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March 27, 2007 SYCAMORES DOWN ILLINOIS, 4-0 TO DOWN SECOND BIG TEN OPPONENT OF YOUNG SEASON CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Indiana State used a deadly combination of timely hitting, superb defense and a strong pitching combination to down Illinois, 4-0, in non-conference action at Illinois Field tonight (March 27). With the victory, Indiana State won at Illinois for the first time since 2003, and downed multiple Big Ten opponents in the same season for the first time since 2003 when ISU downed Purdue (W, 8-0), at Indiana (W, 11-9) and at Illinois (W, 4-0). ISU, coming off a weekend MVC series sweep at No. 11 Wichita State, won for the fifth time in its last eight tries with the 4-0 victory over Illinois. The Sycamores improved to 10-10 on the season while the Illini fell to 7-9. A crowd of 1,060 watched as the Sycamores spoiled the Illini’s first home game of the season. Indiana State scratched out the game’s initial run in the top of the first inning when Chris Schmidt, who entered the game with a season-best, 14-game hitting streak led off the game with a walk. After Josh Abercrombie singled, Schmidt advanced to second. Ryan Bond came on the sacrifice both runners into scoring position, and Schmidt score to make it 1-0 when Casey Martin grounded out. Schmidt once again led off a Sycamore scoring inning in the third, when he reached on an infield bunt single to keep his hitting streak alive at 15 games. Schmidt has reached safely in each Indiana State contest since the series finale against South Dakota State. Schmidt streaked all the way to third on a wild pick off attempt from Illinois pitcher Aaron Martin. Schmidt trotted home to give ISU a quick 2-0 lead when Abercrombie doubled down the right field line. Abercrombie salvaged the Sycamore advantage in the bottom of the third when Illinois placed each of its first two batters on base which brought Ryan Snowden to the plate. Snowden got into a Josh Varno pitch and sent the ball screaming towards the left field fence. Abercrombie left his feet and leapt to the top of the wall, coming down with the ball and helping Varno work out of a tough jam to preserve the 2-0 advantage. In the top of the eight, Indiana State stretched the lead to 3-0 with a pinch hit RBI single from Marcus Arnter. He drove in Abercrombie, who led off the frame with a walk and moved to second on a Bond sacrifice. Varno, who made his first start of the season in 10 appearances, went 7.2 innings, allowing eight hits and no runs while striking out four. With the victory, Varno improved to 2-1 on the season. Varno found himself in a jam as his pitch count went over the century mark in the bottom of the eighth inning. A pair of singles as well as a two-out walk chased him from the game with the bases loaded. In came the starting ace of the Sycamore pitching staff, junior Ryan Tatusko, who forced Shawn Roof into a ground out to first to end the threat and preserve the 3-0 advantage. Brett Siegmund belted a home run off the scoreboard in left field to lead off the ninth for a 4-0 lead. It was Siegmund’s first round tripper of the season, as well as his 10th RBI. Tatusko pitched the final inning and a third to earn his first career save. He allowed no hits and no runs in just his second relief appearance of the campaign. Offensively, Indiana State was paced by Abercrombie, who went a perfect 3-for-3 in the game with a run scored and another driven in. Siegmund was 2-for-4 in the game with an RBI, off his first home run of the season. Schmidt was 1-for-3 to stretch his current hitting streak out to 15 games. The 4-0 Indiana State victory over the Illini is their second triumph this season of a Big Ten opponent under first-year head coach Lindsay Meggs. ISU defeated Indiana at Sycamore Field by a score of 5-3 on March 6. The Sycamores last defeated Illinois in April of 2003, also by a score of 4-0 at Illinois Field. Indiana State returns to action tomorrow, March 28, when they return to Sycamore Field to take on Eastern Illinois for a single non-conference contest. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m. (ET).
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