TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Indiana State baseball is set to host Xavier in a three-game series this weekend at Bob Warn Field as the start of an eight-game homestand for the Sycamores. The two teams have agreed to a Friday doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. with game two starting approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the opener in anticipation of inclement weather in the area Saturday. The finale is scheduled to be played Sunday at 1 p.m. and will air live on The Valley On ESPN3.
Luke Martin and
Brian Fritz will have the call on the Sycamore Radio Network via GoSycamores.com/Watch all weekend.
PROMOTIONS
The first 100 fans to each game of Friday's doubleheader will receive a complimentary chicken sandwich or nuggets courtesy of Chick-Fil-A.
WEEKEND ROTATION
Tyler Ward (RHP, 3-1, 4.78)
Friday Damien Richard (RHP, 0-3, 3.33)
Triston Polley (LHP, 4-1, 2.16)
Friday Matt Kent (RHP, 1-0, 7.71 ERA)
Tristan Weaver (LHP, 2-1, 7.59)
Sunday Allbry Major (RHP, 1-1, 3.50 ERA)
KEEPING IT ROLLING
Indiana State is in the midst of a seven-game winning streak that includes victories over Austin Peay, Western Illinois, a three-game sweep of The Citadel and a midweek win at Eastern Illinois. Over that period the Sycamores have outscored opponents 50-23 and are hitting .309. The squad has also recorded 24 extra-base hits, including 16 doubles. Leadoff man
Jarrod Watkins has six of the 15 doubles during the streak. The winning streak is tied for the fourth-longest in the nation behind St. Louis (11), South Florida (9) and VCU (9).
ALL-TIME VS XAVIER
The two programs first met in 1985 with the last meeting in 2009. Indiana State leads the all-time series 18-6. The Sycamores have won six-straight meetings from 2000 to 2006 but have lost the last two matchups in the series.
THE GUY CAN DEAL
Indiana State's
Triston Polley has been the most dominant arm in the Sycamore rotation so far this year. In five starts, the Avon, Indiana product holds a 4-1 record to go along with a 2.16 ERA. Polley has pitched 33.1 innings and struck out 26 batters while holding opponents to a .186 average against. He allowed a season-low two hits Saturday at The Citadel in a 7-3 Sycamore win. On the year, the southpaw has allowed only eight earned runs and one or fewer earned runs in three starts.
FOUR OVER .300
Indiana State has four batters going over the .300 mark led by
Jarrod Watkins who is batting .375 with a .514 slugging percentage.
Luke Fegen is hitting .388 in 11 starts to go along with 12 runs scored and nine RBIs. Redshirt senior
Dane Giesler sits at a .333 average, three home runs and a .583 slugging percentage. Right-fielder
Roberto Enriquez is third on the team in RBIs with 12 and third in hitting with a .310 average.
MOVING UP THE LIST
Head coach
Mitch Hannahs moved into third all-time in career wins at Indiana State with a pair of victories over Western Illinois, passing Rick Heller. Hannahs sits at 136 wins in five seasons at the helm of the program.
Rank Coach Wins
1 Bob Warn 1,070
2 Paul Wolf 140
3
Mitch Hannahs 136
4 Rick Heller 131
5 Jim Rendel 129
FAST STARTS
Indiana State has been dominant to open games this season, outscoring the opposition 18-5. The Sycamores have outscored opponents in all but one inning this season including a 25-8 advantage in the ninth.
WEAR IT
Roberto Enriquez ranks third in the nation in hit-by-pitches per game with a 0.59 average. On the season, Enriquez has been hit 10 times. Fellow teammate
Romero Harris has been beaned six times.
WORK HORSE
Senior
Ethan Larrison has seen action in eight games this season out of the bullpen, totaling 21.1 innings. Larrison enters the weekend with six saves this season. In total, Larrison holds a 1.27 ERA, 19 strikeouts and a 1-0 record after picking up the win at Belmont earlier this season.
SAME OLD TYLER WARD
Junior
Tyler Ward has picked up where he left off a year ago in regards to strikeouts to walks. The right-hander was one of the top strikeouts to walk pitchers in the nation in 2017. This season Ward has 24 strikeouts and has allowed just four walks (6.00) good for third in the MVC.
BACK AFTER A CAREER DAY IN VEGAS
Chris Ayers has been cleared to return to action following an injury in the season opener. Ayers opened the 2018 season tying a career high with three base hits against UNLV. It marked the third time in his career that he had recorded three hits with the last time coming in 2017 at Utah Valley when he did it twice during a doubleheader.
PRESEASON ALL-MVC
Redshirt senior
Dane Giesler was tabbed Preseason All-MVC following a breakout season a year ago. The Jasper, Indiana native led the way for the Trees in several offensive categories. He finished with a team high 17 home runs which was fourth-best in the conference and second all-time in school history for single-season homers. Giesler was also fifth in the league with a .593 slugging percentage and seventh in RBIs with 49.
More...
For the latest information on the Sycamore Baseball team, be sure to visit
GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media on
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Instagram.
