May 9, 2021

By Tim McCaughan

Indiana State Athletics

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The Indiana State Sycamores needed just three outs to clinch a 13-2 victory over Missouri State Sunday morning in Springfield. The game was suspended Saturday afternoon in the middle of the ninth due to time constraints with the Springfield Cardinals.

Indiana State jumped out to a lead in the second inning with a Grant Magill RBI single before erupting for seven runs in the fourth.

Jordan Schaffer recorded his second home run of the season with a three-run blast to left before Ellison Hanna II singled in a run. Miguel Rivera capped off the inning with another three-run home run to the gap in left to push the Indiana State lead to 8-0.

Tristan Weaver went for a career long eight innings and a season high 10 strikeouts in his outing. With the victory, Weaver improved to 3-3 on the year.

The Sycamores were led at the plate by Schaffer and Rivera. Schaffer recorded three base hits while driving in four runs while Rivera went for a team-high five RBIs. Aaron Beck added three hits for the Sycamores who finished with a season high 17 hits in the game.

Wright singled up the middle in the third and singled to right and scored in the seven-run fourth.

Game 2 -- Indiana State 5, Missouri State 2

Right-hander Javin Drake (2-2) faced the minimum and retired 13-straight MSU batters before issuing a walk in the fifth inning. Drake, a Wilton, Iowa native, tossed a season high 8 1/3 innings and struck out five before exiting in the ninth.

Aaron Beck continued his hot streak, putting Indiana State (24-12, 11-5 MVC) ahead in the top of the first with a liner to left field scoring Josue Urdaneta and Max Wright who drew walks from MSU’s Jared Viertel.

The Sycamores added to their lead in the seventh with two more runs on two hits. Dominic Cusumano led off the frame with a walk before Joe Kido entered as a pinch runner. Kido would use his speed to go all the way from first to home as Ellison Hanna II doubled to the gap in right.

Wright (Toronto, Ont.) singled in the sixth and walked twice. He leads the Sycamores with a .307 batting average with seven doubles, 10 homers and 26 RBIs. He had an OPS of 1.055 in 36 games.