Wright belts 12th home run in Sycamores' win

Great Lake Canadians alum Max Wright (Toronto, Ont.) belted his 12th home run of the season for the Indiana State Sycamores on Thursday. Photo: Indiana State Athletics

May 20, 2021

By Tim McCaughan

Indiana State Athletics

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Indiana State baseball overpowered Evansville in its series opener, 14-7, Thursday night at Braun Stadium.

Nine different Sycamores tallied base hits while eight ISU hitters drove in runs in the victory, helping Indiana State improve to 26-15 overall and 13-8 in Missouri Valley Conference action.

After falling behind 2-0 through one inning, Indiana State answered back with its highest scoring inning this season -- putting up eight runs on five hits -- sending 12 batters to the plate and hitting for the team cycle in the second inning.

Infielder Brian Fuentes tied the game with a two-run double before ISU loaded the bases taking advantage of walks. West Terre Haute, Indiana native, Jordan Schaffer cleared the bases with a three-run triple to give the Sycamores their first lead of the day.

Second baseman Josue Urdaneta singled in Schaffer from third before senior Max Wright (Toronto, Ont.) capped off the inning with his 12th home run of the season to left field.

Indiana State added a run in the top of the third when Schaffer sent a liner up the middle for his fourth RBI of the day, scoring Fuentes from third. With the bases loaded in the eighth, Miguel Rivera picked up an RBI after being hit-by-pitch for the first run of the five-run inning for the Sycamores.

Evansville native Aaron Beck drove in a runner with a single to right before Ellison Hanna II brought home a run on a fielder’s choice. Fuentes recorded his second double of the day to bring in the fourth run of the inning. A sacrifice fly from Sean Ross topped off the five-run inning for the Sycamores.

Troy Beilsmith and Tanner Craig sent solo home runs over the wall in left to give Evansville some life in the fourth and sixth but that was all that the Aces would get off of southpaw Geremy Guerrero as the hurler went seven complete innings in his 12th start of the season.

Guerrero improved to 9-1 on the year after striking out six Purple Aces while allowing just three earned runs in the outing.

As a team, ISU drew 11 walks and put up 15 base hits in the game led by a trio of Sycamores that recorded three base hits including Schaffer, Urdaneta and Fuentes. Schaffer drove in four runs while Fuentes scored three of his teammates. Wright was 1-for-3 with a home run, two runs scored and two walks.

Evansville ace Shane Gray struggled on the mound, going just 1 1/3 innings and allowing eight earned runs. The right-hander fell to 6-3 on the season with the loss. Overall, Gray allowed six hits, walked three and did not record a strikeout.

The Aces recorded 10 base hits led by Beilsmith’s three-hit day.

UP NEXT

The Sycamores continue action Friday afternoon with a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. E.T. from Braun Stadium.