they finished with 14 hits. ISU also 12 hits on Saturday night against Vanderbilt and 14 more in the regional opening victory over McNeese State.

Clay Dungan enjoyed a nice afternoon at the plate by going 3-of-5 with a pair of RBI. He was one of six Sycamores to post multiple hits as Jake Means, Joe Boyle, Max Wright Toronto, Ont.), Roby Enriquez and Luke Fegen had two base hits each.

The Sycamores drew first blood in the top of the first inning when the first five batters all reached base. Clay Dungan and Jake Means each recorded singles and when Jarrod Watkins made it three in a row Dungan cross the plate to stake ISU to a 1-0 lead. After CJ Huntley enjoyed a walk, Roby Enriquez singled to left field to bring around Means for the 2-0 cushion. After the bases were loaded by a Joe Boyle hit by pitch, the final two Sycamores struck out to end the threat.

The Buckeyes answered with a trio of two-out runs in the bottom of the first half when Dillon Dingler recorded a double and he came home on a single from Brady Cherry. Then, Conner Pohl homered to right field to push the Ohio State lead out to 3-2.

Ohio State's Zach Dezenzo singled to left field with two outs in the bottom of the third inning to drive home Brent Todys which stretched the Buckeye advantage out to 4-2.

In the top of the fourth inning, Joe Boyle ran a count out to 2-1 and then he sent a Griffan Smith offering off the top of the VIP tent in deep left field for a home run which whittled the Buckeye lead down to 4-3.

The Sycamores loaded the bases with just one out in the top of the sixth inning on singles from Boyle and Max Wright plus a Dane Tofteland hit by pitch. Luke Fegen singled to right field to bring home a run and tie the game at four. Dungan then singled to right field to score Wright and Tofteland and push the ISU lead out to 6-4. Means hit a sacrifice fly to right field which allowed Fegen to come home and ISU led it 7-4.

In the top of the seventh inning, Max Wright took advantage of a Buckeye wild pitch which allowed Joe Boyle and Roby Enriquez to move up to second and third base by recording a single to right field. That allowed Enriquez to easily score from third base and extend the ISU lead to 8-4.

Ohio State got the run back in the bottom of the seventh inning, when Todys singled back up the middle to score Brady Cherry to trim the Sycamore lead down to 8-5.

The Sycamores picked up an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning, when Enriquez and Boyle reached to begin the frame. Max Wright reached on a sacrifice bunt attempt in which the ball sailed into right field and allowed Enriquez to score. Wright then tried to steal second and when the throw went through the second base, Boyle snuck home for a 10-5 lead.

NEXT UP

The Sycamores advance to the NCAA Nashville Regional Championship Game as they take on host and No. 2 nationally-ranked Vanderbilt at 9 p.m. ET tonight. Indiana State will have to defeat the Commodores on both Sunday and Monday evenings in order to the advance to the NCAA Super Regionals.