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May 19, 2007 SYCAMORES FALL SHORT IN SEASON FINALE TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Indiana State Sycamores concluded the 2007 college baseball season with a narrow 9-8 loss to Southern Illinois at Sycamore Field. ISU ends the season at 26-26, 8-16 MVC while the Salukis move onto next week’s MVC Tournament with a 34-20 overall record and a 13-11 MVC finish. ISU belted a season-high four homeruns in the game, including a pair from junior designated hitter Chris Schmidt. Schmidt, who entered the game with just one round tripper on the season and only two during his three-year career, delivered two against the Salukis today. Schmidt finished the game by going 3-for-4 at the plate with a pair of runs scored and four RBI. His first of the day was a three-run shot in the bottom of the third which helped ISU knot the score at four after having trailed 4-1. SIU scored at least one run in each of the first five innings as they led 9-4 through five frames. Freshman Nick Ciolli put the Sycamores on the board in the bottom of the second with a solo homer to deep centerfield. The solo shot was his team-leading seventh of the season. Trailing 9-4 in the bottom of the sixth, the Sycamores got the bats rolling with two runs in that frame to inch closer at 9-6. Senior Ryan Bond’s double to right center with runners at first and second plated Brumagin and Ciolli. Down 9-6 in the bottom of the seventh, junior catcher Sean Osborne drilled a homer down the left field line – his first of the season – to make the score 9-7. Schmidt’s second homer of the game came in the bottom of the eighth to make the score 9-8. Indiana State had a chance to tie in the bottom of the ninth when Casey Martin singled to right field to start the frame. He moved over to second on a sacrifice bunt by Andrew Strange and went to third on a grounder from Osborne. The Sycamores left him stranded at third when Ryan Strausborger grounded out to second to end the game and the season. Sophomore Matt Shelton fell to 5-2 on the season after going three innings, allowing five hits and six runs (four of which were earned). He struck out seven batters during the outing. Senior Adam Lindsay capped off his career with 3.1 innings of work, allowing six hits and three runs while striking out one. Junior Josh Varno worked the final 2.2 innings, allowing a hit and striking out a pair. The victory went to SIU’s Jordan Powell, who tossed 5.2 innings, allowing seven hits and six runs. Bryant George, who took the loss in the first game of the series, earned the save by working a one-hit ninth inning. The Sycamores conclude the season with a 26-26 record and finish just outside of the Top 6 in the Valley standings. Indiana State set school records this season for sacrifice bunts with 47 and hit batsmen with 88. The school record of a. 966 field percentage, set in 2002, was nearly eclipsed by this season’s mark of .964. Osborne owns the new school record for times being hit by a pitch with 26.
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