ISU takes series finale at Bradley

ISU wins fourth straight MVC series

Updated: Sunday, 15 Apr 2012, 5:36 PM EDT
Published : Sunday, 15 Apr 2012, 5:36 PM EDT

PEORIA, Ill. (WTHI) - The Indiana State baseball team broke out the bats in their series finale against the Bradley Braves on Sunday, scoring 12 runs in the first three innings to cruise to a seven-inning, 14-3 victory at O’Brien Field.

ISU (28-9, 8-4 MVC) won their fourth straight MVC series, their longest string since winning five in a row to start the 1998 campaign. Bradley falls to 18-14-1 on the season and 4-5 in league play.

Indiana State scored in the first inning for the second straight game, as redshirt junior Koby Kraemer tallied a one-out single, moving to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a sacrifice fly to center by junior Robby Ort.

The Sycamores broke the game open in the second inning, plating eight runs on four hits, their highest single-inning output in MVC play this season. The big hits in the inning came in the form of a two-run double to right by junior Jeremy Lucas and a three-run home run to left by senior Jon Hedges. The home run was the sixth of the season for Hedges.

After the Braves hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the second inning, ISU responded with three runs of their own in the top half of the third, as Lucas hit his team-leading eighth home run of the season during the inning as ISU went up 12-2.

ISU scored their final runs of the day in the fifth inning, as Ort grounded into a fielder’s choice to plate senior Lucas Hileman and Hedges picked up his fourth RBI of the game with a single to shallow right.

Junior Ryan Torgerson (6-1) tossed all seven innings for Indiana State on Sunday, scattering seven hits and three runs while striking out three.

Kraemer led ISU with three hits, with Hedges picking up four RBIs. Lucas went 2-for-2 with three runs batted in, a solo home run and two runs scored.

After playing 29 of their 39 games away from home this season, Indiana State returns to Bob Warn Field at Sycamore Stadium for 15 of their final 20 games. ISU begins a 12-game homestand this Tuesday, when the Sycamores host Valparaiso at 6:00 p.m. » ISU takes series finale at Bradley