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April 29, 2007 SYCAMORES AND NORTHERN IOWA SLUG IT OUT IN SERIES FINALE WATERLOO, Iowa – Indiana State scored in each of the game’s first five innings en route to a 15-13 victory over Northern Iowa at Riverfront Park in the final of this weekend’s three-game series. In addition to the offensive numbers, starting pitcher Chad Dawson shook off a slow start to keep the Panthers on their heels in the middle innings and earn his first league win of the year. With the victory, the Sycamores won their first MVC series of the season, and the first since taking 2-of-3 from UNI at Sycamore Field last season. ISU improves to 21-20, 4-11 on the year while UNI falls to 18-21, 4-11 MVC. The Sycamore set a season-best with its 20 base hits, and its 15 runs scored where the most in one MVC game this season for the team. Indiana State drew first blood in the game when senior Ryan Bond led off with a double that deflected off the right field fence. Bond moved over to third on a ground out by Josh Abercrombie and then scored when Chris Schmidt grounded out to second to give ISU a quick 1-0 lead. The lead would not last long as UNI plated three runs in the bottom of the first off Dawson. The Panthers led 3-1. Bond took care of that Panther advantage in the top of the second when he came back to the plate for his second trip in the game with runners at first and second. On a beautiful day at Riverfront Park and the win sailing out to dead away center, Bond belted his third home run of the season to give the Sycamores a 4-3 lead. After UNI tied the game at four runs each in the bottom of the second, ISU got back to work at the plate in the third. Chris Schmidt led off with a single to right center and moved to third on the second double of the game from Dave Brumagin. With runners at second and third and no one retired, Nick Ciolli reached on an infield single to shortstop which scored Schmidt for the 5-4 lead. The Sycamores stretched their lead to 6-4 on a RBI single from Brett Siegmund which plated Brumagin. In the top of the fourth inning, ISU used some two-out magic to extend its lead to 7-4. Abercrombie beat out a two-hit infield hit and then Schmidt walked on four pitches to put runners at first and second. Brumagin took the first pitch he saw back up the middle while allowed Abercrombie to come around and score. ISU continued its strong offensive showing in the top of the fifth inning as they plated at least run in each of the first five frames. Brett Siegmund struck out swinging to start off the inning, but he reached first safely on a wild pitch. Ryan Strausborger belted a sharp double to left field which put runners on second and third for Casey Martin. Martin delivered a bloop single to right field which gave ISU an 8-4 advantage when his singled drove home Siegmund. Sean Osborne laid down a perfect bunt up the first base line to score Strausborger from third for the 9-4 lead. ISU scored for the third time in the frame when Abercrombie lifted a 0-2 pitch into left field to score Martin for the 10-4 advantage. UNI scored to make the score 10-5 in the bottom of the fifth on a balk by Dawson. Dawson did not allow a run in either the third or fourth inning. Dawson got out a tight jam following that with runners at first and second and just one out. He forced Jamie Ballesteros into a high chopper to the Ryan Strausborger who calmly stepped on second base and fired to first for the inning-ending double play. Leading 10-5 in the top of the seventh, Brumagin came to the plate with runners at second and third and two outs on the board. He laced a pitch back up the middle which scored Bond and Abercrombie as the Sycamores moved their lead up to 12-5. Strausborger’s two RBI single sent Brumagin and Ciolli home later in the frame for the 14-5 advantage. ISU kept things going in the eighth as well as Ryan Bond led off with a single and then scored on a double by Abercrombie for the 15-5 lead. Chad Dawson picked up the victory for the Sycamores to improve to 2-1 on the season; including the first MVC victory of his career. Dawson went 6.0 innings, allowing six hits and five runs (all earned). He struck out four batters while walking three others. Freshman Skyler Pearson worked the next two innings before running into trouble in the bottom of the ninth. He allowed five hits, six runs (five of which were earned) and struck out a batter. Adam Lindsay also worked in the ninth, as he proved to struggle as well during the late-game UNI rally which saw them send 11 batters to the dish and score seven runs. In order to stop the bleeding, head coach Lindsay Meggs went to his bullpen and put Friday night starter Ryan Tatusko into the game, looking for his second save of the season. Tatusko responded to the call by getting Deric Manrique to ground into a fielder’s choice which cut the Sycamore advantage down to 15-13. He then got Eric Hoffman to ground out to second base for the final out of the game to record his second save of the year. Ciolli went 2-for-5 in the game at the plate to extend his current hitting streak to a career-best 13 games. He needs to hit safely in each of the next two games to tie Chris Schmidt for the longest such string this season – 15 games. Also solid at the plate for the Sycamores was Brumagin who finished 4-for-5 with two runs scored as well as a pair of RBI. Siegmund, Strausborger and Martin all each recorded two hits in the game as well. Abercrombie finished with three base hits. Ryan Bond went 3-for-5 from the lineup’s leadoff spot with four runs scored and three more driven in. After being shutout in a 5-0 loss on Friday night to the Panthers, the Sycamores exploded for 28 runs in the final two games of the weekend as ISU won its first conference series of the year, and its first since downing UNI at Sycamore Field one year ago. Indiana State will enjoy four consecutive off days before returning to action due to Final Exam week at ISU. The Sycamores return to action this Friday, May 4 when they host Bradley at Sycamore Field for the first of a three-game series against the Braves. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m. (ET).
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