April 2, 2021

By Timothy McCaughan

Indiana State Athletics

ST. LOUIS – Redshirt senior Geremy Guerrero retired the first 18 Saint Louis batters he faced as No. 23 Indiana State ran away with a 13-2 victory to secure the series win Friday at the Billikens Sports Center.

The Sycamores improved to 13-6 on the season while SLU dropped to 7-18.

Guerrero, a Metamora, Ill. native, continued his dominance on the mound as he improved to 5-0 on the season. The left-hander did not allow a runner to reach base until the seventh inning of play when Cole Smith led off the inning with a single through the right side. Guerrero struck out seven over eight complete innings while allowing four hits and one run to the Billikens.

Indiana State’s bats were hot throughout the day, matching a season-high with 16 hits overall. Both Jordan Schaffer and Mike Sears led the charge at the plate with three hits apiece. Schaffer tallied two of ISU’s four doubles on the afternoon while Mitch Barrow connected on the lone home run of the game during a pinch-hit at bat in the ninth – a two-run bomb to extend the ISU lead to 13-1.

The Sycamores picked up where they left off in the series opener, scoring three runs in the first inning thanks to a trio of walks. Diego Gines brought home two runners with a double to the gap in right before crossing the plate when Dominic Cusumano singled to centre.

Saint Louis went to the bullpen in the second for right-hander Colin Townsend who lasted just 2 1/3 innings after allowing four runs on five hits. Schaffer continued the offensive barrage in the third with a leadoff double and was later brought home on a Brian Fuentes single to left. ISU went on to score three runs in the fourth after loading the bases with a hit-by-pitch, a single and a fielder’s choice. Josue Urdaneta brought in a run on a ground out before Schaffer singled to centre to plate two more runs.

Sears collected his first RBI of the game in the fifth after singling up the middle to score Gines who reach on a hit-by-pitch earlier in the inning. Similar to game one in the series, ISU took advantage of SLU miscues in the field, scoring on a pair of errors in the sixth, as well as a double from Max Wright (Toronto, Ont.).

Kyle Harbison recorded his first RBI of the season in the ninth with a ground out to short.

Urdaneta, Wright and Gergely also had a multi-hit day for the Trees.

Right-hander Lane Miller made his first appearance of the season as he rehabs from injury, pitching the ninth inning.

ISU outhit Saint Louis 16-7 on the afternoon and did not commit an error while SLU committed three. Six Billikens saw action on the mound. Scott Youngbrandt took the loss, falling to 2-3 after allowing three runs and two hits in the first. The right-hander walked three of the first four Sycamores he faced.

Indiana State will look for the series sweep of SLU on Saturday with first pitch set for 2 p.m. E.T.