The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

ELLISON Hanna II and the Indiana State Sycamores fell just short in their run toward the Missouri Valley Conference title, but the senior outfielder was named one of top performers of the tournament.

The No. 2 ranked Sycamores were on the brink of a second straight MVC title but lost, 12-8, in 11 innings to No.1 seed Dallas Baptist in the title game and failed to earn an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.

Indiana State finished the season 30-19 and will await word on an at-large bid into the NCAA tournament field.

Hanna was one of three Sycamore players selected to the MVC Baseball All-Tournament team. He finished the tournament hitting .278 (5-18), with five runs, nine RBI and three home-runs.

In game one, the Sycamores defeated No. 6 seed Illinois State Redbirds, 5-2. Hanna had his best offensive outing of the season and hit two home runs in the game -- matching his total on the season entering the game.

His two-run homer in the second inning gave the Sycamores the lead for good and began a streak of five unanswered runs. Hanna also homered in the seventh in another two run inning. He finished 3-4 with two runs and three RBI.

In game two, Hanna went 1-3 and scored two runs as the Sycamores defeated the No.4 seeded Southern Illinois Salukis 11-8.

In game three, Indiana State lost their first matchup with Dallas Baptist, 10-1.

They returned in game four, a rematch with the Salukis and overcame a five-run deficit en route to a 9-7 win. Hanna blasted a grand slam as a part of a six-run sixth inning to put the Sycamores ahead 8-5. In the tournament finale, he finished with two runs and two RBI in the rematch with Dallas Baptist.

In 23 games this season, Hanna hit .312 with 24 hits, 20 RBI, 23 runs, five home runs, five doubles, two triples.

In the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, he started in seven of his nine appearances. He hit .231 with six hits, one double, a triple, a .346 slugging percentage and a .333 on-base percentage and two multi-hit games.

Hanna transferred to Indiana State from Kirkwood Community College. In his debut season with the Sycamores, he played in 16 games with eight starts, he hit two home runs, totalled five RBI and scored four runs.