Games 38 & 40► Indiana State (24-13) vs. Oakland City (10-20)

Game 39 ► Indiana State (24-13) vs. Southern Indiana (32-11)

Friday, April 24

Opponent:       Oakland City

Location:         Terre Haute, Ind.

Stadium:          Sycamore Field (1,500)

Game Time:    6 p.m. EST

Saturday, April 25

Opponent:       Southern Indiana

Location:         Evansville, Ind.

Stadium:          Bosse Field (5,000)

Game Time:    8 p.m. EST

Sunday, April 26

Opponent:       Oakland City

Location:         Evansville, Ind

Stadium:          USI Field (500)

Game Time:    1 p.m. EST

Setting The Scene

            Coming of its third-straight sweep over a Missouri Valley Conference opponent, Indiana State (24-13, 10-3 MVC) will take a break from its conference schedule and play a couple of in-state foes in Oakland City (10-20) and Southern Indiana (32-11) over the weekend.

            ISU will kick off the weekend on Friday at home at 6 p.m. EST against Oakland City, before heading to Evansville, Ind., to take on USI at historic Bosse Field on Saturday night at 8 p.m. EST.  The weekend will wrap up on Sunday with another game against Oakland City, this time at USI Field at 1 p.m. EST in Evansville, Ind.

            ISU is coming off a strong 7-4 win over Indiana on Wednesday at Sembower Field in Bloomington, Ind.  With the win, the Sycamores swept the regular season series with their in-state rivals and improved to 4-0 over teams from the state of Indiana this season.  Ryan Strausborger and Brady Shoemaker each hit home runs for ISU in the win and helped Michael Manus (2-1) pick up the win, after he allowed just two runs on four hits while striking out eight in five strong innings of work on the mound.

            Prior to sweeping the Hoosiers, the Sycamores picked up their third consecutive sweep over a Valley opponent with a 3-0 sweep of Southern Illinois last weekend at Sycamore Field.  ISU held on for a 5-4 victory in Friday's series opener, before playing a Saturday doubleheader due to unfavorable weather conditions forecasted for Sunday.  The Sycamores dominated the Salukis in game one by a score of 10-5 and had to come from behind in game two with a grand slam off the bat of Bronco Lafrenz in the eighth inning to win 5-3 and complete the sweep.

            Eric Valdez (3-2) was the catalyst on the mound in Friday's, as he allowed just three earned runs on six hits while striking out six Salukis in 8.1 innings on the mound. Brady Shoemaker led the offensive attack, as hefinished the game 4-for-4 with a run scored and a RBI for the Sycamores.

            In game one of Saturday's, Jake Petricka (5-1) controlled the game from the mound and gave up five runs (only three earned) on 10 hits while striking out four batters in eight full innings of work.  At the plate, Nick Ciolli finished the game 2-for-4 with three RBI, while Luke Fieser went 3-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored in the win for ISU.

            Then, in the final game of the series, starter Joe Rodriguez allowed just three runs on seven hits while striking out six in 6.1 innings of work but reliever Matt Shelton (4-1) picked up the win in two scoreless innings of relief. Lafrenz finished the game 2-for-4 with two runs scored, the grand slam and four RBI to lead the way for ISU, while Shoemaker added two hits and a run scored in the win.

About The Coaches

Lindsay Meggs (UCLA ?93) begins his third season as the Sycamore skipper (68-71) in 2009.  In his first season, Meggs coached the Sycamores to a 26-26 mark overall and a 7-17 record in the Missouri Valley Conference. Last year, the Sycamores were 18-32 overall and 9-15 in the Valley playing one of the toughest schedules in the country.  Meggs took the reigns of the Sycamore baseball program in 2006, coming to ISU after spending 13 seasons as head coach at California State-Chico.  While there, he guided the Wildcats to two NCAA Division II National Championships and compiled an overall record of 538-228-4.

T-Ray Fletcher (Oakland City ?95) is in his 15th season at the helm of the Mighty Oaks baseball program. During his tenure at OCU he has compiled a 286 victories, making Fletcher the winningest baseball coach in Oakland City history.  During the previous fourteen seasons, Fletcher has led the Mighty Oaks to nine NCCAA National Tournament appearances (1996, 4th place, 1997 8th, 1999 5th, 2000 5th, 2001 5th, 2002 4th, 2004 6th, and 2005 2nd, 2008 8th). The Oaks have also captured eight Mid-east Regional Championships (1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, and 2008.)

Tracy Archuleta (Metropolitan State College of Denver ?97) is in his third season as the head coach at USI (111-54). Last season, Archuleta led the Eagles to their first GLVC West Division and conference regular season title in 15 years.  USI finished the year with 36 victories during the regular schedule, tying for third all-time in the history of the program.  The Eagles also were ranked as high as sixth nationally in 2008.  In 2007, the Eagles made their first appearance in the final four of the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship and won their first ever NCAA Division II North Central Regional championship with 43 wins on the year.

Hoosier State Supremacy

With a win on Wednesday at Sembower Field against in-state rival Indiana, the Sycamores improved to 4-0 against teams from the Hoosier State this season.  Indiana State previously defeated Indiana by a score of 11-2 on March 3 at home and also defeated Division I foes Butler (23-3) and Ball State (14-6).  However, it would be premature to give the Sycamores the state title at this point in the season as they still have three games this weekend against Oakland City and Southern Indiana and a big Missouri Valley Conference series at home against Evansville May 8-10.

Call Him Mr. Consistent

A consistent approach at the plate this season for Luke Fieser has turned him into one of the best hitters on the Sycamores roster and in the Missouri Valley Conference.  The ISU third baseman leads the team and the The Valley with a .402 average (49-for-122) in 36 starts, thanks in part to a couple of long hitting streaks.  The Woodinville, Wash., native posted a 12-game hitting streak earlier in the season and currently has another 12-game streak going.  Overall, Fieser has hit safely in 28 of his last 30 games for the Sycamores and has collected 14 multi-hit games.

Make It Nine In A Row

With a 5-3 come-from-behind victory in the eighth inning over Southern Illinois on Sunday at Sycamore Field, Indiana State secured its third straight series sweep over a Missouri Valley Conference opponent for the first time since the league went to the three-game series format prior to the 2005 season.  ISU's nine consecutive wins in conference play is its longest streak since 1985, when the Sycamores won 12 straight games in Valley play and finished the season 57-22 overall.

Let's Play Two

Most teams dread the idea of playing a doubleheader, but Indiana State has come to love double dips this season as the Sycamores are 8-0 in doubleheader action this season.  ISU started early in the year with a two wins on Saturday in its season-opening series at the Citadel (February 21) and has since posted a 6-0 record in doubleheader action in league play with wins against Northern Iowa (April 4), Bradley (April 11) and Southern Illinois (April 18) in consecutive weekends.  In addition, if you figure in ISU's wins over Mount St. Mary's and St. Bonaventure on February 28 at the Palm Beach Classic, ISU is 10-0 when playing two games in a day this season.

What A Weekend For Shoemaker

Senior outfielder Brady Shoemaker paced the Indiana State attack in the middle of the lineup, hitting .444 (8-for-18) with five runs scored, three doubles, three walks, a home run and two RBI for the Sycamores in five games last week.  The Brazil, Ind., native was particularly dangerous in ISU's weekend sweep over SIU, as he hit .727 (8-for-11) and posted a slugging percentage of 1.273 against the Salukis.  Shoemaker was 4-for-4 with a double and a home run in game one and followed that with a 2-for-3 effort and three runs scored in game two.  He finished the series with a 2-for-4 effort and run scored in the final game to improve his season batting average to .389 in 36 games for the Sycamores.

A Dramatic Win Keeps The Streak Alive

Heading into Saturday's doubleheader against Southern Illinois at Sycamore Field, ISU had won seven straight games in Valley play and had swept its last two conference opponents.  After a 10-5 win in game one, that streak went to eight games but the streak was in serious jeopardy in game two as the Sycamores trailed 3-1 in the eighth inning.  However, ISU loaded the bases against SIU reliever Nathan Forer for senior catcher Bronco Lafrenz, who launched a ball over the left field wall for his first grand slam of the season and his team-leading seventh home run of the year to give ISU a 5-3 advantage and an eventual sweep over the Salukis.

Petricka Shuts Down The Braves

Sophomore Jake Petricka was stellar on the mound in game two of Saturday's doubleheader against Bradley.  The right hander from Fariboult, Minn., picked up his fourth win of the season by giving up just one run on three hits while striking out three in eight innings of work against the Braves.  The win was Petricka's second in a row in Valley play, tied him for the team lead in wins and helped the Sycamores to their second-straight series sweep over a Valley opponent.

J-Rod Picks Up Third Straight Valley Win

ISU starter Joe Rodriguez struggled in the first two innings and gave up four earned runs to Bradley in the series finale between the two squads.  However, the left-hander regained his composure and allowed just three hits over the next five-plus innings to pick up his fourth win on the season.  In all, Rodriguez pitched 7.1 innings and gave up four runs on seven hits while striking out four to move to 3-0 in three starts in Valley play.

Scoring Runs At Will

With 287 runs scored this season (7.8 runs per game), the Sycamores have had no problems scoring runs in 2009.  ISU has scored 10 or more runs 12 times during the season, including a 23-3 victory against in-state foe Butler at Sycamore Field and a 12 win over Bradley last Sunday in the series finale against the Braves.   Last season, the Sycamores averaged 6.9 runs per contest on way to an 18-32 overall record.

Handling The Bat With Ease

Junior second baseman Ryan Strausborger set the table for the Sycamores at the top of the lineup against Northern Iowa, as the ISU leadoff man hit .571 (8-for-14) with a triple and five runs scored in a three-game sweep over the Panthers.  The Osceola, Ind., native also added a walk and accounted for 10 total bases while finished 3-for-3 in stolen base attempts.  Most of that damage was done in Saturday's doubleheader sweep over the Panthers, when he finished 6-for-10 with four runs scored and three stolen bases.

Get Out Your Brooms

Weekend sweeps on the road in Missouri Valley Conference play are hard to come by for any team and before the team's weekend sweep at UNI, it had been a while since the Sycamores achieved that feat.  The last time ISU picked up a conference road sweep was in 2005, when the Sycamores picked up three wins at Missouri State from April 22-24.  The sweep for ISU was its first since last season, when the team won its last three games of the year in a weekend sweep over Illinois State.  With sweep over Bradley and Southern Illinois at home, the Sycamores have now extended their streak to three-straight series sweeps.

What Can't He Do?

Senior Brady Shoemaker continues to be a threat in the middle of the lineup for the Sycamores, as he hit .455 (5-for-11) with a double, triple, home run and four RBI in a weekend sweep over at UNI.  Shoemaker also scored seven runs, was walked five times, stole two bases and accounted for 11 total bases on way to a .625 on-base percentage against the Panthers.

Strong Arming The Competition

The Sycamores have been getting the job done at the plate all season with their .311 team batting average.  However, it was a trio of strong pitching performances at UNI that made the difference for the Sycamores.  All three Sycamore starters earned wins against the Panthers and the ISU pitching staff allowed just eight runs in the three-game weekend sweep.  Junior Eric Valdez kicked off the series with a 12-strikeout performance in Friday's 9-3 victory, while sophomore Jake Petricka allowed just two runs in game a 13-4 win in game one on Saturday.  Junior Joe Rodriguez guaranteed the weekend sweep with a dominating 1-run effort in 8.1 innings in game two on Saturday to secure the team's first road sweep since 2005..

Multi-Homer Game For Shoemaker

The wind was blowing out at Sycamore Field, but Brady Shoemaker's two home runs hit would have cleared the fences no matter how much wind there was against Ball State.  The senior slugger from Brazil, Ind., hit two home runs against the Cardinals and finished the game with four RBI to lead the way for the Sycamores.  It was Shoemaker's second multi-home run game in his two-year career at ISU, with the other coming against Illinois State on May 17 at Sycamore Field when he launched three home runs and accounted for 10 RBI against the Redbirds in the season finale.

The Launching Pad

Sycamore Field turned into a launching pad, as the Sycamores hit a season-high four home runs against Ball State.  Senior Brady Shoemaker led the way with two home runs and four RBI against the Cardinals, while senior Brian Jett hit his team-leading fifth long ball of the season as well.  Junior Tyler Graham also got into the act, as he hit the first home run of his career in an Indiana State uniform to cap off the power display in the victory for the Sycamores. 

Rodriguez Becomes The Stopper

ISU starter Joe Rodriguez stepped up when his team needed him the most and picked up a win on Sunday against Creighton to help the Sycamores avoid a series sweep.  The Middletown, N.Y., native allowed just three earned runs and scattered nine hits in seven inning of work to pick up his second win of the season for the Sycamores and earn a win for his team in the series finale.  

Lafrenz Goes Deep ... Again

Coming off a week where he hit three home runs and drove in seven runs on way to being named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week, catcher Bronco Lafrenz picked up right where he left off in last Friday's Valley season opener against the Creighton Bluejays.  With the Sycamores trailing by three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, Lafrenz came up with two runners on base and hit a long fly ball to right field that continued to carry in the wind over wall for a three-run home run.  It was Lafrenz's team-leading fifth of the season and his fifth in six games.

Is That Score Right?

One look at the scoreboard at Sycamore Field in the team's win over Butler and one might wonder if their eyes were playing tricks on them.  One look would show a 12 put on the board in the bottom of the first inning and by the end of the game the score read 23-3.  The 12 runs in the first inning, the 23 runs on the day and the 24 hits were all game highs for ISU this season. However, the 23 runs surrendered to the Sycamores were not a season high for Butler, as the Bulldogs had previously given up 24 runs to UNLV earlier in the year.

Make It A Dozen

The Sycamores have been scoring nearly nine runs a game during the season but they eclipsed that mark against Butler in just the first inning.  ISU exploded for 12 runs on 10 hits in the bottom of the first against the Bulldogs to put the game out of reach early.  Brady Shoemaker, Tyler Graham, and Luke Fieser all picked up RBI singles to start the inning before Pascual Del Real struck the big blow with a three-run triple to make the score 6-0 at the time.  Joe Meggs then picked up a RBI on a single up the middle that scored Del Real from third and Shoemaker later tacked on two more RBI with another single to make the score 11-0.  Fieser capped off the hitting barrage with a RBI single to left field with two outs in the inning.

Everybody Chips In

Every member of the ISU starting lineup chipped in with at least one hit in the team's 23-3 rout over Butler.  Third baseman Luke Fieser led the way with four hits, while Joe Meggs, Ryan Strausborger and Brady Shoemaker each added three hits each for the Sycamores.  The feat was in jeopardy until the eighth inning as Brian Jett headed into his at bat 0-for-5 to that point.  However, Jett launched a two-run home run over the right field wall to pick up his first hit of the game and his fourth home run of the season.

Lucky 13 For Valdez

Junior starter Eric Valdez dominated St. Bonaventure at the Palm Beach Classic on way to picking up his first win in a Sycamore uniform.  The right-hander from Kearny, N.J., threw seven innings and gave up just one walk and three hits while striking out 13 St. Bonaventure hitters.  He also induced six ground ball outs in the win for the Sycamores as he helped them improve to 7-1 on the season at the time.