Life in the Valley

Indiana State Withstands Late Rally to Stay Alive

For all the fun this Missouri Valley Conference Baseball Championship has been, for all the great moments, big hits, and explosive innings … there’s one thing that must be remembered.

The champs are still here.

#20 Indiana State scored a 5-3 victory over the UIC Flames on Friday evening, building a 5-0 lead after 7 innings, then ending UIC’s 8th-inning rally after 3 runs to take the win. Luke Hayden started and went into the 7th for the Sycamores (41-12), striking out 9 and allowing 0 runs on 3 hits (94 pitches, 5.22 ppo). After the Flames (35-20) got their 3 runs in the 8th, charged to Cameron Holycross, Cole Gilley came on to get the last 4 outs without allowing any more damage, earning his 1st save of the season. Hayden picked up the win to go 7-2.

Indiana State took the lead in the 1st inning on Parker Stinson’s single that scored Randal Diaz and Dominic Listi. In the 6th, Josue Urdaneta tripled in 2 more as the Sycamores doubled their lead. Indiana State’s final run came in the 7th when Joe Kido’s sac fly scored Stinson.

It seemed like Indiana State would cruise home as one of the last 4 teams left in the tournament, but UIC had other ideas. After being held to 3 hits in a loss earlier in the day to Evansville, UIC pulled together 2 singles, 3 walks, and a hit by pitch to score 3 runs and cut the Indiana State lead to 2 runs. But it could have been more. The Flames left 3 men on base when Jackson Bessette’s fielder’s choice was the final out.

Zane Zielinski singled and got to 2nd in the 9th, but Kendal Ewell struck out swinging to end the game and UIC’s season. Zielinski went 3-for-5.

Indiana State rematches with 6th-seed Southern Illinois this morning, a run back of Wednesday night’s great game that saw the Salukis upset the Sycamores, 10-9, in 11 innings. The only other 2 teams left in the tournament meet later this afternoon, as 4th-seed Illinois State takes on 3-seed Evansville, the lone unbeaten remaining in the event. UE will play immediately after, against the winner of the ISU/SIU game. If UE beats Illinois State, that will be the first game of the Championship round with the Purple Aces having 2 chances to clinch the title and an NCAA bid. If Illinois State wins, however, makes that latter game an elimination game with the winner meeting Illinois State in the final. (I think, this thing has been pretty confusing this week. Let’s hope for no more delays.)

UIC 000 000 030 – 3 6 1 (35-20)
INS 200 002 10x – 5 9 0 (41-12)
W: Hayden (7-2)
L: Smith (3-2)
S: Gilley (1)
HR: None