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Lockwood at Indiana State 3-21
8
Winner Valparaiso VALPO 5-12, 1-0 MVC
3
Indiana State INS 9-13, 0-1 MVC
Winner
Valparaiso VALPO
5-12, 1-0 MVC
8
Final
3
Indiana State INS
9-13, 0-1 MVC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Valparaiso VALPO 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 4 0 8 7 3
Indiana State INS 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 3 5 1

W: Lockwood, Connor (2-3) L: McEwen, Max (2-2)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Valpo Beats Indiana State for First Time Since 2007, Snaps 25-Game Head-to-Head Skid

The Valparaiso University baseball team is 1-0 in Missouri Valley Conference play.
 
A gem from starting pitcher Connor Lockwood (Libertyville, Ill. / Libertyville) and four runs apiece in the third and eighth innings helped the Beacons beat defending Missouri Valley Conference regular-season champion Indiana State 8-3 on Friday night at Bob Warn Field in Terre Haute. In the process, Valpo captured its first win over the Sycamores since 2007, snapping a 25-game head-to-head losing streak including 20 straight since joining the MVC.  
 
How It Happened
  • Indiana State picked up an unearned run in the opening inning to inch out to a 1-0 lead.
  • With two on and nobody out in the top of the third, Kade Reinertson (Huxley, Iowa / Ballard Community) laid down a bunt, and a wild throw to first on the sacrifice allowed a run to come in and score, tying the game at one. Redshirt freshman Case Sullivan (Carmel, Ind. / Carmel) followed with a two-run single to left, putting the Beacons ahead 3-1.
  • Valpo extended the lead to 4-1 as Thomas Cooper (Brentwood, Tenn. / Ravenwood) lifted a sacrifice fly, capping a four-run third inning. In the bottom of the third, Valpo starter Connor Lockwood (Libertyville, Ill. / Libertyville) struck out three and pitched around an error to put a zero on the board for the second straight frame.
  • Lockwood retired the side in order in the fourth, then added zeroes in the fifth and sixth. In the seventh, Indiana State got two unearned runs as the inning was extended by an error, but Lockwood fanned two more including a looking strikeout to end the frame with the potential tying run stranded at third.
  • Lockwood, who finished with 120 pitches, walked just one and that did not occur until his final inning of work. He racked up 10 strikeouts while scattering five hits and allowing no earned runs as all three runs that crossed the plate against him were unearned.
  • Valpo tacked on four insurance runs in the top of the eighth, expanding the lead to 8-3. Sophomore Kevin Denty (Tinley Park, Ill. / Marian Catholic) singled to drive in one, then a two-run single by Spencer Warfield (Fullerton, Calif. / Servite) widened the gap to four. Valpo got one more as Bryan Hatch (Des Plaines, Ill. / St. Viator) lifted a sacrifice fly to make it 8-3.
  • Valpo went to the bullpen in the top of the eighth, and Ryan Kruse (Detroit, Mich. / U of D Jesuit) put a zero on the board to keep Valpo in front 8-3. He delivered another scoreless frame in the bottom of the ninth to finish out the triumph.
Inside the Game
  • Lockwood's 10 strikeouts were one shy of a career high set on Feb. 22 of this season at Memphis, when he struck out 11. This marked the third time this season that he had seven or more strikeouts and one or fewer walks.
  • This marked the first time Valpo opened conference play with a win since joining The Valley prior to the 2018 season. Valpo had lost seven straight league lid-lifters dating back to a March 18, 2016 Horizon League win over Northern Kentucky.
  • Valpo's last win over Indiana State was March 31, 2007, an 11-2 triumph in the first game of a doubleheader. Valpo had lost eight straight head-to-head matchups prior to 2007, so dating back to 1998 Valpo owned a 1-33 record against Indiana State before Friday.
  • Maka had two hits including a double for the team's only extra-base knock and one of two extra-base hits total in the game. He extended his on-base streak to 16, while Cooper stretched his hitting streak to eight.
  • Valpo owned a 7-5 edge in the hit column and survived three errors. The five hits allowed tied a season best for the Valpo pitching staff with Feb. 23 at Memphis.
  • Valpo scored eight runs or more for the fourth time in the last five games.
  • The victory came over an Indiana State team that went 44-15 (22-5 MVC) and won the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season crown last year. Valpo has wins over the defending Big Ten and Missouri Valley Conference regular-season champions within the last week.
Up Next
The Beacons (5-12, 1-0 MVC) and Sycamores will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at noon CT / 1 p.m. ET. Please note the schedule change due to Sunday's weather forecast. The games will air on ESPN+ with links to live video and stats available on ValpoAthletics.com.
 
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