Blaine Kinsey

GoSycamores.com

After a full week of non-conference play the Indiana State softball team (14-20, 3-8 MVC) will resume Missouri Valley Conference play this weekend when they host the Salukis of Southern Illinois in a three-game series. The Sycamores will kick off the series with a double header beginning on Saturday at 12 p.m. with the second game beginning at approximately 2 p.m. The finale of the series will then take place Sunday with a 12 p.m. start time. The Sycamores enter the weekend in seventh place in the MVC standings while the Salukis enter the weekend's games sitting in third place. Following this weekend's games the Sycamores will travel to Normal, Ill. for a mid-week double header against the Redbirds of Illinois State on Wednesday.

Last time out

The Sycamores last saw the field on Thursday, April 14 when they traveled to face in-state rival, the Hoosiers, of Indiana University. The Sycamores struck first grabbing a 2-0 early lead but the Hoosiers battled back to take a 5-2 decision in Bloomington, Ind. The loss comes after the Sycamores swept a double header Wednesday at Price Field against the Jaguars of IUPUI. The Sycamores defeated the Jaguars by a final score of 7-2 in game one before winning a pitchers duel in game two by a score of 1-0.

A Little History - Southern Illinois

This will be the 79th all-time meeting between the Sycamores and Salukis with the Salukis holding the 62-16 series lead. The two teams last played last season when the Salukis swept the Sycamores in a three-game series in Carbondale, Ill. The two teams first played during the 1079 season when the Salukis also defeated the Sycamores.

Scouting The Salukis

So far this season the Salukis have been led by junior outfielder Mallory Duran who is batting .316 on the season with 41 hits, 50 total bases and 37 runs scored. She leads five Saluki players who are batting over .300 on the season. The Salukis also enter the weekend on a five-game win streak as they sit in third place in the Missouri Valley Conference standings.

Weather Issues

Along with many other teams, the Sycamores have had a particularly rough time with the weather this season. With the March 30 game against Indiana being postponed, the Sycamores have now had six games cancelled or postponed due to either rain or cold temperatures this season. The Sycamores have also had four games delayed due to poor weather conditions.

Off To A Quick Start

So far this season it has been a battle to get on the scoreboard first for the Sycamores. The Sycamores have only lost four games and are 9-4 on the season when they are the first team to have a run cross home plate. The Sycamores are also 9-0 when they lead their opponents after the conclusion of the fifth inning.

Freshman Baumgart Leads The Way

Now 34 games into the 2011 season, the Sycamores find themselves being led offensively by their lead off hitter,  freshman center fielder Alex Baumgart, who has a team leading .316 batting average and 30 hits and 20 runs scored with six RBI's. Baumgart is also third on the team in total bases with 33.

Using  The Long Ball

As the Sycamores are now 34 games into the season, Junior first baseman Bailey Wittenauer has been swinging the bat with power as she leads the team with home runs. Wittenauer already has four home runs on the season including a grand slam against SEMO, which makes 12 total home runs for the junior in a Sycamore uniform including a grand slam last season which puts her third in the ISU record book for career home runs and in a tie for sixth on the single season list. As a team the Sycamores have hit eight home runs which is a tie for 9th place in the ISU record book.

Felker Named MVC Pitcher Of The Week

Indiana State softball picked up its first Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week award for the 2011 season on March 7th with the selection of sophomore right-handed pitcher Kristen Felker. Felker pitched a complete game Sunday giving up no earned runs and struck out nine batters to get the win for Indiana State over Holy Cross at the Rebel Games Classic in Orlando, Fla. Felker, a native of Defiance, Mo. and a physical education major, now has 20 strikeouts in her four games of the 2011 season.

Follow ISU Softball Online

Keep up to date with Sycamore softball all over the web this season. full stats, box scores and recaps will continue to be available on www.GoSycamores.com. However, you can also follow the Sycamores on Facebook at the Indiana State University Softball fan page available  at www.facebook.com/SycamoreSoftball.

Whats Yet To Come

Following this weekend's games the Sycamores will return to action on Wednesday, April 20 when the team hits the road and travels to Normal, Ill. to face Missouri Valley Conference rival Illinois State.  The two teams will play a double header beginning at 4:00 p.m. with the second game beginning at approximately 6:00 p.m. The two teams will wrap up the three-game series in Terre Haute, Ind. on Tuesday, April 26 with a 4:00 p.m. first pitch.