LAS VEGAS – Sycamore Softball will open the 2017 campaign with a trip out west to Las Vegas for the Sportco Kick Off Classic, hosted by UNLV this weekend (Feb. 10-12).
The Sycamores will get five games in out in Nevada, opening with Virginia Tech at 12 p.m. ET and UNLV at 2:15 p.m. ET on Friday. On Saturday, ISU will square off against 2016 NCAA Tournament team Louisville at noon and CSU Bakersfield at 4:30 p.m., before wrapping up the weekend with another tilt against Louisville at noon on Sunday.
Indiana State is coming off a rough 16-35 season in 2016 after a storybook 2015 season that ended with a magical MVC Tournament victory and the first trip to and victory in the NCAA Tournament.
In 2017, the Sycamores have an even split of seven returnees and seven newcomers. Those returnees – sophomore infielder
Shaye Barton, senior utility player
Kassie Brown, senior outfielder
Erika Crissman, senior outfielder
Rylee Holland, sophomore utility player
Bailey Martin, senior catcher
Brooke Riemenschneider and senior infielder
Mary Turitto – combined for 304 games played, 269 games started, a .337 batting average, 210 hits, 25 doubles, five triples, six home runs and 94 RBI in the 2016 season.
This weekend is the first of four non-conference tournaments the Sycamores will run through before the beginning of conference play at home vs. Illinois State on March 17. Up next will be the WKU Hilltopper Spring Fling at Western Kentucky on Feb. 24-25 with games against IUPUI, WKU, Wright State and Austin Peay. Afterward is the Red & Black Tournament at Louisville on March 3-5, where the Sycamores will square off against the Redbirds two more times in addition to Bowling Green and UW-Green Bay. The final tournament will be ISU's Spring Break trip to Tampa for the USF Tournament from March 10-15 with games against La Salle, Yale, Mount St. Mary's, Providence, Holy Cross, Cleveland State, Monmouth and Army.
Vs. Virginia Tech – Feb. 10, 12 p.m. ET
2016 Record: 29-28
Head Coach: Scott Thomas (23rd season)
Career Record: 752-504 (23rd season)
VT Record: Same
At UNLV – Feb. 10, 2:15 p.m. ET
2016 Record: 25-30
Head Coach: Lisa Dodd (5th season)
Career Record: 96-120 (5th season)
UNLV Record: Same
Vs. Louisville – Feb. 11, 12 p.m. ET | Feb. 12, 12 p.m.
2016 Record: 35-17 (NCAA Tournament)
Head Coach: Sandy Pearshall (18th season)
Career Record: 904-666 (31st season)
Louisville Record: 654-332
Vs. CSU Bakersfield – Feb. 11, 4:30 p.m. ET
2016 Record: 16-34
Head Coach: Crissy Buck-Ziegler (6th season
Career Record: 80-172-1 (6th season)
CSUB Record: Same
For the latest information on the Sycamore Softball team, make sure to check out
GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including
Facebook and
Twitter.
