Danny PfrankGoSycamores.com
The Indiana State baseball team picked up a series win
over Dallas Baptist this past weekend and looks to move up in the national
rankings that will be released this Monday. Check back throughout the day as we'll
have some news and notes about everything Indiana State baseball right here on
GoSycamores.com.
Baseball Hosts Boys & Girls Club
Night On Tuesday vs. Illinois
The Sycamores will honor the Terre Haute Boys & Girls Club on Tuesday's
game with Illinois at 6:00 p.m. Boys & Girls Club members can receive two
free tickets to the game at the Bob Warn Field ticket office.
ISU Makes It Nine In A Row
Indiana State has come away winners on nine consecutive weekends, dating back
to their four-game sweep of the 2012 Bulldog Classic in Huntsville, Alabama,
from Feb. 24-26. Below is a look at the last nine weekends for the Sycamores.
Feb. 24-26, Bulldog Classic - 4-0
Mar. 3-4, at Eastern Kentucky - 2-1
Mar. 9-11, vs. UT Martin - 3-0
Mar. 15-18, Irish Classic - 4-0
Mar. 23-25, at Evansville - 2-1
Mar. 30-Apr. 1, vs. Illinois State - 2-1
Apr. 6-8, at Creighton - 2-1
Apr. 13-15, at Bradley - 2-1
Apr. 20-22, vs. Dallas Baptist - 2-1
Top Three
Indiana State is the only team in the MVC to rank in the top three in batting, pitching and fielding this season. ISU ranks second in batting average (.307), second in ERA (3.14) and third in fielding percentage (.974). The Sycamores are also the only team to rank above the league average in all three categories.
First MVC Win Over Dallas Baptist
ISU became the first MVC team this season to win a series with Dallas Baptist, as the Sycamores took two out of three games from the Patriots. DBU had recorded series wins over Missouri State (2-1) and Southern Illinois (3-0) earlier this season.
In Case You Missed It...
Highlights from Saturday's win over Dallas Baptist:
Highlights from Sunday's win over Dallas Baptist:
All We Do Is Win
Indiana State is tied for ninth in the country with 31 wins this season. Baylor and Kentucky are tied for the national lead with 35 wins, while ISU is tied for ninth with San Diego, Florida and Purdue.
Indiana State Ranked 39th In Perfect Game Top 50
ISU jumped up nine spots in this week's Top 50 rankings by Perfect Game, sitting at 39th in the country. The Sycamores are the top ranked team in the MVC, sitting two spots ahead of Missouri State (41st). Click here for the full release from Perfect Game.
Double-Digit Hits
The Sycamores have recorded at least 10 hits in 27 games this season, going 24-3 when posting double-digit hits. Indiana State's only losses when tallying 10 hits have come in walk-off wins for their oppoenents (at Eastern Kentucky on March 3, at Indiana on April 11 and at Bradley on April 14). When ISU has under 10 hits this season, they are an even 7-7.
Getting To The Seventh
Under head coach Rick Heller, Indiana State is 69-10 in games that they hold a lead heading into the seventh inning. When the Sycamores have trailed after the sixth inning, ISU is 13-41.
Keeping Pace With The Past
Indiana State's 31-10 record through 41 games is tied for the second best mark in school history, sitting two games behind the 1979 squad's 33-8 record. ISU also started 31-10 in 1987, while going 30-11 in both 1986 and 1990. The Sycamores last made the NCAA Tournament in 1995, starting that season at 24-17 through 41 games, and made their only College World Series appearance in 1986. Below is a look at the next five results for the best five starts in ISU history:
Through 41 Games Game 42 Game 43 Game 44 Game 45 Game 46
1979 -- 33-8 W, 5-0 NKY W, 8-2 NKY W, 20-6 BRAD W, 10-8 SIU L, 6-16 TUL
2012 -- 31-10 vs. ILL vs. UNO vs. UNO vs. UNO vs. UNO
1987 -- 31-10 W, 23-9 WSU L, 6-19 WSU L, 5-6 WSU L, 14-16 WSU W, 7-2 INDY
1986 -- 30-11 W, 6-3 SLU W, 15-2 SLU L, 5-13 WSU L, 4-18 WSU W, 12-6 WSU
1990 -- 30-11 L, 0-5 BRAD W, 11-5 BRAD L, 3-4 BRAD W, 5-3 MIZZ W, 8-6 ILL
Indiana State Receives Nine Votes In USA Today / ESPN Top 25 Coaches' Poll
Indiana State received a season-high nine votes this week in the USA Today / ESPN Top 25 Coaches' Poll, up from three votes last week. ISU's previous season-best was four votes, coming after their series win at Creighton on April 6-8. ISU's nine votes puts them in a tie for 31st in the country with Appalachian State (28-9), East Carolina (27-13) and TCU (23-14). Missouri State is the top ranked MVC team in the poll, receiving 15 votes and ranking 29th. Click here for the full release.
Rick Heller Coaches Show Tonight At 6:00 p.m.
Head coach Rick Heller will be a Beef 'O' Brady's tonight for his weekly coaches show. If you can't make it down to the local Terre Haute restaurant, you can listen in live online as coach Heller recaps the week and looks ahead to the upcoming schedule with ISU play-by-play announcer Brian Fritz. Click here to listen in online.
Scoring First
The Sycamores have scored the first run in 29 of their 41 games this season, tallying a 24-5 record when putting a run on the scoreboard first. ISU has also scored in the first inning in just under half their games, going 17-3 this season when playing a run in the first.
Securing A Winning Season
Indiana State secured a winning season this weekend, as the Sycamores improved to 31-10 overall with their series win over Dallas Baptist. The Sycamores have now tallied four straight winning seasons overall and three straight under third-year head coach Rick Heller. ISU's last run of four straight winning seasons came from 2000-03.
ISU Receives Votes In NCBWA Poll
For the fourth straight week, Indiana State received votes in the National Collegiate Baseball Writer's Association Poll. The NCBWA does not rank the number of votes received, as the Sycamores and Missouri State Bears make appearances for the MVC. Click here for view the entire release from the NCBWA.
That's a wrap from here in Terre Haute -- thanks for following along all afternoon! ISU baseball takes on Illinois at 6:00 p.m. from Bob Warn Field on Tuesday evening -- if you can't make it to the game, be sure to check out the free live broadcast on GoSycamores.com. Go State!
