Fall Exhibition Schedule Tentatively Set

With the start of classes comes time for the fall exhibition season for NCAA softball. The Sycamores will have three weekends of competition with other schools, along with lots of intrasquad scrimmages. Here are the dates of the fall games with other institutions:

• Saturday, September 18: Sycamores will welcome St. Louis University and Lake Land College to Price Field for a round-robin tournament.
• Saturday and Sunday, September 25 and 26: The Sycamores will host their annual Fall Classic at the ISU softball complex, using both Price Field and the practice field. ISU will play two games each day, but there will be games going on all weekend long. In the field are: Indiana, Butler, Ball State, Morehead State, University of Indianapolis, St. Joseph's, Marian, St. Mary of the Woods, Wabash Valley College, Kirkwood College, Indiana Tech, and Olney Central College.
• Sunday, October 3: Sycamores will travel across town to Rose-Hulman to participate in a one day event. Teams are still to be determined.

GO SYCAMORES!

Future Sycamores Set to Play in State Title Games

Two members of the 2010 incoming Sycamore softball recruiting class will try to lead their teams to Indiana State High School Athletic Association softball championships today in Indianapolis. Alex Baumgart and her top ranked 34-1 Boonville Pioneers will take on Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger (26-2) in the 3A title contest at 4:30pm ET today (June 12). Baumgart is leading the Pioneers in hitting at .412 on the season while scoring 35 runs and driving in 21 runs. In the 4A contest, Danielle Ketner will try to lead the Terre Haute North Patriots (27-8) to their first softball state championship as they take on the Hamilton Southeastern Royals (26-4) at 7:30pm. Ketner is hitting .380 on the season with six home runs and 24 runs driven in. Her 34 hits leads the Patriots. All four of the IHSAA games can be viewed online today, with the 1A game starting the action at 10:30am (there might be some future Sycamores participating in that contest also, but not in the 2010 class).
GO SYCAMORES!

Sycamore Softball Leads the MVC in APR Scores

In the Academic Progress Rate (APR) information released by the NCAA this week, the Indiana State softball team had the best ranking of softball squads in the Missouri Valley Conference. Here are the multi-year scores in the MVC for softball programs:
1. Indiana State 991
2. Illinois State 990
3. Southern Illinois 989
4. Missouri State 986
5. Wichita State 984
6. Drake 983
7. Evansville 979
8. Bradley 975
9. Northern Iowa 970
10. Creighton 969
The national average APR for D1 softball programs was 972.

GO SYCAMORES!

Two MVC Teams in NCAA Tournament

After only receiving the single automatic bid to the 2009 NCAA Softball Tournament a season ago, the MVC was able to send two teams to the 2010 NCAA Tournament this season.

As the winner of the MVC Tournament, Creighton is the recipient of this year's automatic bid. The Bluejays have been sent to Columbia, MO to participate in the regional hosted by the University of Missouri this weekend. Creighton is the #4 seed in the field and will take on the #1 seed Missouri Tigers in the opening contest on Friday. Mizzou is the #9 national seed in the overall tournament. Rounding out the field in Columbia is second-seeded University of Illinois of the Big Ten and third-seeded DePaul of the Big East.

Regular season league runner-up Illinois State is the recipient of an at-large bid into the field of 64 in the 2010 NCAA Softball Tournament. The Redbirds will travel to Ann Arbor, MI to participate in the regional hosted by the University of Michigan this weekend. Illinois State is teh #3 seed in the field and will take on the second seeded Notre Dame Fighting Irish of the Big East on Friday. Rounding out the field in Ann Arbor is the top seeded Michigan Wolverines of the Big Ten (the overall #2 national seed) and the Wright State Raiders from the Horizon League.

GO SYCAMORES!

MVC All Conference Teams

The Sycamores were left out of the All Conference awards at the end of the season. All of the other nine Missouri Valley Confernece schools were represented on the 2010 teams. Here are those teams:


2010 MVC Softball All-Conference Team
Pos. Name, School Yr.
P Danielle Glosson, Southern Illinois Jr.
P Tara Oltman, Creighton Sr.
C Elizabeth Kay, Illinois State Fr.
1B Renae Sinkler, Creighton Sr.
2B Kara Nelson, Illinois StateJr.
3B Abby Olson, Illinois State Jr.
SS Niki Stansell, Illinois State Sr.
OF Megan Machovec, UNI Sr.
OF Jenna Schwark, Missouri State Jr.
OF Katie Wilson, Southern Illinois Sr.
DP-P Jen Larsen, UNI Sr.
DP-U Caitlin Chapin, Missouri State Fr.
DP-U Amy Baker, Creighton Fr.
DP-P Jenna DeLong, Drake Jr.
2B Alicia Garza, Southern Illinois Sr.
SS Amy Gaertner, Evansville So.
DP-U Allie Hanson, Southern Illinois Sr.

Player of the Year: Renae Sinkler, Creighton
Pitcher of the Year: Danielle Glosson, Southern Illinois
Newcomer of the Year: Elizabeth Kay, Illinois State
Coaching Staff of the Year: Southern Illinois (Kerri Blaylock, Christy Connoyer, Jen Sewell, Mark Cosgrove)

2010 MVC Softball All-Conference Second Team
Pos. Name, School Yr.
P Brynne Dordel, Drake Jr.
P Megan Warner, Illinois State So.
C Heather Gerritse, Wichita State Jr.
1B Jen Stahlhut, Evansville Jr.
2B Christa Gammon, Missouri State Jr.
3B Michelle Graner, Creighton Sr.
SS Mackenzie Daigh, UNI- So.
OF Mallory Duran, Southern Illinois So.
OF Jhavon Hamilton, Illinois State Fr.
OF Janay Mitchell, Bradley Sr.
DP-P Amanda Clack, Bradley Sr.
DP-U Eranne Daugharthy, UNI Jr.
C Erin Mollohan, Drake Jr.
1B Jamie Hull, Wichita State Jr.
SS Michelle Koch, Creighton Sr.
1B Michelle Henderson, Illinois State Sr.
C Cristina Trapani, Southern Illinois Jr.

GO SYCAMORES!

Season Wrap Up

The Sycamores finished the 2010 season with a 20-31 overall mark - giving the Sycamores four seasons in the last five with at least 20 victories. The graduating senior class leaves with 81 career victories, tied for the second most of any class in the last 15 years behind the graduates from one season ago.

The 2010 team finishes in the program's all time top 10 in the following categories:
Pitching Strikeouts - 1st
Home Runs - 3rd
Walks - 4th
Runs Scored - Tied for 7th
At Bats - 7th
Doubles - Tied for 8th
RBIs - 8th
Slugging Percentage - 10th

Individually, the following single season marks were set by members of the 2010 team:
Senior Meagan McCurdy finished with the 5th most strikeouts in a season and tied for 7th most shutouts in a season.
Sophomore Bailey Wittenauer finished tied for the 3rd most RBIs in a season, tied for 4th most doubles in a season, and tied for 4th most home runs in a season.
Junior Steph Jonson tied for 4th most home runs in a season.
Sophomore Lindsey Beisser tied for 7th most home runs in a season.

In the career records department, Meagan McCurdy appears in numerous pitching categories:
2nd in Strikeouts
5th in Victories
5th in Games Started
6th in Innings Pitched
7th in Shutouts

GO SYCAMORES!

Sycamores Win Final Conference Series of Season

Finishing up the 2010 season, the Sycamores took two-of-three games from Wichita State this weekend to finish in 9th place in the MVC standings. On Saturday, ISU took game one in dramatic fashion, scoring two runs in the bottom of the 7th inning to win 3-2 before dropping game two in extra-innings by a 2-0 score. Sunday, ISU won the rubber match on Senior Day, defeating the Shockers by a 1-0 margin.

In game one, the Sycamores outhit the Shockers by a 7-4 margin, and the game was tied at 1-1 going into the top of the 7th inning. Wichita was able to get a run in the top of the 7th, but ISU responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the 7th to get the win. So. Lindsey Beisser got the pitching win for ISU and the game winning two RBI single in the bottom of the 7th. Beisser struck out 6 and allowed only 4 hits in the contest. So. Bailey Wittenauer hit her team leading 13th double of the season in the victory. In game two, ISU had multiple opportunities to score, but were unable to break through - stranding 11 runners in the 8 inning loss. Two errors in the top of the 8th inning proved costly, as the Shockers scored two unearned runs to get the victory. Both teams had seven hits in the contest. On Sunday, the three ISU seniors - Kacy Kestner, Meagan McCurdy, and Amber Paz - finished their Sycamore careers with a 1-0 victory. McCurdy threw a two hit shutout (her 5th shutout of the season) as ISU scored in the 1st inning and didn't allow the Shockers to score throughout the contest. Fr. Kim Pierce led the offense with a 2-3 day at the plate. McCurdy only allowed two infield singles on the day - with one in the 1st inning and one in the 2nd inning. The only others to reach base came on two walks and a strikeout on a wild pitch that allowed the batter to reach 1st base. With the victory, the Sycamores moved into 9th in the final standings in the MVC race.

GO SYCAMORES!

Softball Wins "Sycamore Cup"

In news that I failed to report earlier this season, the Softball team was the recipient of the "Sycamore Cup" among the athletic teams at Indiana State for the second straight season. The award was given at the Scholar-Athlete Banquet. The Sycamore Cup recognizes the team that shows the devotion to success in all aspects of life, through community service, school spirit, academic achievement and leadership on campus. Congratulations!
GO SYCAMORES!

Tournament Hopes End

After dropping three games to Missouri State in Springfield over the weekend, the Sycamores will not be able to qualify for the MVC softball tournament. This will be the first time the Sycamores have not qualified since 2005. Going into the year, ISU was one of four Valley schools that had managed to qualify for each conference tournament since 2006, but that streak will end. The other three schools - Illinois State, Missouri State, and Southern Illinois - will all keep their streak alive.
In Springfield, the Sycamores dropped both games Saturday, losing the opener 8-7 in 9 innings before dropping the second contest 5-3. In the game one loss, ISU left 13 runners on base, while the Bears only stranded six. Jr. Steph Jonson hit her 5th home run of the season in the loss, and So. Lindsey Beisser returned to action after taking a line drive directly off the head while pitching a couple of weekends ago. After the disappointing loss in game one, ISU jumped on the board with two runs in the top of the 1st of game two, but couldn't hold onto the lead in the 5-3 setback. In the final game on Sunday, So. Bailey Wittenauer connected on her first collegiate grand slam (her 5th home run of the season), but it wasn't enough in a 9-5 loss to the Bears.
With the losses and the results in other contests around the league, the Sycamores can finish no better than 9th in the final conference standings.
The Sycamores will conclude the 2010 season this weekend at home, hosting the Wichita State Shockers. On Sunday, the three seniors - Kacy Kestner, Meagan McCurdy, and Amber Paz - will be recognized.
GO SYCAMORES!

Long Overdue Update

Sorry about the delay. My avid reader has been complaining, so I guess I better update. Since my last post, here are the results for the Sycamores:

April 7 at IUPUI Won 3-1

April 7 at IUPUI Won 6-4

April 10 at Southern Illinois Lost 0-8

April 10 at Southern Illinois Lost 1-3

April 11 at Southern Illinois Lost 3-4

April 14 vs St. Louis Won 4-1

April 14 vs St. Louis Lost 2-3

April 17 vs Bradley Lost 2-5 (9 innings)

April 17 vs Bradley Lost 2-12

April 18 vs Bradley Won 3-2 (10 innings)

April 21 at Illinois State Lost 2-3

April 22 vs Eastern Illinois Won 5-4

April 24 vs Drake Won 1-0

April 24 vs Drake Lost 2-8

During that stretch of games, the Sycamores continued to come out on the wrong side of close conference games, losing in walk off fashion in the bottom of the 7th to SIU, letting a lead slip away to Bradley in the 7th and then losing in the 9th of that contest, and having a 2-0 lead disappear in a one run loss at Illinois State. They also managed to win a couple of tight games in conference play, coming from behind to beat Bradley 3-2 in 10 innings and holding on to a 1-0 victory over Drake. Soph. Lindsey Beisser was beginning to pitch very well for the Sycamores, but her season was sidetracked by a line drive off her head during the last game of the Bradley series. The Sycamores are hopeful that she will be able to play again this weekend in Springfield, MO.

ISU looks to keep its slim MVC Tournament hopes alive when they travel to take on the Bears of Missouri State in a 3 game series. ISU currently sits in 10th place in the MVC with only the top 8 teams qualifying for the conference tournament. ISU will need to win games this weekend and the final weekend at home against Wichita State, while also having some teams ahead of us in the standings lose some games.

GO SYCAMORES!

Sycamores Drop Two to League Leading Illinois State

The Sycamores dropped two close contests to league leading Illinois State on Tuesday in Terre Haute, letting a lead get away late in game one to fall 6-3 and then were edged 5-4 in the nightcap. Facing the most potent offense in the league, the Sycamore pitching staff was able to get the first nine batters out in each contest, but the Redbirds were able to adjust the second time through the line-up to get on the board in the 4th inning of each game. In game 1 - Illinois State took a 1-0 lead in the top of the 4th after their lead off batter was able to reach base on an error. She would eventually come around to score off the bat of current MVC Player of the Week Abby Olson. In the bottom of the 5th, the Sycamores would respond with Alyssa Doyle leading off the inning being hit by a pitch. Doyle advanced to 2nd with 2 outs and was driven home by a single up the middle by Amber Paz to tie the game. Fr. Kim Pierce then hit a home run to put the Sycamores ahead 3-1. The lead was short lived, however, as the Redbirds would get two more unearned runs in the top of the 6th with the help of Sycamore errors to tie the game. Then in the bottom of the 7th, the Redbirds would score three runs - all with two outs. A two out walk put the league's leading hitter - Kara Nelson - on first base. The next batter hit a high fly ball to right field that was almost caught by Pierce but ended up banging off the wall for a triple to put Illinois State ahead. Olson then hit a two run home run to right for the final 6-3 margin.
Game two started similarly to game one, with the first nine Redbirds being retired by the Sycamores. In the top of the 4th, however, Illinois State was able to explode for five runs, with the big blows coming on a three run home run by Michelle Henderson and then a solo shot by Nikki Stansell. The Sycamores would respond in the bottom of the 4th, loading the bases with one out. From there, three straight singles made the score 5-3, but ISU was unable to get any more runs across and left the bases loaded to finish the inning. So. Alyssa Marcum hit a solo home run in the bottom of the 6th to get Indiana State within one at 5-4, but the Sycamores then stranded a runner in the 6th and one in the 7th without being able to score to fall 5-4. The wins moved Illinois State to 7-0 in MVC play on the season.
Indiana State is now scheduled to play a non-conference double header in Indianapolis today against the Jaguars of IUPUI.
GO SYCAMORES!

Redbird Invasion

The Sycamores welcome the 1st place Illinois State Redbirds to Price Field for a mid week MVC doubleheader Wednesday. Illinois State comes in with an overall mark of 17-10 and a perfect 5-0 MVC record after sweeping three games from Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls last weekend. Illinois State features the reigning MVC Player of the Week in Jr. Abby Olson - her third such award this season. The Redbirds have had no offensive troubles in conference play, as they are leading the league in conference only games with an outstanding .441 team batting average, scoring just under 9 runs per MVC contest (44 runs in 5 games) while hitting 14 home runs and leading the league in on base percentage at .523. They feature five of the top eight hitters in conference only play and will provide a stiff test for the Sycamore pitching staff.

Last year, the Redbirds won both ends of a doubleheader in Normal, IL while the Sycamores won the single game in Terre Haute. The teams then met up in the 1st round of the MVC Tournament with the Sycamores winning 3-0. First game of the DH starts today at 2pm (ET).

GO SYCAMORES!

Evansville Recap

Indiana State went on the road over Easter weekend to play a conference series with the Evansville Aces. The Aces were coming off a huge mid week victory over MVC rival Southern Illinois, giving the Salukis their first conference loss of the season. ISU limped in the losers of nine straight contests after a promising start to the season.
Game 1 was a tight contest that saw ISU move ahead by a 2-1 score in the top of the 5th inning on a single by Fr. Kim Pierce followed by a double by Jr. Steph Jonson. Jonson was then sent home on a sacrifice fly by So. Lindsey Beisser to put ISU ahead 2-1. The score would remain that way until the bottom of the 6th, when Evansville would take advantage of a lead off walk. The Aces would use two outs to advance that runner to 3rd base, then a two out single tied the contest. After evening the game, Evansville had a pinch hit two run home run to go up 4-2 going into the final inning. The Sycamores wouldn't go away quietly in the 7th, as Pierce hit a solo home run with 1 out in the inning to make the score 4-3. The next three Sycamores would all reach base, loading the bases with 1 out. So. Stephanie Robinson then hit into a double play, as she lined a ball to the shortstop that was able to double up the runner on 3rd for the final out, as the Sycamores dropped their 10th straight, losing 4-3. The one run loss moved the Sycamores to 0-3 in one run games in conference play.
Game 2 saw ISU jump up early with a run in the top of the 1st to take a 1-0 lead. They were very close to getting two more runs, as they stranded runners at 2nd and 3rd as the Aces first baseman was able to knock down a line drive headed for the right field corner and then beat Robinson to first base to get the final out of the inning after scrambling for the ball. Evansville tied the game up in the bottom of the 3rd and then exploded for 5 runs in the 4th inning - all with two outs. The big blow came on a grand slam by Sr. Krista Price - her league leading 5th home run in conference play. The final score ended up 8-2 in favor of Evansville, dropping ISU to 0-7 in MVC play.
Sunday saw the Sycamores bounce back to win the final game of the series by a 4-2 score. ISU would again score early, this time off a two run home run in the top of the 1st by So. Bailey Wittenauer. The lead was short lived, however, as the Aces responded with two unearned runs in the bottom of the inning to tie the contest. The Sycamores would immediately respond, getting another run in the top of the 2nd to move in front 3-2. So. Lindsey Beisser pitched well for ISU, keeping the Aces from scoring again throughout the contest. The Sycamores would tack on another run in the 6th on a solo home run by Jr. Steph Jonson to make the final score 4-2 in favor of ISU. The win snapped an 11 game overall losing streak and a 7 game MVC losing streak.
GO SYCAMORES!

Big 10 Week

During the mid-week, the Sycamores played a pair of Big 10 foes, as they welcomed the Indiana Hoosiers to Terre Haute on Tuesday and then travelled to Champaign, IL to take on the nationally ranked Illinois Fighting Illini on Wednesday. On Tuesday, Indiana struck for two runs in the 1st inning to take an early 2-0 lead over the Sycamores. After that inning, Sycamore pitcher Meagan McCurdy only allowed two more hits over the rest of the contest, but ISU also had trouble creating many scoring opportunities. Finally, in the 7th inning, ISU was able to get a run on the board, but they stranded two runners that inning to lose the contest 2-1. It was an even match up that could have gone either way. The loss was the 8th straight for the Sycamores.
Terre Haute Trib Star Article on IU Game
Wednesday saw the Sycamores travel to take on #18 Illinois, who entered the contest with a record of 23-4 on the season and was averaging just over 7 runs per game. The Illini would strike first in the contest, getting four runs in the bottom of the 2nd inning aided by an ISU throwing error. The Sycamores would respond back in the top of the 3rd with a single run, but could not get any closer. Illinois would add a run in the 4th to win by a 5-1 margin.
Article from the Champaign News-Gazette following game
The Terre Haute Tribune-Star also ran a feature article on local Sycamore Steph Jonson during the week.
GO SYCAMORES!

UNI Recap

The Sycamores were swept in their series with Northern Iowa, losing the opener 6-3 before dropping an extra-inning contest 1-0 on Saturday. Sunday, the Panther defeated ISU by a 10-4 margin. ISU had lots of chances on Saturday, as they held the lead in Game 1 early on but some defensive let downs allowed the Panthers to eventually take the contest. In the second game, the Sycamores dominated every phase of the game but the score, as they outhit the Panther 8-4 and stranded 13 runners on base in the 9 inning contest. UNI only had one runner advance past 2nd base, the eventual game winning run in the top of the 9th that scored on a sacrifice fly. Sunday's contest was close until the Panthers exploded for four home runs in the last two innings to pull away.
GO SYCAMORES!

Sycamores to Take on Panthers

Indiana State welcomes the Northern Iowa Panthers to town this weekend for an MVC match up at Price Field. UNI comes in with an overall record of 13-11 and an MVC mark of 1-0. UNI was the pre-season pick to come in 3rd in the Missouri Valley race after finishing last season with a mark of 34-22. Offensively, the Panthers are led by Sr. Jen Larsen who is hitting at a .412 clip on the season with an on-base percentage of .518 and a slugging percentage of .588 - all putting her near the top of the league. As a team, the Panthers are hitting .272on the season, fourth best in the MVC. They are averaging just over 5 runs scored per contest - second best in the league. Their pitching has not been as strong as their offense, as opponents have hit .273 against the Panthers. UNI pitching has only struck out 84 batters on the season, which is the fewest of any team in the MVC. Jen Larsen still has an 8-2 record as a pitcher in 58 innings pitched with a 2.90 ERA for the Panthers. Melissa Tillet has thrown 50 innings and has held opponents to the lowest batting average for the UNI staff at .262.

The Sycamores have had a lot of success against UNI of late, as Indiana State went to Cedar Falls and won two of three games a year ago. In 2008, the Sycamores swept the three game series in Terre Haute as well as beating UNI in a non-conference game at the UT-Martin tournament. The entire series was rained out in 2007 in Cedar Falls, and in 2006, ISU took two of three in Terre Haute. Overall, that gives ISU an 8-2 advantage in the last 10 match ups with the Panthers.

GO SYCAMORES!

Rough Stretch

The Sycamores have had a rough week to begin conference play, as they opened up on the road at three-time defending regular season MVC champion Creighton last weekend before welcoming in-state rival Butler to Price Field during the week. In Omaha, Saturday's double header was canceled due to snow and cold temperatures, changing the three game series to a two game double header on Sunday. In the opener, Creighton used Sr. pitcher Tara Oltman - already the only three time MVC Pitcher of the Year winner in league history - to keep the Sycamores in check in a 6-0 Bluejay victory. While the score seems heavily favored toward Creighton, Indiana State left the bases loaded in both the 1st and 2nd innings, as they were unable to get a clutch hit to get on the board. In the contest, ISU stranded 12 base runners. Game two saw the Sycamores jump out to a 3-0 lead in the 1st inning off the bat of Bailey Wittenauer, as she hit a 3 run home run with one out in the 1st inning. A critical error in the bottom of the first, however, allowed Creighton to tie the game at three without getting a single hit. ISU jumped back in front in the 4th inning off a 2 run home run from Stephanie Jonson, but Creighton would scratch back with single runs in the 4th, 5th, and 6th to get the 6-5 victory. Oltman again got the win, throwing the final three innings. For the double header, she held the Sycamores scoreless for 10 innings, as ISU dropped to 0-2 in MVC play to start the season.
Creighton Website Story on the double header
Wednesday, the Butler Bulldogs came to town with a 19-4 record to play a double header. Again, ISU was able to get out to an early lead, this time off the bat of Lindsey Beisser, as she hit a 3 run home run in the bottom of the 1st to push ISU to a 3-1 lead. Butler was able to score off three ISU pitchers in the contest, winning the high scoring game by a final score of 14-7. Bulldog Erin Falkenberry hit two home runs in the game - a grand slam and a two run shot - to lead the Bulldog offense. Game two was more of a pitcher's contest, as both teams utilized their #1 pitchers. Butler was able to get three unearned runs, while the ISU offense was held scoreless by Butler's Jenny Esparza in a 3-0 loss. For the day, Esparza threw 10 scoreless innings for the Bulldogs, striking out 20 Sycamores. The losses dropped ISU to 11-10 on the season.
Terre Haute Tribune Star Article on the Butler double header
GO SYCAMORES!

Conference Opener

After 17 games, it is time for the Sycamores to open the MVC season, as they travel to Omaha to take on the three-time defending MVC regular season champion Creighton Bluejays in a three game series. The Jays were picked to win the regular season title again this year in the Pre-Season MVC Coaches Poll. The Jays feature three time MVC Pitcher of the Year Sr. Tara Oltman and returning MVC Player of the Year Renae Sinkler. Creighton is coached by Brenda's brother - Brent Vigness. The Jays come into the contest with a record of 12-9 after playing a difficult pre-conference schedule - which included games against Arizona, Arizona State, Northwestern, Oregon, Oregon State, San Diego State, Notre Dame, and Minnesota. Oltman has carried the pitching load for the Jays, as she enters the weekend with a record of 10-4 on the season. She has struck out 109 batters in 94 1/3 innings, allowing opponents to hit only .192 off of her on the season. Her ERA stands at 1.34 and she has thrown five shutouts. Offensively, the Jays have struggles as a group, only hitting .211 on the season, but Sinkler has been outstanding so far. She is hitting .403 with a slugging percentage of 1.032 and an on-base percentage of .493. Of her 25 hits on the season, 16 have been for extra bases with 11 home runs, 4 doubles, and a triple. She has driven in 29 runs for Creighton.

Last season, the Sycamores and Jays played five times, with Creighton winning three of the five contests, including a victory in the MVC Tournament Semifinals by a 5-4 score.

Games are scheduled for a Saturday doubleheader beginning at 12 noon Omaha time followed by a single game on Sunday at 12 noon Omaha time. The weather forecast is not favorable for softball, as snow was hitting the Omaha area on Friday and the high temperature for Saturday was only expected to reach the low to mid 30s. Sunday calls for more sunshine with temperatures getting into the mid 40s. LiveStats should be available through the Creighton Athletics website.

GO SYCAMORES!

Doing the Split

The Sycamores split their home opening double-header Wednesday evening with the Southeast Missouri Redhawks. SEMO took the opening contest 5-3 in extra innings, but ISU bounced back to win the second contest by a 4-2 score.

In the opener, ISU got another strong pitching performance from Sr. Meagan McCurdy, as she struck out 11 in 7 1/3 innings allowing only 2 earned runs. ISU fell behind 2-0 in the contest, with a very costly two out error in the top of the third inning allowing SEMO to get the first run on the board. After trailing 2-0 through five innings, ISU answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to tie the contest at 2-2. Neither team scored in the 7th inning, forcing the use of the International Tie Breaker rule in the 8th. This places a runner on 2nd base to start the inning. Some sloppy defense led to SEMO getting three runs across the plate in their half of the 8th, and ISU only managed to get one run in the bottom of the inning, as the game ended with the bases loaded for the Sycamores. For the contest, ISU pounded out seven hits (from seven different players) and stranded 11 runners on base.

The second game started out similar to the first, with ISU falling behind 2-0 to the Redhawks. After sitting out the last couple of weeks with an injury, Fr. Sara Evans was the starting pitcher for ISU, lasting 4 innings while giving up both runs. Evans struck out five while allowing four hits. So. Lindsey Beisser came on to pitch beginning in the 5th, and limited SEMO to only two more hits in the final three innings while striking out three. In the bottom of the 4th, the Sycamores finally got on the board, with a two out rally to score two runs and tie the game at 2-2. The big blow in the inning was a triple by So. Alyssa Doyle to knock in the two runs. ISU then added a single run in the 5th and one more in the 6th to make the final score 4-2. ISU had nine hits in the contest, led Fr. Kelly Szablewski going 2-3 and So. Alyssa Doyle going 2-4. With the split, ISU moved to 11-6 on the season.

GO SYCAMORES!

Home Opener - Happy St. Patrick's Day!

After playing 15 games away from home, ISU will open the home portion of the schedule tomorrow (Erin Go Bragh!) with a double header against Southeast Missouri State. First pitch is scheduled for 3pm (EDT) at Price Field. The Sycamores come in with a 10-5 record, but they did lose an earlier meeting with the Redhawks at the Blues City Classic in Memphis. That loss dropped ISU to 0-3 on the season, and since then they have gone 10-2. SEMO is 6-11 on the season with a double-header at home today against IUPUI on their schedule. Their season has gone in the opposite direction as ours, as they opened up 4-2 but have only gone 2-9 since that point. The Redhawks have two batters hitting over .300 on the season (Jr. Infielder Nicole Troncoso and So. Infielder Renee Kertz). Whitney Dupuis and Stefanie Barnes have split time in the circle, with Dupuis earning the earlier victory over the Sycamores.
GO SYCAMORES!

Rebel Games Recap #2

After the day off on Wednesday, the Sycamores were only able to get one of their four remaining scheduled games played due to rain at the Rebel Games. On the positive side, they defeated the Bryant Bulldogs 3-1 in the game they did play Thursday morning. So. Lindsey Beisser picked up the win for ISU - pitching a complete game. Stats for the Rebel Games have been hard to come by, as the ISU Sports Information Department was unable to attend the contests due to the conference basketball tournaments taking place last weekend and this weekend. As a result, we should have a better idea of season statistics when the team gets back this weekend. For the trip, ISU finished 5-2 to push their season record to 10-5.

Next up, the Sycamores have their home opener scheduled for Wednesday (Happy St. Patrick's Day!) with a double header against SEMO on the docket starting at 3pm. SEMO defeated ISU on the first weekend of play at the Blues City Classic by a 6-3 score. After that game, ISU ran off an 8 game winning streak.

GO SYCAMORES!

Rebel Games Preview - Part 2

After going 4-2 in the opening stretch of the Rebel Games, the Sycamores will enjoy a day off today by taking in the sights and attractions of Disney World. Thursday, ISU gets back to playing softball with games against Bryant and Wagner in the morning. The Sycamores will then finish their trip to Florida on Friday with contests against South Dakota and LaSalle.

As of today, the regular season is technically 25% complete, with the Sycamores sitting at 9-5. If they keep that pace up, 36-20 for a final record would set a new school record for wins and give the Indiana State softball program a winning record for the first time since the 1992 season.

Here is a look at the remaining teams we play in Florida:

Thursday:

Bryant (1-10): The Bulldogs are struggling in their transition to the D1 level, having only defeated Detroit Mercy so far this season. Bryant plays two games on Wednesday before taking on ISU on Thursday. Bryant has played fellow MVC member Bradley this season, dropping a close 5-4 contest and then getting run-ruled 8-0 by the Braves earlier this year in Louisiana.

Wagner (2-10): The Seahawks started off their season 0-9, but have rebounded to win two of their last three contests. Wagner plays two games on Wednesday before facing the Sycamores on Thursday morning. ISU and Wagner last played during the 2006 season in a tournament hosted by San Diego State University, with the Sycamores coming out on top 16-2. Wagner has faced MVC member Bradley this season, dropping the contest 8-1 to the Braves.

Friday:

South Dakota (2-11): The Coyotes are also in transition to the D1 level, and have played both Valpo and Northern Iowa so far this season. South Dakota opened their season with a close 4-3 set back to Valpo and were defeated 10-1 in a run-rule contest by Northern Iowa. South Dakota still plays games on Wednesday before facing the Sycamores on Friday.

LaSalle (1-1): The Explorers opened their 2010 campaign at the Rebel Games on Tuesday splitting a pair of games. They defeated Bryant 5-3 and lost to Butler 3-1. LaSalle comes from the Atlantic 10 conference, where they were picked to finish in tenth place out of 11 teams.

GO SYCAMORES!

Rebel Games Recap #1

After three days of games in Orlando, ISU has gone 4-2 at the Rebel Games. Sunday, the Sycamores started with a 5-3 victory over Youngstown State and followed that with a 1-0 victory over 2009 NCAA participant Sacred Heart. The shut-out was Sr. Pitcher Meagan McCurdy's third of the season. Monday, the Sycamores split a pair of games, winning the opener 14-0 over Detroit in a run-rule shortened contest. Fr. Kristen Felker threw a one-hitter for her third win of the season. That moved the Sycamore win streak to eight games, but it wouldn't expand beyond that. Later that day, ISU dropped a 3-1 contest to Fairfield to stop the winning streak. Tuesday morning, ISU bounced back with a 4-0 victory over 2009 NCAA participant Lehigh, with So. Lindsey Beisser throwing a two-hitter in the victory. The Sycamores couldn't keep the winning momentum in their next contest, however, falling 1-0 to Loyola-Chicago. The Sycamores are now 9-5 on the season, and they will get to experience Disney World tomorrow before getting back to action on Thursday in Orlando.
Today's Terre Haute Trib-Star included a nice feature article on Senior Pitcher Meagan McCurdy.

GO SYCAMORES!

Rebel Games Preview - Part 1

Riding a five game winning streak, the Sycamores will head to Kissimmee, FL to participate in the Rebel Games over the ISU Spring Break week. ISU is scheduled to play 10 games over six days in Florida starting this Sunday, March 7. They will take Wednesday, March 10 off to visit Disney World - as they participated in the "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" promotion, doing their service day as a team this past fall here in Indiana. The Sycamores head to the Rebel Games with a 5-3 mark on the season after finishing last weekend 4-0 at the Tiger Spring Classic hosted by Tennessee State. Here is a look at the opponents for the first three days of the Florida trip:

Sunday:

Youngstown State (0-4): The Penguins are looking for their first win of the season after dropping four contests at the Charleston Southern Tournament the weekend of Feb. 19-21. Prior to their contest with ISU, Youngstown State has a double-header scheduled at South Carolina State on March 5 on their way to the Orlando area.

Sacred Heart (2-3): The Pioneers appeared in the 2009 NCAA Tournament after winning the Northeast Conference tournament a year ago. Just getting to the tournament wasn't enough, however, as they managed to win a game in the regional tournament round as well. Jr. All Conference Pitcher Jen Russell returns after winning 19 games a season ago with an ERA of 1.84. Fr. Pitcher Nicole Sidor threw a no-hitter last weekend in an 8-0 victory over UNC-Greensboro.

Monday:

Detroit Mercy (0-0): The Titans will open their schedule on Sunday in the Rebel Games, playing Bryant and Fairfield before facing the Sycamores on Monday. ISU defeated Detroit twice in 2009, with both games taking place at the Texas A&M - Corpus Christi Invite to open the year. Detroit is under new leadership this season, as Sunny Jones is in her first season at the helm of the Titans.

Fairfield (1-3): The Stags enter the weekend with a 1-3 mark after participating in the UNC Tarheel Invitational last weekend. Their victory was over Big East member Pitt. Fairfield was the 2009 regular season champion of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, but they were unable to win the conference tournament title to secure a bid to NCAA regionals. All nine starters return from their conference champion squad of a year ago, including MAAC Pitcher of the Year Sarah Minice.

Tuesday:

Lehigh (2-2): The Mountain Hawks also participated in the 2009 NCAA Tournament after winning the Patriot League title a year ago. While in the Gainsville regional, Lehigh advanced to the regional final with wins over Florida A&M and Texas A&M before being knocked out by Florida. Five all-league performers are back for the Mountain Hawks, led by Sr. Pitcher Tiffany Curtis who threw a perfect game a season ago, and So. Infielder Julie Fernandez who led the team in hitting at .382 with 14 doubles a season ago.

Loyola-Chicago (1-4): The Ramblers head into the weekend with a mark of 1-4. They will participate in the Under Armour Classic hosted by University of South Florida before making their way up to the Orlando area. The Ramblers return 1st Team Horizon League Firstbasemen Kristen Medrud along with 2nd Team members Catcher Jenna Grimm and Pitcher Amy Solava.

GO SYCAMORES!

McCurdy Named Pitcher of the Week

Sr. Pitcher Meagan McCurdy was named the Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week on Monday by the league office. McCurdy is off to a great start so far in her senior season. She has started four games so far, throwing a complete game in each of her starts. During those four starts, she has thrown two shut-outs and allowed a single earned run. For the season, she has allowed a total of two earned runs in 31 2/3 innings pitched for an ERA of 0.44. Meagan has a save on the season, and has struck out 33 batters so far as she has gotten off to a 3-1 start to the season. This is the first time Meagan has received the award in her career at ISU.

GO SYCAMORES!

Hit Parade in the Music City

The Sycamores swept their four contests at the Tiger Spring Classic in Nashville over the weekend, outscoring their opponents by a 30-13 overall margin while taking the tournament championship. With the wins, ISU moves to 5-3 on the young season, and is currently riding a five game winning streak after dropping their opening three contests of the season. In the four games this weekend, the Sycamores hit at a .317 pace (38-120) with two home runs and eight doubles. Senior Meagan McCurdy continued her strong start to her final season in the pitching circle, going 2-0 on the weekend and picked up a save. In her four starts so far this year, she has thrown four complete games and allowed one earned run.

On Saturday, ISU opened up with in-state opponent Valpo and won 6-3. ISU jumped out early and never relinquished the lead. So. Alyssa Doyle, So. Lindsey Beisser, and Jr. Steph Jonson each had two hits, and Fr. Mackenzie Connelly hit her first career home run in the victory. While scoring six runs, the Sycamores still left nine runners stranded on base. McCurdy pitched the entire game to pick up her second win of the season, not allowing an earned run in the contest. After the Valpo game, ISU took on Alabama A&M in the late game of the day, defeating the Bulldogs by a 10-5 score. Fr. Kristen Felker got her first career win pitching for the Sycamores. ISU pounded out 12 hits in the game, with Connelly having three, Fr. Halee Myers, So. Bailey Wittenauer each also had two - with Wittenauer connecting on a two run home run in the game.

Sunday, ISU again played Valpo, this time winning 13-5 in a game shortened by the run-rule. Felker picked up her second win of the weekend, and ISU belted nine hits in the game. Doyle and So. Stephanie Robinson, each had two hits in the contest - as Fr. Alex Lucas and Wittenauer each drove in two runs in the victory. In the final contest of the weekend, ISU played the host Tennessee State Tigers, coming out on top of a tight 1-0 contest. McCurdy went the distance, striking out nine in the complete game shutout. Wittenauer was big at the plate with two doubles for ISU, the second one driving in the only run of the contest.

After the tournament, four Sycamores were named to the All Tournament Team - Meagan McCurdy, Alyssa Doyle, Bailey Wittenauer, and Steph Jonson.

The Sycamores next travel to Orlando to take part in the Rebel Games, with their first games on Sunday, March 7 vs Youngstown State and 2009 NCAA Tournament Participant Sacred Heart.

GO SYCAMORES!

Off to Music City

Indiana State continues its 2010 slate with a trip to Nashville, TN to participate in the Tiger Spring Classic hosted by Tennessee State University this weekend. The Scyamores will play four games in the two day event, taking on the Valparaiso Crusaders along with the Alabama A&M Bulldogs on Saturday, followed by a second contest with Valpo on Sunday and a match-up with the host Tennessee State Tigers on Sunday. The Sycamores come into the weekend with a 1-3 record after winning their final game against Memphis at the Blues City Classic last weekend. Here is some information on the competition this weekend:

Tennessee State (0-5): the host Tigers limp into the weekend losers of all 5 contests so far this season. Last weekend, the Tigers opened their season at the Austin Peay classic and dropped two close games to Butler (4-2 and 4-3) along with a tight contest with IUPUI (4-2). They were also run-ruled by Chattanooga (8-0) and fellow MVC member Northern Iowa (10-2). The Tigers are batting .217 on the season with a team ERA of 4.91. A member of the OVC, Tennessee State was selected to come in 9th. Jr. Pitcher Caitlin Eaton was a 1st Team OVC selection a year ago, while Sr. Infielder Bridget Metzger Jr. Utility player Brittany Webb were selected to the 2nd Team.

Valparaiso (3-1): the Crusaders come into the tournament after taking last weekend off. They opened their season at the UNI Dome Classic in Cedar Falls, IA two weeks ago, dropping their opener to MVC member Northern Iowa by a 7-2 score. They then went on to win their next three games of the tournament over South Dakota (2-1), Dayton (4-3) and then run-ruled North Dakota (9-1). Valpo is hitting .273 on the young season and has a team ERA of 2.69. After the opening weekend, Sophomore Infielder Kelsey Phalen was named the Horizon League Player of the Week and Sophomore Pitcher Shaleigh Jansen was named the Horizon League Pitcher of the Week. The Crusaders finished the 2009 season with a 25-24 overall record.

Alabama A&M (2-0): The Bulldogs are scheduled to play a double-header at Austin Peay today (2/25) before competing in the Tiger Spring Classic. Alabama A&M does have two wins over NAIA member Miles (6-5 and 7-1). The Bulldogs completed the 2009 season with a record of 12-23-1. Against Miles, two freshmen did the pitching for Alabama A&M.

It doesn't appear that Tennessee State will provide LiveStat coverage of the events, but games are scheduled as follows: Saturday - ISU takes on Valpo at 10:30am and Alabama A&M at 5:15pm (Nashville time). Sunday - ISU takes on Valpo at 9:30am and Tennessee State at 2:00pm (Nashville time).

GO SYCAMORES!

Tiger Tamers

The Sycamores ended their first weekend of play in 2010 on a high note with a 1-0 win over the host Memphis Tigers to finish 1-3 for the weekend. On Friday, the Sycamores lost a tight opening contest to Appalachian State by a 1-0 score. Senior pitcher Meagan McCurdy was solid for ISU, allowing 1 run on 4 hits while striking out 8 in 6 innings of work. ISU had a runner thrown out at the plate in the top of the 3rd of the scoreless contest, and Appalachian State managed a 2 out rally in the bottom of the 5th for their lone run.

In the second contest of the game, McNeese State defeated ISU by an 8-3 margin. Fr. Sara Evans made her first career pitching start for ISU and ran into some trouble in the first inning, as the Cowgirls put 5 runs up in the top of the 1st. Fr. Kristen Felker and So. Lindsey Beisser had nice relief outings for ISU, but there were unable to catch up with McNeese. The Sycamores pounded out 9 hits in the contest, but stranded 7 runners in the loss.

8 Freshmen or Sophomores were in the starting line-up in game 1 and 7 were in the line-up for game 2 for ISU.

Saturday, ISU opened up with a contest against SEMO, falling 6-3. Fr. Kristen Felker got her first pitching start, and ISU was able to give her a 3-0 lead after 1 inning. SEMO responded in the top of the 2nd, however, scoring 5 runs in the inning. Fr. Sara Evans came on in relief and provided a solid 5 1/3 innings of work for ISU. ISU had 7 hits in the contest and again stranded 7 runners.

In the final game of the weekend, Sr. Meagan McCurdy was again solid on the mound, this time getting the 1-0 win over Memphis. McCurdy allowed 5 hits in the complete game shut-out, and the Sycamores managed a run in the top of the 6th as So. Bailey Wittenauer drove in fellow So. Alyssa Doyle from 3rd with 2 outs. Doyle had doubled to lead off the inning. For her efforts, McCurdy was named to the Blues City Classic All Tournament Team. She is currently leading the MVC in ERA at 0.54 through her first two starts.

Offensively, Fr. Mackenzie Connelly is leading ISU (and the MVC) by hitting .556 (5-9). So. Alyssa Doyle is right behind her at .545 (6-11) with 2 doubles.

During the trip, the Sycamores stopped by the Peabody Hotel to watch the ducks make their daily trip down the red carpet and into the fountain. At the same time that ISU was in the lobby, Dwayne Wade and the rest of the Miami Heat were strolling through on their way to the bus to head over to the FedEx Forum to take on the Memphis Grizzlies - much to the excitement of the team. After the Peabody, it was across the street to Rendezvous for some great dining.

You can watch an archived video of the Indiana State - Memphis game for free through the Memphis web site.

GO SYCAMORES!

Walking in Memphis

The season is ready to begin - as the Sycamores travel to the MidSouth to participate in the Blues City Classic hosted by the University of Memphis this weekend. Here is a quick look at the opponents:

Appalachian State (0-0) opens their season Friday morning with the Sycamores. ASU is coming off a 26-29 season in 2009. The Mountaineers were picked to come in fourth in the Southern Conference this season, and Jr. Katie Boyd was selected as the pre-season player of the year in the league, coming off a season in which she hit 17 home runs and drove in 45 RBIs while being walked 64 times.

McNeese State (1-4) opened up their season last weekend in Hawaii, defeating the host Rainbow Wahine in the opener 2-1 before losing their next four contests - two to Texas A&M - Corpus Christi, one to Stanford, and one to Hawaii. The Cowgirls are scheduled to play a DH with Houston Baptist on Wednesday before travelling to Memphis. The Cowgirls were picked to finish 5th in the Southland Conference.

SEMO (2-1) arrives in Memphis losing their last game by a 9-6 score to UL-Monroe. That loss snapped a 17 game regular season winning streak for the Redhawks. SEMO finished the 2009 season with a 29-21 overall record and were picked to finish 3rd in this season's OVC race. Four returning players were named to the 2nd Team All-Conference squad a year ago for SEMO. The Sycamores and SEMO will also meet later in the year in a DH at Price Field in Terre Haute.

Memphis (1-1) is coming off a home split with MVC member Wichita State last weekend. The Tigers won the opener in convincing fashion 11-2, belting four home runs off of the Shocker pitching staff. Wichita bounced back in the 2nd contest to win 4-1 after getting three runs in the top of the 7th inning. The Tigers finished the 2009 campaign with a 22-30 mark.

If you are traveling to Memphis for the weekend - take advantage of the great food. Memphis is known for it's barbecue - and it has some of the finest in the world. Pork barbecue is what you will get in Memphis, and if you want ribs - there is no place quite like the Rendezvous across the street from the Peabody Hotel (and in an alley) in downtown. If you want pulled pork - then head out east to Corky's for the best sandwich you may ever eat. If you aren't in it for the barbecue, then head to Huey's for a fantastic burger (I'm partial to the Midtown location) or to Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken if you prefer - you won't be disappointed.

Other areas/attractions worth seeing in Memphis if you have the time include the National Civil Rights Museum, located at the former Lorraine Motel where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated; Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley; Sun Studio - the birthplace of Rock n' Roll; and the world famous Beale Street to hear some of the best blues on the planet.

GO SYCAMORES!

Early Results

Most of the teams in the league played this weekend - here are the current records. Evansville and Indiana State did not play:

1. Northern Iowa 4-1 : Panthers stayed at home and defeated Dayton, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Valpo while losing to Green Bay.
T2. Bradley 3-2: Braves were in Lafayette, LA and defeated Bryant twice and Syracuse while losing to UL-Lafayette twice.
T2. Southern Illinois 3-2: Salukis were in Miami and defeated North Florida, Providence, and UMass while falling to Illinois-Chicago and Florida International.
T4. Creighton 3-3: at the Kajikawa, Bluejays dropped their first three games to San Diego State, Notre Dame, and Oregon. After that, the Jays won three in a row, defeating Wisconsin, Oregon State, and Northwestern.
T4. Illinois State 2-2: Redbirds dropped their first two games to Long Island and South Florida and then won their last two over Canisius and Florida Gulf Coast.
T4. Wichita State 1-1: Shockers split a double-header with the Memphis Tigers.
7. Drake 2-3: Bulldogs defeated Minnesota and Arkansas while falling to Iowa twice and Iowa State once at the Metrodome Classic.
8. Missouri State 0-3: Bears had a tough opening weekend, losing their contests with Michigan State, Marshall, and Stetson. The Bears were shut-out in two of their games.

GO SYCAMORES!

National Opening Day

Today is the first official day that the NCAA will allow D1 games to take place, and the other nine MVC teams all get started this weekend. If you want to follow, here is where each is playing:

Bradley heads to Lafayette, LA to take part in the Louisianna Classic. They will play Syracuse and Bryant on Friday; Bryant and UL-Lafayette on Saturday, and UL-Lafayette again on Sunday.

Creighton is off to Tempe, AZ to participate in the difficult Kajikawa Classic. The Bluejays get a jump on the rest of the league by playing San Diego State on Thursday; Friday they will face off with Notre Dame and Oregon; Saturday they play Wisconsin and Oregon State; Sunday they face off with Northwestern.

Drake goes to Minneapolis, MN to play in the Metrodome Classic. The Bulldogs will play Iowa State and Minnesota on Friday; Arkansas and Iowa on Saturday; and finally match-up with Iowa again on Sunday.

Evansville head to Troy, AL to play a three-game series with the Troy Trojans out of the Sunbelt League.

Illinois State goes to Clearwater, FL to participate in the Wilson-DeMarini Classic hosted by USF. The Redbirds take on East Carolina and South Florida on Friday; Florida Gulf Coast and Long Island on Saturday; and the Florida Gators on Sunday.

Missouri State is off for DeLand, FL to take part in the Stetson Lead-Off Classic. The Bears face Marshall and Stetson on Friday; Marshall and Michigan State on Saturday, and then an opponent to be determined based on records on Sunday.

Northern Iowa stays home to host the UNI Dome Classic. The Panthers will take on Dayton Friday night; North Dakota and Valparaiso on Saturday; and Wisconsin - Green Bay and South Dakota on Sunday.

Southern Illinois is off to Miami, FL to participate in the Combat Classic hosted by FIU. The Salukis see North Florida and UIC on Friday; UMass and FIU on Saturday; and Providence on Sunday.

Wichita State goes to Shreveport to participate in the Centenary College Tournament. The Shockers will play Nicholls State and Memphis on Friday; Centenary and Southern on Saturday; and Houston Baptist on Sunday.

GO SYCAMORES!

The Schedule

The 2010 softball schedule will see the Sycamores take on teams from 12 different conferences outside the Missouri Valley. ISU will play six games against four different teams that qualified for the 2009 NCAA Tournament - including a three game home stand against Bradley in April. Other teams that were a part of the 2009 NCAA field include Illinois, Lehigh, and Sacred Heart. The schedule features 22 home contests spread out over 14 different dates.

The Sycamores will open up in Memphis at the Blues City Classic on Feb. 19-20 playing games against Appalachian State (Southern Conference), McNeese State (Southland Conference), SEMO (Ohio Valley Conference), and the host Memphis Tigers (Conference USA). The following weekend sees the Sycamores head back to Tennessee to participate in the Tiger Classic in Nashville. There, the Sycamores will face off against the host Tennessee State Tigers (OVC), play Valparaiso (Horizon league) twice, and Alabama A&M (SWAC). Over Spring Break, ISU will then travel to the Orlando Area to participate in the 2010 Rebel Games. Here, the Sycamores will play 10 games over a six day period, facing off against Youngstown State (Horizon), Sacred Heart (Northeast), Detroit Mercy (Horizon), Fairfield (Metro Atlantic), Lehigh (Patriot), Loyola Chicago (Horizon), Bryant (Northeast), Wagner (Northeast), South Dakota (Independent), and LaSalle (Atlantic 10).

Following that trip, ISU will open the home schedule against the SEMO Redhawks (OVC) with a double-header on March 17. MVC play begins that weekend, with a trip to pre-season favorite Creighton in Omaha. The Sycamores will return to Terre Haute for a mid-week match-up with Butler (Horizon) before welcoming the Northern Iowa Panthers to town for a weekend series. The following week sees the Indiana Hoosiers (Big 10) visit Terre Haute for a single game on March 30 before the Sycamores travel to Champaign, IL to take on Illinois (Big 10) on March 31. ISU will then travel down to Highway 41 to play the Evansville Aces over Easter weekend. Illinois State comes to town for a conference midweek double-header on April 6, before the Sycamores travel over to Indianapolis to take on the IUPUI Jaguars (Summit). Carbondale is the next stop for ISU, as they travel to face off against Southern Illinois in a conference series. The St. Louis Billikens (Atlantic 10) then visit Price Field for a double-header on April 14. The reigning MVC Tournament Champion Bradley Braves will then be in town for a conference series. The next midweek sees a single game in Normal at Illinois State before the Eastern Illinois Panthers (OVC) come to Price Field for a contest. That weekend, the Drake Bulldogs travel to Terre Haute for a conference series. The next weekend, ISU heads to Springfield to face the Missouri State Bears in the next to last MVC series before welcoming the Wichita State Shockers to town the final weekend of conference play - May 8-9. Drake University will then host the 2010 MVC Championships in Des Moines from May 13-15.

The non-conference schedule is probably the least challenging since we've been in Terre Haute, but this is also the youngest Sycamore squad in that time. The Sycamores could have some early success in their pre-conference schedule which should build some confidence for the conference grind. Amazingly, it is only days away!

GO SYCAMORES!

Back for More

Along with the eight new freshmen, the 2010 Sycamores return 10 letter-winners from a season ago, including five that are only sophomores. While young, ISU does have a good amount of experience in the group. Here is some brief information on each of the returning players:

Sophomores:

• Lindsey Beisser: In an injury plagued freshman campaign, Beisser appeared in 14 games. She had a key double in a comeback win over Wichita State. She also pitched 32 2/3 innings for ISU, striking out 33 batters in that time.
• Alyssa Doyle: Doyle appeared in 27 games in 2009, making 7 starts. She had a double and scored three runs.
• Alyssa Marcum: Marcum spent much of the season as a key pinch-hitter for the Sycamores, batting .289 with 2 HRs and 10 RBIs.
• Stephanie Robinson: Robi appeared in 42 games and made 39 starts at second base for ISU, scoring 11 runs.
• Bailey Wittenauer: Wittenauer also fought injuries throughout the season, but appeared in 32 contests, finishing with 3 HRs, 3 doubles, and drove in 11 runs - including a 2 run HR against Illinois State in the first round of the conference tournament.

Juniors:

• Stephanie Jonson: Jonson became a regular starter down the stretch in the outfield for the Sycamores in 2009 - starting 28 contests mostly at the center field position. She had 4 doubles and a HR against Northern Iowa.
• Rachel McCleary: McCleary has appeared in 42 games during her career making 21 starts. She has hit 3 doubles and a home run.

Seniors:

• Kacy Kestner: Kestner became a regular starter for ISU in the 2009 season. In her career, she has made 45 starts and has a .227 average. In 2009, however, she saw the bulk of her action, and hit .260 on the season. Kestner has scored 27 runs in her time at ISU.
• Amber Paz: Paz has battled injuries throughout her ISU career, managing to make 43 starts with a .187 career average. She has scored 21 runs.
• Meagan McCurdy: McCurdy has a 23-24 career pitching record for the Sycamores, with a career ERA of 2.46. In 289 2/3 innings pitched, she has struck out 239 batters. In the first weekend of the 2009 season, McCurdy broke her non-throwing forearm, limiting her playing time early in the 2009 season.

GO SYCAMORES!

The New Crop

The Sycamores welcome eight new freshmen into the fold for the 2010 season. Some arrive with multiple accolades while others come with less fanfare. Regardless, they are all still each in their first year of college and will have to adjust to life in Division 1 softball. Based on the fall exhibition season, I would expect all of these players to have an impact on the season. Some will be called upon to start a large number of games, while others might see important duties as a pinch-hitter, pinch-runner, or defensive replacement late in a game. Here is a list of who they are, where they play, and where they are from:

• Mackenzie Connelly Utility Player Casey, IL
  
• Sara Evans Pitcher New Palestine, IN


• Kristen Felker Pitcher Defiance, MO


• Alex Lucas Catcher Kent, WA


• Halee Myers Utility Player Pendleton, IN


• Kim Pierce Outfielder South Elgin, IL


• Kellie Szablewski Infielder Johnston City, IL


• Alex Woody Catcher Bloomingdale, IN

More on the rest of the team in the next couple of days.

GO SYCAMORES!

Exceeding Expectations

The MVC coaches' pre-season poll was released earlier this week, and the Sycamores were picked to finish 9th by the coaches. Probably not where anyone would like to be, but on the other hand - a pre-season poll is actually meaningless. It still is frustrating to see the Sycamores picked 9th, particularly considering the following:

• Indiana State is one of only four MVC teams to have qualified for every conference tournament since the 2006 season - joining Illinois State, Missouri State, and Southern Illinois. Now, 2006 is somewhat strange, as the Sycamores qualified as the 6th place finisher in the regular season but were bumped by the host Creighton Bluejays who finished in 7th that season. If you count Creighton as a "qualifier" that year, the list would change.
  
• The Sycamores had the 2nd best conference record against the top 3 teams in regular season conference play last season. Only league champion Creighton did better against the best teams in the league. Creighton went 4-1 vs the other top 3 teams, while Indiana State was next at 4-5 (.444). Here is how each team actually did against the top three: 1. Creighton 4-1 .800; 2. Indiana State 4-5 .444; 3. UNI 2-3 .400; 4. Bradley 3-5 .375; T5. Drake 3-6 .333; T5. SIU 2-4 .333; T5. Illinois State 2-4 .333; 8. Wichita State 2-6 .250; 9. Missouri State 1-7 .125; 10. Evansville 1-8 .111.

Hopefully, the Sycamores will prove the coaches wrong by their play on the field during the season.

GO SYCAMORES!

Off the Field

Unless you really know where to look, it can be difficult to find information about how/what the Sycamore softball team is doing academically or in the community – so I thought I’d share some of that news.
The Sycamores finished the 2008-2009 academic year 3rd in overall team grade point average for all NCAA Division 1 softball squads. Their overall team GPA of 3.523 was behind only those of Robert Morris and Drexel (where former Sycamore Elle Fracker is an Assistant Coach, and 2009 Sycamore graduate Darcy Wood has now joined the staff). ISU was the only MVC member to make the Top 15, but the Valley was represented by six teams in the top 45 nationally.

This past fall (Fall 2009), 14 of the 18 softball players on the roster finished with a term GPA of at least 3.0 or higher, with 10 of those finishing above a 3.5. The softball team finished with a mean GPA of 3.42, which placed them 3rd among all ISU athletic teams for the semester.
On the community engagement front, the softball team continues to be involved in numerous community services opportunities throughout the Wabash Valley. During the Fall 2009 semester, the softball team was involved with: playing games with residents of a local retirement home; assisting with the set-up the Habitat for Humanity/Women’s Build structure for Christmas in the Park; distributing clothes and coats for the local Clothe-A-Child Day; helping run Halloween parties at the Wabash Valley Family YMCA and the Ryves Hall Community Center; participating in the Council on Domestic Abuse fundraiser; assisting with the set-up for the Community Alliance and Services for Young Children fundraiser and the Christmas at the Bank fundraiser for the same organization; collecting hoodies and sweatshirts at ISU basketball games for the Hoodie Drive to benefit West Terre Haute Community Center; raising money to purchase supplies for the Exotic Feline Rescue Center; donating time and money for Thanksgiving dinner at the Lighthouse Mission; leading a fundraiser and toy drive for families at the Lighthouse Mission that they “adopted” for Christmas. A busy semester.

GO SYCAMORES!