Wright helps Indiana State to doubleheader sweep in Miami
Former Great Lake Canadian and Toronto Met C Max Wright (Toronto, Ont.) went deep for the Indiana State Sycamores in a win over Florida International in Miami.
March 7, 2021
Sycamores Sweep Sunday Doubleheader and Series with Florida International
By Timothy McCaughan
Indiana Stata Athletics
MIAMI – Indiana State took both games of a doubleheader against Florida International Sunday afternoon at Florida International Stadium in Miami. The Sycamores claimed the series with a 9-4 victory in the opener before taking game three, 7-2. ISU improved to 6-4 on the season while FIU fell to 4-6.
Redshirt senior Max Wright was dominant at the plate in both games, finishing the day with a .600 average (3-for-5) with a home run, five walks, three runs scored, an RBI and a hit-by-pitch. He also led the team with a 1.200 slugging percentage and a .818 on-base percent.
Outfielder Sean Ross tallied three base hits in the two games while reaching base on a walk and a pair of hit-by-pitches.
As a team, Indiana State outhit FIU Sunday 20-15 and did not have an error while FIU committed five miscues in the field.
Game One
Indiana State 9, Florida International 4
On a windy day, the long ball powered Indiana State to a game one victory as Dominic Cusumano homered in his first two at bats and Wright (Toronto, Ont.) sent his third homer of the season out in the third.
Indiana State took a seven-run lead into the sixth before FIU got a two-run home run to get on the scoreboard. ISU got those runs back in the seventh as Rivera scored on a wild pitch and Jordan Schaffer plated a run on a sacrifice fly.
Wright had a pair of hits in the game while ISU outhit the Panthers 10-7.
Game Two
Indiana State 7, Florida International 2
The Sycamores jumped out to an early lead in the second when FIU committed one of their four errors of the game, allowing a run to come home on a bunt. ISU added a run in the third when Schaffer scampered home on a passed ball.
Grant Magill and Schaffer each drove in runs in the third and fourth innings. Magill’s single to right brought home Diego Gines and Schaffer’s double scored Ellison Hanna II.
The big inning for the Sycamores came in the sixth when yet another error proved costly for FIU. With the bases loaded, Brian Fuentes pushed a ball to third base and the ensuing throw was errant, allowing all three runs to come home and make it a 7-2 game in favor of Indiana State.
Connor Cline (2-0) made his third start of the season for the Sycamores and was solid throughout his four innings of work. The right-hander allowed five base hits and gave up two earned runs while striking out four of the 17 batters he faced en route to the win.
Wright was 1-for-2 with two walks and was hit by a pitch.