HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - Junior starting pitcher Dakota Bacus led the Sycamores to their first win of the 2012 season on Friday, throwing a complete game two-hit shutout as Indiana State picked up their first victory of the season. ISU topped Western Illinois 1-0 on Friday in the opening game of the 2012 Bulldog Classic hosted by Alabama A&M.

Bacus, a junior transfer from Moline, Ill., and Southeastern Community College, carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning before WIU's Tom Lilja tallied the Leathernecks first hit with a single down the right field line. Lilja was the only player for WIU to notch a hit, singling in the fifth and the seventh innings.

Indiana State scored the game's only run in the second inning, as senior Jon Hedges led off the frame with a double before moving to third on a wild pitch. Two batters later, fellow senior Ryan Walterhouse brought home the run with a sacrifice fly to center.

Bacus was only in trouble in one inning, as the Leathernecks loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth. The ISU starter forced a ground ball off the bat of WIU leadoff hitter Dan Dispensa to senior Jeff Miera at second base to get out of the jam.

The Sycamore hurler struck out nine batters against just a pair of walks on Friday.

ISU tallied five hits of their own at the plate, with Walterhouse, Hedges, redshirt junior Koby Kraemer, junior Robby Ort and junior Jeremy Lucas all picking up one each. Indiana State put pressure on the WIU defense all afternoon, putting one runner on base in six of their eight innings at the plate.

Western Illinois' southpaw Rich Masheri also picked well, going eight innings with four strikeouts.

Indiana State is back on the field for a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The Sycamores will face Maryland Eastern Shore in game one before battling Alabama A&M in game two.