TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State will wrap up its season series with Loyola with a key Missouri Valley Conference midweek matchup at Price Field on Wednesday evening at 4 p.m. ET. Fans can watch live on
The Valley on ESPN3.
LAST TIME OUT
The Sycamores are coming off a crucial series win at Evansville, which was nearly a series sweep if not for some late-game heroics by the Purple Aces. Starting pitcher
Kenzie Ihle was the hero for ISU, striking out 12 in a 1-0 victory in Game One (most punchouts by ISU pitcher since 2012) and taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning in Game Two.
SCOUTING THE RAMBLERS
Loyola took the first two games of the series in Chicago on April 19, emerging victorious in two close wins at 5-3 and 3-0. The Sycamores put together eight hits and even started a rally in the later points of Game One, but were unable to overcome a four-run first inning by the Ramblers. In the second game, LU's Keenan Dolezal threw a three-hit gem -- including taking a one-hitter into the seventh inning.
SERIES HISTORY
The all-time series against the Ramblers is currently knotted up at 9-9 after Loyola swept ISU in Chicago on April 19.
DOMINANT IHLE
Junior
Kenzie Ihle had a superb weekend series against Evansville, blanking the Purple Aces 1-0 in the series opener and nearly throwing a no-hitter in a Game Three loss on Sunday. In Game One, Ihle was dominant with a 12-strikeout performance – a career-high at ISU and the most by a Sycamore pitcher since March 7, 2012 (Lindsey Beisser, 12, vs. Sacred Heart). In that first game, Ihle yielded just four hits and only allowed one baserunner to reach third base all day (with two outs in the bottom of the seventh) and had four innings with multiple punchouts (including two innings where she struck out the side). In the series finale, Ihle was literally unhittable for five complete innings, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning in a similarly dominating performance. The Purple Aces ended up rallying in the sixth, but Ihle still struck out eight – pushing her weekend total to 20 strikeouts. In 12.2 innings pitched against Evansville, she allowed just six hits (including only two in the finale). With 14 wins this season, she ranks tied for sixth on the single-season all-time list at Indiana State. Her 110 punchouts this season also ranks fourth overall in the conference, and her 59 in in MVC play ranks second.
Ihle was one of the best JUCO pitchers in the nation at Des Moines Area Community College the last two seasons, leading the NJCAA in strikeouts per game (10.1) in 2016 and setting a new DMACC school record for wins with a 31-3 record in two seasons.
FLASHING THE LEATHER
The Sycamore defense has been consistently solid this season behind starters
Kenzie Ihle and
Kylie Stober, and recently they've been flawless. ISU is currently on a streak of 22.2 consecutive innings without committing an error – the second such streak of at least 20 innings this season as the Sycamores also went 28.0 innings without one across three games at Drake and six innings without one at IUPUI earlier this month. Indiana State currently ranks fourth in the Valley in fielding percentage at .963, and still lead the Valley (and rank 12th nationally) in double plays turned with 23. In MVC play, the Sycamores rank third with a .973 fielding clip. Senior shortstop and Preseason All-MVC honoree
Kassie Brown is a big part of that, ranking tied for seventh overall in MVC play with 93 assists.
SIMS ON PACE
Freshman
Leslie Sims has been one of the top hitters in the Valley for quite some time this season, remaining as one of just four left in the Valley to be batting over .400 at her current average of .404. If she can stay above the .400 mark by season's end, she will be the first .400 hitter at Indiana State since 2009 when both Katie Armour (.424) and Meredith Simpson (.405) did so. Sims would also be the fourth-ever to do so when including Lea Twigg's 1994 average of .402.
Sims is primarily a speed demon on the base paths, using her legs for bunt singles and 19 stolen bases on the season -- third-most in the Valley this year. Sims also owns an inside-the-park grand slam vs. Wright State – one of two Sycamore inside-the-park grand slams this season. Meanwhile, her .473 on-base percentage also ranks fifth in the Valley.
GOING LONG
The Sycamores have only hit 12 home runs this season, but when they go yard it almost always means good things in the win column. Indiana State is 9-1 when hitting at least one home run as opposed to 11-24 when not hitting the long ball. On the opposite end, the Sycamores are 8-13 when allowing at least one opponent home run.
CLIMBING THE CAREER RANKS
As the season draws to a close, several Sycamores are moving up in the all-time career top-10 categories:
#13 Kassie Brown, Sr., SS
3rd, Career Sac Bunts - 44
4th, Career Runs - 96
6th, Career Stolen Bases - 36
8th, Games Started - 190
10th, Career Hits - 158
9th, Career Batting Average - .326
10th, Games Played - 196
#8 Erika Crissman, Sr., OF
2nd, Career RBI - 98
5th, Career Triples - 9
6th, Career Fielding - .988
7th, Career Runs - 85
7th, Career Hits - 172
T-7th, Career Walks - 50
T-10th, Career Stolen Bases - 33
#5 Della Gher, Fr., P
T-3rd, Career Saves - 4
#3 Rylee Holland, Sr., OF
5th, Career HBP - 19
5th, Career Runs - 89
T-5th, Career Sac Bunts - 38
#23 Brooke Riemenschneider, Sr., C
T-2nd, Career Walks - 58
8th, Career RBI - 75
T-9th, Career Home Runs - 9
CLIMBING THE SEASON RANKS
Several Sycamores have already started to climb the single-season lists as well.
#5 Della Gher, Fr., P
1st, Saves - 4
#18 Kenzie Ihle, Jr., P
T-6th, Wins - 14
#12 Brooke Mann, So., C
T-8th, Home Runs - 6
T-6th, RBI - 31
#20 Leslie Sims, Fr., 2B
3rd, Batting Average - .404
5th, On-Base - .473
8th, Stolen Bases - 17
#17 Mary Turitto, Sr., 1B
T-4th, Double Plays - 14
DOUBLE THE PLEASURE, DOUBLE THE FUN
The Sycamore defense knows how to turn a double play with 23 on the season, 17th-most in the NCAA this season. ISU had five in one weekend alone against Drake, including two games with two double-plays. Indiana State went the entire weekend without committing an error, a streak that eventually reached 28.0 innings before committing one late against IUPUI. At 23, the Sycamores are just one away from tying the school record of 24 set in 2015.
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.
