Indiana State University Athletics

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State will continue its road swing on Tuesday following the Memphis Softball Tournament with a doubleheader at Southeast Missouri State. The pair of games mark the last action for the Sycamores before Missouri Valley play begins on March 17.
 
Quick Hits
• Indiana State continues its spring break week with a doubleheader at Southeast Missouri State following a tournament at Memphis.
• The 12-8 mark by the Sycamores places the team in third place in the Missouri Valley Conference by win percentage after being selected to finish 10th (last).
• The Sycamores trail the all-time series against SEMO, 10-6, but have won the last four meetings.
• Tuesday's meeting marks the first time the two teams have met on the diamond since 2015.
• This week's games marks the first non-tournament action for the Trees this year.
• The games at Southeast Missouri State mark the last action for the Sycamores before conference play begins on Saturday.
• A young team this year, Indiana State only has four upperclassmen (juniors and seniors) on its 18-member roster.
 
Series History
Tuesday's action marks the first games between the two schools since 2015. Southeast Missouri has a 10-6 lead in the overall series but the Sycamores have won the last four meetings, including a 9-5 (8 inning) victory in the last meeting. SEMO leads the series, 5-3, in games played in Cape Girardeau.
 
Trees Turn Two
Indiana State's defense has been seemingly on point with runners on base this year. The Sycamores enter this week's action ranked 35th in the nation and third in The Valley with an average of 0.47 double plays turned per game
 
Kruzel Bringing the Heat
Indiana State freshman Abbey Kruzel is seemingly on fire in the circle to start her collegiate career. She is already among the Missouri Valley Conference and national leaders in ERA and walks allowed per seven innings.
 
Abbey Kruzel

Category	National	MVC	Stat
ERA	75	4	1.40
BB/7 inn.	62	1	1.17

 
Gibbs Brings Power to the Plate
Indiana State outfielder Rebecca Gibbs has seemingly found her niche spot in the Sycamore outfield. After transferring from UIndy where she played sparingly, Gibbs has personally stepped up as one of the most powerful hitters in the Missouri Valley Conference early on this year. Heading into this weekend's play, Gibbs is ranked in the top five in The Valley in three separate power hitting categories - RBIs, slugging percentage and home runs.
 

Category	Nat'l	Rank	Stat
RBIs/g	75	2	1.00
Slugging Pct.	273	7	.595
Home Runs	-	T-8	3

 
Could This Be A First?
In Indiana State's 14-1 (5 inning) win over Tennessee State on Feb. 18, Rebecca Gibbs may have registered a first for Indiana State's program. During the Sycamores' powerful 12-run fifth inning, Gibbs both smashed a home run and laid down a sacrifice bunt. Multiple hits in the same inning aren't necessarily uncommon but Gibbs showcased her ability at the plate playing both small ball and power hitting.
 
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, Twitter and Instagram.