Katie Gaal
GoSycamores.Com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. ? After last weekend's Eastern Kentucky Tournament was cancelled, the Indiana State softball team is eager to get back on the diamond and compete against new faces. The Sycamores (3-2) will have that chance this week when they take on Eastern Illinois in a single game on Wednesday and then will face multiple teams this weekend in the GT Buzz Classic in Atlanta, Ga.
Last season, the Sycamores downed Eastern Illinois 9-1 at home on April 15. The Panthers (8-4) finished the 2008 season with a 20-26 overall record and a fourth-place finish in the Ohio Valley Conference. Despite last year's convincing victory, Indiana State is still on the short end of a 37-28 all-time series record. Eastern Illinois started this season on a seven-game winning streak but then fell into a four-game skid. The Panthers broke the losing streak by defeating North Carolina Central 11-2 in five innings this past Saturday. Live stats for Wednesday's 5:00 p.m. EST game with the Panthers are available via http://livestats.internetconsult.com/eiu/softball/.
The GT Buzz Classic is being hosted by Georgia Tech this upcoming weekend beginning on Friday and concluding on Sunday. There are 19 different teams competing in the tournament and the 2009 Buzz Classic Champion will be determined based on W/L record, run differential (maximum of eight runs per game), and runs allowed.
On Friday, March 6, Indiana State faces Mercer at 1:00 p.m. EST and then Georgia State at 6:00 p.m. EST. The Sycamores matchup with Mercer (11-6) will be the first-ever meeting between the two teams. Mercer finished last season 32-37 finished in seventh place in the Atlantic Sun Conference. The Bears returned 14 letterwinners from last year's team and lost just four. They will face Auburn in a doubleheader tomorrow afternoon before facing the Sycamores on Friday.
Georgia State (6-6) is part of the Colonial Athletic Association who went 37-18 last season and finished second in the conference. They returned 13 letterwinners from last year's team. Indiana State squared off against the Panthers twice in softball history and lost both times. Georgia State is coming off a doubleheader sweep against Georgia Southern last Wednesday.
On Saturday, Indiana State will play Howard at 11:00 a.m. EST and then Purdue at 1:00 p.m. EST. Howard is a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference team that finished last season 23-17 and 12-3 in conference for a second-place finish. The Lady Bison (3-8) will meet the Sycamores for the first time on Saturday since the inception of either program.
Purdue (7-4) is a long-time rival of Indiana State and the all-time series between the two teams is tied at 16. The Boilermakers are a Big Ten Conference member that finished the 2008 season 35-23 and 9-9 in conference for a fifth-place finish. They are currently on a three-game winning streak after defeating Austin Peay, Winthrop, and Auburn at the War Eagle Classic in Auburn, Ala.
On Sunday, the Sycamores final two games will be against Kennesaw State at 10:00 a.m. EST and Jacksonville State at 12:00 p.m. Kennesaw State (6-8) and Indiana State will also be meeting for the first time. The Owls had a successful 2008 season where they went 36-17 overall and 14-8 in the Atlantic Sun Conference for a fourth-place finish. Kennesaw State recently played Eastern Illinois on February 27 where they walked away with a tight 1-0 victory.
Jacksonville State (10-4) may be the toughest opponent that the Sycamores will face at the Buzz Classic. The Gamecocks finished last season with an outstanding 40-16 record overall and 22-4 in the Ohio Valley Conference where they finished in first place. They hold a 2-0 all-time record against the Sycamores and return 12 letterwinners from last year's team. They recently shutout James Madison (6-0) and North Dakota State (4-0) at the University of Tennessee Tournament.
The tournament website can be found at http://ramblinwreck.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/09-buzz-classic.html. Live stats will be available for certain games that have yet to be determined so please check the tournament website before the start of the games. Box scores will also be posted throughout the tournament.
