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March 5, 2007 TATUSKO'S GEM PROPELS ISU TO SPLIT WITH SOUTH DAKOTA STATE TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – For the second consecutive start, junior right-hander Ryan Tatusko pitched very well over seven innings as the Sycamores downed South Dakota State by a score of 3-1 in the day’s first game. The Jackrabbits plated a run in the top of the eighth inning in game two to force a split with Indiana State by taking that game, 3-2. ISU moves to 4-2 on the year, while South Dakota State leaves town with a record of 5-7. ISU took 2-of-3 games from South Dakota State, one week after doing the same to Georgia State on the road. “We feel pretty good about winning this series,” head coach Lindsay Meggs said. “But we need to improve some offensively. We are not were we need to be, and we will have our hands full tomorrow and this coming weekend. So, we need to get better in a hurry with the bats.” Tatusko allowed a pair of hits and just one run in the top of the first inning of the day’s first game, and did not allow another hit through his final six innings in earning his second victory of the young season. A hit batter in the top of the fourth inning was the only base runner allowed by Tatusko following the first. “Ryan was great for us today,” Meggs said. “He was aggressive with the fast ball and had real good command of the slider. You can’t ask him to do much more than he did.” SDSU jumped out to the quick 1-0 lead, but the Sycamores answered with a pair in the bottom of the second to take the 2-1 advantage. Brett Siegmund singled to left field with one out and then Nick Coilli reached on a fielding error by the Jackrabbit second baseman, allowing Siegmund to take third. Sean Osborne followed with an RBI single which left the bases loaded. The Sycamores scored their second run when the SDSU third baseman’s throw home on a ground ball was errant, and Coilli scored. In the bottom of the third, ISU got its final run of the game to make it 3-1 on a single by Siegmund which allowed Josh Abercrombie to score. Abercrombie led off the frame with a single to right field and moved over to second on a sacrifice bunt by Chris Schmidt. Abercrombie finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate with a run score. Siegmund was also 2-for-3 with a run scored and a RBI. Tatusko went seven innings, allowing just two hits and a run with eight strikeouts. This season, Tatusko has pitched 14 innings, allowed two hits, one run and has fanned 17 batters. He improved to 2-0 on the season the victory. In the day’s second game freshman Skyler Pearson got the nod, pitching five and a third innings while giving up just six hits and two runs. After a short stint of middle relief by Josh Varno, Andrew Strange came in and allowed four hits and a run in the final three and a third. Strange was saddled with his first loss of the season as that lone run put SDSU up 3-2 in the top of the eighth. ISU fell behind 2-0 in the game through the game’s first three innings. The Sycamores made it 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth when Chris Schmidt drew a one out walk. The speedy Schmidt went to second base after being picked off, but the throw down to the bag. The Sycamores made it hurt as Schmidt then scored on a single by Casey Martin. In the sixth, Schmidt led off the inning with an infield single and moved to second on a ground out by Siegmund. Martin picked up his second RBI of the game when his double scored Schmidt. The rally ended when Martin was thrown out in a run down between second and third. “Chris Schmidt is a talented kid,” Meggs said. “He can run. When he hits the ball on the ground, he has a chance to get on base if the ball bounces twice. He also has some power, so it is real nice to have him in the batting order.” ISU got the tying run in the bottom of the ninth to second base, but failed to get the hit that could have knotted the score. Indiana State returns to action tomorrow, March 6 when they host in-state rival Indiana inside Sycamore Field. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m. (ET).
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