Indiana State starting pitcher Jeff Degano threw seven scoreless innings and fanned 10 Griffs, as the Sycamores blanked Canisius Baseball, 4-0 in the team's opening game of the Indiana State Tournament, in Terre Haute, Ind., Saturday. The loss drops Canisius to 6-10, while Indiana State improves to 6-7.

Saturday's game proved to be a pitchers duel as Degano's 7.1 innings yielded just two hits and one walk to the Blue and Gold.

The Griffs sent Devon Stewart to the mound as he got off to a rocky start but bounced back after the first two innings, in which the Sycamores scored four runs, to shutout Indiana State the rest of the way. Stewart pitched seven innings and allowed seven hits and two earned runs to go with three walks and seven strikeouts.

The only two hits of the game came from the back end of the lineup as Jack Massa and Jesse Puscheck reached base by way of a hit.

The middle of the lineup did damage for the Sycamores as Derek Hannahs, Jacob Hayes, Andy Young, and Andy DeJesus all finished the game with one RBI each.

The only runs of the game came in the first two innings, including a three-run first inning for Indiana State. With two runners on, Hayes singled through the right side to drive in a run and get the rally started. A fielding error by Puscheck led to the second scored run as he tried to throw out Young at first. DeJesus grounded out later in the inning as he drove in the third run as the Sycamores went up 3-0.

Indiana State added another run in the second as Hannahs singled up the middle and drove in Guitierrez to make it 4-0.

That's all Indiana State needed as Degano cruised through seven innings and Austin Conway came on to close out the contest. 

The Griffs will now prepare for a doubleheader tomorrow when they play Central Michigan and Indiana State. Game times for the twin bill is 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.