The Indiana State softball team travels to Urbana, Ill., on Wednesday, March 31, facing No. 18 Illinois at 6 p.m. (ET). The Sycamores look to snap an eight-game losing skid this week against the Illini, who are 23-4 on the year. ISU will also play in front of TV cameras for the first time this season, as the game will be broadcast live on Video.BigTenNetwork.com for a cost of $2.99. UI student broadcasters Eric Steckling and Samantha Singer will give color commentary for the contest.
On Tuesday, ISU faced in-state rival Indiana at Price Field, falling 2-1 to the Hoosiers. Stephanie Jonson paced the Sycamores offensively, going 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI to push across the team's only run.
In last weekend's three MVC games with Northern Iowa, Amber Paz hit .400 (4-for-10), highlighted by a pair of doubles, an RBI and a run scored. Jonson, Bailey Wittenauer, Stephanie Robinson, and Alyssa Doyle also totaled three hits apiece over the series stretch, while Sara Evans notched a season-high nine strikeouts against the Panthers on Saturday.
Wittenauer leads ISU at the plate, batting .333. Wittenauer has a pair of homeruns, eight doubles and 19 RBI to her credit, all of which top the Sycamores. Alyssa Doyle (.308) and Amber Paz (.311) also have four doubles each, and Doyle has two triples to her credit, as well as a team-high 10 walks drawn as the leadoff hitter. Senior pitcher Meagan McCurdy tops the pitching staff with a 5-9 record, a 1.52 earned-run average and 97 strikeouts.
Scouting the Competition: Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois is 23-4 (0-1 Big Ten) entering Wednesday's game with Indiana State, having last seen the field on March 27 in a 7-1 loss at Michigan. The Illini's last wins came on March 24 at Loyola Chicago in an 11-3 and 10-2 doubleheader.
Meredith Hackett (.427), Hope Howell (.419) and Danielle Zymkowitz (.411) boast the top batting averages on the team, while Hackett's seven homeruns and six roundtrippers by Audrey Gallien have powered the Illini to a No. 18 national ranking. Monica Perry is 11-4 in the circle with a 2.84 ERA and 76 strikeouts to her credit, while Pepper Gay is a 9-0 on the season with a 1.38 ERA.
In 2009, Illinois compiled a record of 29-17 and qualified to the NCAA Columbia Regional. Head coach Terri Sullivan is at her 11th season at the helm of the program in 2010 and has a 340-237-2 (.589) record.
McCurdy Ranks With Valley's Elite in the Circle
Senior Meagan McCurdy currently ranks third on the MVC's individual chart for earned-run average with a 1.52 ERA. She is 5-9 on the season with one save over 16 appearances, throwing 92.0 innings.
Additionally, McCurdy has 97 strikeouts this year, good for fourth in the league. She is third all-time in school history with 338 Ks over the last three-plus seasons, just ahead of Emily Germer (294) who played from 2001 to 2004. McCurdy's next target on the ISU strikeout list is Debbie Styx (1988-92), who totaled 362 over her career.
Wittenauer Rides Seven-Game Hit Streak for Sycamores
Bailey Wittenauer has come on strong at the plate for Indiana State of late, as she boasts a seven-game hit streak with at least one hit in every contest since March 21 at Creighton.
She ranks third in the Valley with eight doubles and has 19 RBI, both of which lead the team. The Lewisville, Texas, native is one of only two Sycamores with 20 or more hits, as she and fellow sophomore Alyssa Doyle top the charts with 24 apiece.
McCurdy Named MVC Pitcher of the Week
Meagan McCurdy was named MVC Pitcher of the Week for games of Feb. 23-28, the conference office announced on March 1. The senior made four appearances at the Tennessee State Tiger Classic, going 2-0 with a save in 18.2 innings of work. McCurdy averaged just one walk per game and struck out 21 batters, holding her opponents to a .211 batting average and three extra-base hits. For the weekend, she threw two complete-game victories and had a 0.38 earned-run average.
ISU's 8-0 Win Streak Ties Best of Coldren Era
Indiana State's eight straight wins from Feb. 27 to March 8 tied the longest streak of head coach Brenda Coldren's career since going on an 8-0 run midseason in 2008. In the span earlier this season, the Sycamores outscored their opponents 51-16.
Longest Win Streaks in the Coldren Era
Win Streak Year(s)
8-0 2 times: 2010, 2009
5-0 2006
4-0 5 times: 2009 (twice), 2007, 2006, 2004
3-0 6 times: 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004 (twice), 2003
Sycamores Selected for All-Tournament Honors
Four Indiana State players were selected to the Tiger Classic All-Tournament Team, as the Sycamores posted a 4-0 record. Meagan McCurdy, Alyssa Doyle, Bailey Wittenauer and Stephanie Jonson all represented ISU with the honors, the most of any squad at the tournament.
McCurdy also opened the season by being named to the Memphis Blues City Classic All-Tournament Team after going 1-1 in two appearances as a starter with a 0.54 ERA. Over 13.0 innings of work, McCurdy gave up just nine hits and struck out 12, holding her opponents to a .176 batting average.
ISU Schedule Features Four Postseason Teams
ISU's schedule for the 2010 season will serve as a challenge for the Sycamores in preparation for postseason competition in May. The slate includes games with four postseason-qualifying teams from last season -- Sacred Heart, Lehigh, Illinois and Bradley.
Lehigh was the farthest-advancing of the four squads, knocking off Texas A&M and Florida A&M before it faced top-seeded Florida in the final of the NCAA Gainesville Regional.
At the Rebel Spring Games in Orlando, Fla., the Sycamores posted a 1-0 victory against Sacred Heart and a 4-0 win over Lehigh, making ISU 2-0 over NCAA Tournament qualifiers this season. Indiana State takes on Illinois in Urbana today.
Coldren Inks Two for Class of 2010
Head coach Brenda Coldren announced in the offseason that two student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent to join Indiana State in 2010-11: Danielle Ketner and Shelby Wilson.
Ketner is a two-time All-MIC selection at North Vigo High School for Coach Jack Kirchner. A three-year varsity starter and the Patriots' third baseman, she earned all-conference honors as a sophomore and junior, as well as All-Wabash Valley standing both seasons. In her senior season, Ketner batted .394 with 14 RBI, seven doubles, three triples and a homerun. Additionally, Ketner has lettered three years in basketball.
Wilson is a utility player hailing from Whiteland, Ind., who plays as a shortstop, third baseman, catcher and outfielder. Wilson has lettered at Whiteland High School for Coach Dana Griffin, and her club squad is Team Indiana. As a sophomore, Wilson posted a .429 batting average, followed by a junior season that saw her hit .374 with six doubles. She earned All-South honors from the Indianapolis Star in 2008, and in her senior year, batted .316 with a .418 slugging percentage.
Up Next for the Sycamores...
Indiana State travels to Evansville, Ind., to face Evansville on Friday, April 2 at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. (ET). The series finale is set for Saturday, April 3 at 1 p.m.
