TERRE HAUTE — The first game at the new Bob Warn Field did not provide the desired result for the Indiana State baseball team, the Sycamores dropping their home opener 4-3 to Tennessee-Martin (7-3).
And, “it looked like we were doomed” in the nightcap, said ISU coach Rick Heller, whose team went 3 for 18 with runners in scoring position in a 5-4, 13-inning victory in front of a solid opening-day crowd of close to 500.
ISU (5-4) tied the game on a Kyle Burnam triple in the seventh, and the Sycamores loaded the bases in the 11th. With senior lead-off man Ryan Strausborger at the plate and only one out, ISU was in good shape.
Strausborger hit a whizzing line drive but it was right at Skyhawks second baseman Trey Karlen, who quickly stepped on second base for a double play.
Strausborger bounced back with a towering double in the 13th to push freshman Jordan Pearson over to third base.
Senior Tyler Graham delivered the game-winning hit, a smash that two-hopped the wall in center field with the bases load to score Pearson.
“Very happy we found a way to get a split. We found a way to scrap,” Heller said.
Brett Merkeley earned the win, tossing two perfect innings. Tyler Browning was also effective working out of trouble for the Sycamores in the ninth, 10th and 11th.
“Our bullpen just did an awesome job. Our pitching was great all day,” said Heller, whose bullpen was a major question mark heading into the season.
Joe Rodriguez was solid as the Game 2 starter, throwing 7 2/3 innings and scattering eight hits.
ISU ace right-hander Jake Petricka was dominant behind his 90-plus fastball in the opener, finishing with 12 strikeouts and no walks. But the Skyhawks strung four straight hits together in the sixth inning to score three runs off Petricka, who bounced back by striking out the side in the seventh.
ISU finished 6 for 27 with runners in scoring position in Saturday’s two nine-inning games. The Sycamores were hitting .333 with in those clutch situations on their two season-opening road trips.
The Sycamore hitters faced equally tough pitching. UT-Martin’s Game 1 starter, Coty Green, struck out eight and scattered seven hits in eight innings with no walks.
“It was a combination of our guys maybe pressing a little bit. But I tip my hat to their guys. I saw some guys pressing, but I want to give their guys credit,” Heller said.
The middle of the UT-Martin order found holes in the infield to hurt Petricka. Clean-up man Ty Nelson smashed a double past third base, and Wes Patterson followed that with two-run single through the infield.
“I just got behind on too many counts,” Petricka said. “They’re a good team at hitting the ball on the ground and letting the turf work for them. They found an inning to square a couple up back-to-back and got some quick runs.”
ISU rallied from a 4-1 deficit with a run in the sixth on an RBI single by freshman Robby Ort. Green was strong for two more innings.
Petricka made strides from his last outing, he said, a four-inning performance in which his pitch count got high. Petricka threw 102 pitches in seven innings Saturday.
“That’s all you can ask for right there,” Petricka said of his solid outing.
ISU had a chance in the ninth against Skyhawks closer Wes Alsup, who walked one and hit a batter to give the Sycamores life. Pinch-hitter Steve Ball walked and scored on a line-drive single by Ryan Strausborger, but Alsup came back from a 3-0 count to coax a groundout from ISU third baseman Luke Fieser.
ISU’s Jason Van Skike will start the rubber game of the series today, which will start at 1 p.m. The right-hander is 1-0 with a 3.48 ERA and has 12 strikeouts in 10 innings.
• Solid turnout — In the first game at Bob Warn Field, Warn made an appearance and shook hands with all the current Sycamores.
On an afternoon with temperatures in the 40s, a solid crowd of 494 fans turned out.
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ISU baseball opens Bob Warn Field with doubleheader split
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Indiana State connects on all 12 of its 3-point shots vs. SIU and sets three NCAA records in process
When you’re a shooter and you’re in a slump, the boilerplate cure is to summon amnesia, forget about your struggles and keep on shooting.
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ISU's Webb wins heptathlon
Indiana State’s Robert Webb captured the heptathlon Saturday at the Grand Valley State Big Meet as he totaled the second most points in ISU history while dominating the event. Webb scored 5,140 points, which is second only to former Sycamore Anthony Bertoli’s 5,189 points in 2008.
Webb, a senior, established three more personal best efforts enroute to the overall victory as he ran 8.45 in the 60 meter hurdles and 2 minutes, 50.73 seconds in the 1,000 meters while also clearing 13-1 1/2 in the pole vault. Webb entered the second day of the event in the lead with 2,893 points after winning three of the four Friday events and setting personal bests in the long jump and shot put. -
Perfect game: ISU shoots NCAA record 12-for-12 from 3-point range in win over SIU
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‘Frustrated’ Sycamores regroup to face Southern Illinois
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Thomas nets double-double as ISU women end losing streak
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Sycamore women looking to snap six-game losing streak
The Indiana State women’s basketball team is in dire need of a victory in Hulman Center this weekend.
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“I think it should [add to motivation]. There’s no doubt that group in the locker room in there is very disappointed,” Coach Teri Moren said. “As I keep saying, we’re in a rough patch right now, and there’s no group of kids that wants to get right back on track more than they do.” -
Leonard dominates in first half, but IU, Zeller earn the victory
The first half belonged to Illinois’ Meyers Leonard.
The win belonged to Indiana and Cody Zeller.
The 23rd-ranked Hoosiers (19-6, 7-6 Big Ten) took advantage of a glaring free-throw discrepancy to defeat the Illini 84-71 on Thursday. -
Rose women roll; Dickerson becomes all-time assists leader
Rose-Hulman senior Alisa Dickerson became the college’s career leader in assists as the Engineers cruised past Defiance 60-33 in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference women’s basketball Saturday afternoon in Hulbert Arena.
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Sycamores can’t stop Stutz, Shockers
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McWhorter’s fortunes rise with ISU’s
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Johnson dominates again for ISU track
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Indiana State women lose at Illinois State
Playing short-handed again, Indiana State’s women suffered their sixth straight Missouri Valley Conference basketball loss Friday night, falling 78-67 to host Illinois State.
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Indiana, Purdue meet with both looking to regain momentum
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ISU women looking to end five-game losing streak at Illinois State
Within a few points in the final minutes, Indiana State had chances to win women’s basketball games at Missouri State and Wichita State last weekend.
But the Sycamores lost for the fourth and fifth straight games, also losing freshman Jessica Valley for the season at Wichita State. The promising backcourt player tore the ACL in her right knee and began strengthening exercises this week in order to make plans for surgery. -
ISU Senior Day game to be televised on ESPN
The Missouri Valley Conference announced Thursday that Indiana State’s regular season finale against No. 12-ranked Creighton on Feb. 25 in Hulman Center has been chosen as the MVC’s “wild card” game that will be telecast on either ESPN or ESPN2.
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Hoosiers load up on in-state players
With a 1-11 record in his first season as IU football coach, Kevin Wilson knew there were a lot of holes to fill in terms of personnel.
- Wabash Valley verbal commitments
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It’s on: Sycamores, Bulldogs to play at Hinkle on Feb. 18
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METRO ROUNDUP: Four from Rose receive weekly honors
Four Rose-Hulman athletes earned Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference weekly honors, the HCAC announced Monday.
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Hoosiers reclaim needed offensive momentum
Indiana hadn’t allowed an opponent to shoot better than 40 percent in three straight games heading into Sunday’s home game against Iowa.
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Sycamores will have to match Aces’ toughness
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WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Rose, The Woods post weekend victories
Rose-Hulman relied on a balanced scoring attack and a strong defensive effort to earn a 55-44 women’s basketball victory Saturday over Mount St. Joseph.
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ISU's Stacia Weatherford sets school record in 60-meter hurdles
Indiana State junior Stacia Weatherford set the school record in the women’s 60-meter hurdles, while sophomore Greggmar Swift dominated the action in the men’s 60 hurdles during competition Saturday at the Indiana Relays.
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Rose takes first in Engineer Track and Field Invitational
Rose-Hulman relied on nine event victories, 13 top-two finishes and three school records for a strong performance at the ninth annual Engineer Track and Field Invitational on Saturday.
The men’s squad captured first place honors in a meet that featured two of the nation's top 20 NCAA Division III squads and 12 institutions from seven states. The day’s competition also included 10 meet records. -
Mattox’s 31 not enough for ISU women
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Mattox, Sycamores staying positive on road trip to Missouri State, Wichita State
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IU triumphs
When Indiana’s Will Sheehey left the floor after receiving his second technical foul, the Hoosier fans cheered.
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ISU women nipped at buzzer
Creighton sophomore Carli Tritz — blanketed by Indiana State senior Brittany Schoen — had just two points at halftime Friday in Hulman Center.
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ISU needs to find chip on its shoulder
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