April 11, 2021

No. 23 Sycamores Rally from Six Runs to Win Series at Illinois State in 10 Innings, 8-7

By Tim McCaughan

Indiana State

NORMAL, Ill. – The No. 23 ranked Indiana State Sycamores scored eight unanswered runs to rally back from a 6-0 deficit Sunday afternoon at a rain-soaked Duffy Bass Field, defeating Illinois State 8-7 in 10 innings. With the victory, Indiana State took the weekend series, 3-1.

As steady rain fell throughout the game, Indiana State (16-8, 3-1 MVC) struggled at the plate notching just five hits during the first seven innings against ILS starting pitcher Sean Sinisko.

On the other side, Illinois State (12-18, 4-4 MVC) jumped out to an early lead after sending eight batters to the plate in the first. Following a leadoff single and a walk, the Redbirds put a run on the scoreboard with a Jordan Libman single up the middle. Jake McCaw doubled to center to drive in two runs and was able to move to third on a fielding error. Ryan Cermak drove in the fourth run of the inning with a triple to left.

After ISU starting pitcher Javin Drake was removed from the game after 1 1/3 innings, the Sycamores bullpen picked up the slack as right-hander Zach Frey tossed 4 1/3 innings of relief work, striking out four to keep ISU in striking distance.

The Redbirds extended their lead to 6-0 with a run in both the fourth and sixth innings before the Sycamores ended a 17-inning scoreless streak and shutout bid. Brian Fuentes led off the seventh with a triple to the gap in right before being brought home on an RBI groundout from Aaron Beck.

Austin Cross and Ross Kramer then combined to pitch three scoreless innings to keep ISU in the game.

Indiana State put up three runs in the eighth inning of action on back-to-back home runs to pull within two. Max Wright (Toronto, Ont.) collected his second home run of the series with a two-run blast to right centre, his 10th, to pull the Sycamores to within three runs before Fuentes picked up his third home run of the season on a ball over the wall in center. With the home runs, Illinois State was forced to the bullpen.

The comeback Sycamores were not finished though as head coach Mitch Hannahs got back-to-back solo home runs from pinch-hitters Miguel Rivera and Ellison Hanna II to open the ninth inning and tie the game 6-6.

New this season to MVC games is the international tiebreaker rule, which puts the last batter from the previous inning on second base to begin extras.

Fuentes bunted Wright over to third to begin the 10th and the fifth-year senior would come home a batter later when Beck recorded his second hit of the day with a single up the middle. Rivera would add an insurance run that would in the end be the dagger for the Redbirds after he singled home Beck with a base hit to centre field.

Illinois State brought home their seventh run of the day on a single to right after putting runners on the corners. The Sycamores would end the ILS threat though with a 4-6-3 double play to claim the series win.

Fenlong moved to 2-0 on the year after a two-inning and three strikeout performance.

Wright, Rivera, Fuentes and Hanna II each tallied home runs for ISU while Beck finished 2-fo-4 with a double and two RBI. Fuentes went 2-for-3 with a homer and a triple. Rivera and Wright added a pair of RBIs each. Nine of Indiana State’s 13 base hits were extra-base hits.

Illinois State lead-off man SS Aidan Huggins (Edmonton, Alta.) was 3-for-5 and knocked in a run.