Baseball

Indiana State Claims 8th MVC Baseball Tournament Title

BOX SCORE

TERRE HAUTE, IN - Cam Edmonson recorded the final strikeout on the mound setting off the rush from the Indiana State dugout as the top-seed Sycamores topped No. 4 Evansville, 6-0, in the Missouri Valley Championship Game.
 
Evansville (37-24) forced an elimination game against Indiana State (42-15) as the Purple Aces came from behind to win the first game of the day with Chase Hug’s walk-off grand slam in the 6-5 win in the opener.
 
The Sycamores bats and pitching staff ensured history would not repeat itself as Edmonson and Simon Gregersen combined to throw ISU’s seventh shutout of the 2023 season and second of the MVC Tournament in clinching Indiana State’s eighth MVC Tournament title in program history.
 
Randal Diaz and Adam Pottinger both homered in the win as the Sycamores finished the tournament with a plus-28 run differential over their five tournament games. Parker Stinson added the knockout blow in the deciding game with a ninth-inning three-run double to help ISU secure the MVC’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
 
The Sycamores will find out their postseason destination as the NCAA will announce the 16 Regional sites Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on the NCAA Baseball Twitter account and on the ESPN scroll. The entire NCAA field will be announced at noon ET on Monday on ESPN2.
 
Diaz was named the MVC Tournament Most Outstanding Player highlighting four Sycamores on the postseason squad. Connor Fenlong (P), Luis Hernandez (DH), and Pottinger (OF) were also honored on the team as voted on by the tournament staff and select media.
 
Game Two: Indiana State 6, Evansville 0
Adam Pottinger and Randal Diaz both homered to give Indiana State all the run support the Sycamores would need and Parker Stinson added a late three-run double setting off a celebration at Bob Warn Field as ISU topped Evansville in the final game of the 2023 MVC Baseball Championships, 6-0.
 
Pottinger provided the early run support with a solo home run off the scoreboard in right center field in the top of the fourth inning to give the Sycamores the 1-0 lead. Diaz added a one-out solo home run to left in the top of the eighth to double ISU’s lead.
 
Parker Stinson came up with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the ninth inning looking to provide insurance late in the game. The junior outfielder fell behind 0-2 in the count before driving a bases-clearing double over the Evansville left fielder allowing Pottinger, Mike Sears, and Miguel Rivera to score and giving ISU the 5-0 lead. Diaz drove in his second RBI of the game with a single through the right side of the infield scoring Stinson to provide the final 6-0 margin.
 
The Indiana State pitching staff continued to showcase its dominance with Simon Gregersen and Cam Edmonson (3-0) combining to post ISU’s second shutout of the tournament in the championship game.
 
Gregersen went the first 4.1 innings allowing three hits while striking out a career-high six hitters. Edmonson went the final 4.2 innings in relief with a nearly matching statistical line allowing three hits while striking out a career-high eight in the win.
 
Diaz went 3-for-5 from the plate with a double and home run, while adding a stolen base to lead the ISU offense. Pottinger added two runs scored, while Stinson drove in three in the win.
 
Mark Shallenberger led Evansville’s offense with four of the Purple Aces’ six hits in the game. Brent Widder added a double in the loss.
 
Shane Harris (6-2) took the loss on the mound going 3.2 innings allowing three hits and one run. Jarrett Blunt went 2.1 innings in the start, while Jakob Meyer and Nate Hardman closed out the contest.
 
How They Scored
  • Adam Pottinger put Indiana State on the scoreboard early with a solo home run to right field in the top of the fourth inning.
  • Randal Diaz doubled the ISU lead to 2-0 in the top of the eighth with a solo home run over the left field wall.
  • Parker Stinson connected on a two-out, three-run double to left field sparking a four-run rally for the Sycamores in the top of the ninth inning to provide the final 6-0 margin.
 News & Notes                                                                                                                     
  • Indiana State improved to 42-15 overall on the season with the championship game win.
  • The Sycamores won their eighth MVC Tournament title in program history (1979, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1989, 1995, 2019, 2013).
  • The eight MVC Tournament titles are the second most in Valley history, trailing only Wichita State (17).
  • Indiana State secured the Missouri Valley’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament marking the program’s 12th time ISU will advance to the postseason and third in the last four seasons.
  • The Sycamores posted their MVC-leading seventh shutout of the 2023 season and second in the MVC Tournament in the championship game.
  • ISU’s 6-0 win over Evansville marked the Valley’s first shutout win in the MVC title game since the 2003 season when Wichita State topped Southern Illinois, 3-0.
  • Adam Pottinger’s reached safely in both games on Saturday afternoon giving the junior outfielder a stretch of 33 consecutive games on base dating back to April 2. His on-base streak is the longest in the Mitch Hannahs era.
  • ISU was plunked by three more pitches over the two games giving Indiana State 116 on the season. The mark is the most in the Valley since Creighton was hit 116 times back in 2007.

NCAA Selection
The Sycamores will find out if they are selected as one of 16 NCAA Regional sites Sunday at 8 PM ET on the NCAA Baseball Twitter account and on the ESPN scroll.  The entire NCAA field will be announced at 11 AM CT on Monday on ESPN2.
 
Valley Regional Hosts
Indiana State is looking to become the fourth different Valley program to host an NCAA Regional in the current format. 
 
MVC NCAA Regional Hosts (Since 2000)
Year       Team                    RPI (at selection)
2015      DBU                      2            
2015      Missouri State    7
2007      Wichita State     20
2002      Wichita State     17
 
*Indiana State finishes the 2023 MVC Tournament 9th in RPI
 
MVC Baseball All-Tournament Team
1B -   Brodey Heaton, Belmont
C -   Cole Conn, UIC
P  -  Hayden Minton, Missouri State
P -   Cade Vernon, Murray State
1B – Brennan McCullough, Murray State
C – Evan Waggoner, Evansville
1B – Chase Hug, Evansville
C -  Grant Magill, Indiana State
OF -  Adam Pottinger, Indiana State
DH –  Luis Hernandez, Indiana State
P -   Connor Fenlong, Indiana State
 
Most Outstanding Player
SS –  Randal Diaz, Indiana State
 
Elite 17
Donovan Schultz, Evansville (3.99 GPA in Sports Communications)