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!