After claiming their fourth regular season Missouri Valley Conference crown, the top-seeded Indiana State baseball team heads to Springfield, Mo., for the 2012 State Farm MVC Tournament at Hammons Field.

Every game that Indiana State plays in the State Farm MVC Tournament can be heard live on ESPN Radio 92.7 FM and online at espnsportsradio.com with Brian Fritz on the call. Every game of the tournament can be seen live on ESPN3.com and the Watch ESPN app on mobile devices. Saturday's championship game will be aired live on Valley TV.

Indiana State won their first regular season title since 1985 this past week, the program's first outright title. ISU has won six conference tournament championships, with their last coming back in 1995.

Indiana State Starting Pitching
Dakota Bacus (Jr. -- RHP -- 6-2 -- 205 -- Moline, Ill. -- Southeastern CC)
Notes: Team-leading three complete games, with two in MVC play ... .222 batting average against
Sean Manaea (So. -- LHP -- 6-5 -- 215 -- Wanatah, Ind. -- Andrean HS)
Notes: Ninth pitcher in ISU history to tally 100+ Ks in a single season ... 91.1 IP in 2012 ... 182 career Ks
Ryan Torgerson (Jr. -- RHP -- 6-2 -- 195 -- Johnston, Iowa -- Des Moines Area CC)
Notes: Team-leading eight wins ... two complete games in MVC play ... 14 walks allowed in 86 IP
Kyle Rupe (Fr. -- RHP -- 6-1 -- 185 -- Indianapolis, Ind. -- Perry Meridian HS)
Notes: Primary midweek starter this season ... 6-1 with a 2.63 ERA ... combined for three shutouts

A Little History
The 2012 State Farm MVC Tournament will be the 28th conference tournament that the Sycamores have been a member of, winning the tournament on six previous occasions. Indiana State last won a conference tournament in 1995, when ISU dropped their opening game to Creighton before running off victories over Bradley, Evansville and in back-to-back contests with Missouri State. Indiana State holds an all-time record of 61-47 in the conference tournament, including winning records over six of the seven squads in this year's tournament.

Sycamores Claim Fourth Regular Season Title In School History
Indiana State secured their fourth regular season Missouri Valley Conference title this season, defeating Missouri State in the opening game of their series on Thursday, 6-3. The Sycamores last won a regular season conference title back in 1985, also picking up the regular season crown in 1982 and 1983. This season marks the first time in school history that the Sycamores have been outright champions following the regular season, as the 1982 and 1983 squads won the East Division of the MVC while 1985 team tied with Wichita State.

Looking For Lucky Number Seven
Indiana State has won six MVC tournaments, with their last coming back in 1995. ISU won their six tournament championships in the 17 years between 1979 and 1995, winning the 1979, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1989 and 1995. The Sycamores are tied with Bradley for the second-most tournament titles, trailing only Wichita State (17) among teams in the MVC.

Against The Field
Below is ISU's record against their competition in the State Farm MVC Tournament field:

                               Record             Last Win              Score
Bradley                       8-0                  2005                  8-7
Creighton                   13-9                 2010                  9-7
Evansville                    3-2                  2001                  9-8
Illinois State                9-3                  2011                  7-6
Missouri State              6-3                  2001                  6-4
Southern Illinois           9-4                  2005                  5-4
Wichita State              8-21                 2011                  7-6

Keeping Pace With The Past

Indiana State's 41-15 record through 56 games is the second best mark in school history, sitting just behind the 41-14-1 record posted back in 1987, a team that went on to win 45 games and earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. ISU finished the 1979 season at 41-11 after 52 games, winning the MVC Tournament that season. Indiana State's 1986 team made the program's only trip to College World Series, checking in at 39-17 through 56 games. The Sycamores last made the NCAA Tournament in 1995, going 35-21 after 56 games. Below are the next five results for the best starts in ISU history:

Through 56 Games         Game 57           Game 58           Game 59           Game 60           Game 61
1987 -- 41-14-1           W, 12-8 CU     W, 11-10 WSU      L, 4-18 WSU       L, 3-4 WSU       L, 5-10 HOU
2012 -- 41-15              vs. CU         vs. ILS / UE          vs. TBA            vs. TBA            vs. TBA
1986 -- 39-17              L, 3-4 AND        W, 5-4 AND        W, 4-2 BRAD      L, 5-11 WSU       W, 5-0 CU
1990 -- 39-17             W, 13-12 SIU      L, 6-12 SIU         W, 5-2 SIU         W, 7-3 UE          L, 1-3 CU
1985 -- 38-18             W, 7-5 WKU       L, 5-6 WKU        W, 12-6 STJ        W, 6-1 STJ        W, 11-2 ILS

40 Wins
Indiana State's 10-4 win Southern Illinois on Sunday, May 13, gave the Sycamores their 40th win of the season, the 10th time in program history that ISU has broke the 40-win barrier. ISU's 41 wins this season are tied for seventh-most in school history and is their most since winning 42 games back in 1991. Below is a quick look at the 40-win seasons in ISU history:
 

2012: 41-15, First Place MVC                                1987: 45-18-1, NCAA At-Large Bid
1992: 40-19, Third Place MVC                               1986: 48-21, MVC Tournament Champions
1991: 42-23, Third Place MVC                               1985: 57-22, T-First Place MVC
1990: 43-21, Fourth Place MVC                             1982: 40-20, First Place MVC East Division
1989: 48-21, MVC Tournament Champions             1979: 41-11, MVC Tournament Champions

700
ISU leads the Missouri Valley Conference and ranks tied for 14th on a national scale with a .732 winning percentage this season. Since joining the MVC in 1977, only four other teams at Indiana State have finished a season with a winning percentage above .700, led by the 1979 squad's 41-11 season (.788). Indiana State's three other seasons above .700 took place in the mid-1980s, in 1983 (37-14-1, .721), 1985 (57-22, .722) and 1987 (45-18-1, .711).

Over The Century Mark
Head coach Rick Heller recorded his 100th win at Indiana State this season, as ISU topped Wichita State 6-3 on Saturday, May 5. Heller is just the fifth coach in ISU history to reach the century mark in wins in ISU blue. ISU legend Bob Warn totaled 1,070 wins from 1976-2006, while Paul Wolf (140 -- 1938-41, '56-67), Jim Rendel (129 -- 1968-75) and Wally Marks (108 -- 1929-31, '34-37, '42, '46-47, '49-55) are also in the select group.

Best Winning Percentage In The MVC
Indiana State has posted 105 wins and a .629 winning percentage under head coach Rick Heller over the past three seasons, the best winning percentage in that span among teams in the MVC. ISU is second to Wichita State (115) in overall wins, but leads the way in winning percentage due to playing 16 fewer games.

Receiving Votes
ISU received a season-high 28 votes last week in the USA Today / ESPN Top 25 Coaches' Poll, doubling their total from two weeks ago. ISU's 28 votes ranked them 28th in the country. ISU moved up two spots in last week's Top 50 rankings by Perfect Game, sitting at 34th in the country. The Sycamores were the top ranked team in the MVC in both polls.

Around The Country
Indiana State is tied for the seventh most wins in the country heading into the conference tournament, trailing national leaders Florida State, Stony Brook and Utah Valley by two games. ISU enters the week tied with UCF, Kentucky, Purdue and Texas A&M with 41 wins this season.

Three Runs Or Less
The three-run plateau has been the breaking point for the Sycamores under head coach Rick Heller the last three seasons. When ISU has allowed three runs or less to their opponents, the team is 63-7 over the past three seasons, including a 29-4 mark this season. When opponents score four runs or more, ISU holds a 42-55 record.

Early Runs
The Sycamores have dominated the early innings this season, outscoring their opponents 237-93 (+144) over the first five innings of their 56 games. In the first inning alone, Indiana State has a 40-run advantage, scoring 58 runs to their opposition's 18.

Lucas Named Semifinalist For Johnny Bench Award
Junior Jeremy Lucas was named one of 12 semifinalists for the Johnny Bench Award earlier this month, an award presented to the nation's top collegiate catcher. Lucas leads Indiana State with a .363 (77-for-212) batting average, also topping the roster with nine home runs, 52 runs scored, 121 total bases and a .571 slugging percentage.

Indiana State Around The NCAA
Entering last week, Indiana State is among the nation's best in several offensive and defensive categories. Below is a look at where ISU ranks around the NCAA:
 

Category                            ISU Rank           ISU Total               NCAA Leader / Total
Total Wins                             T-3rd                  40                        Kentucky / 41
Hit By Pitches                          4th                    97                   Delaware State / 137
Win/Loss Pct.                         T-7th                 .769                   Florida State / .800
Sacrifice Flies                         T-7th                  33                        Kent State / 37
Hits                                      T-15th                 552                        Hofstra / 610
Total Runs                              16th                  352                     Utah Valley / 438
ERA                                       23rd                  3.07                 Coastal Carolina / 2.47
Runs Per Game                       29th                   6.8                      Utah Valley / 8.8
Fielding Pct.                            30th                  .975                     Evansville / .981
Walks Allowed P/G                  31st                  2.83               Cal State Fullerton / 1.70
K-to-BB Ratio                         32nd                  2.56                       Florida / 3.88

Weekend Success
Indiana State has come away winners on 12 of their 14 weekends this season, including a string of 12 consecutive from Feb. 24-26 through May 11-13. Below is a look at the weekend results for the Sycamores.

Feb. 17-19, at Southeastern Louisiana - 0-3             Apr. 6-8, at Creighton - 2-1
Feb. 24-26, Bulldog Classic - 4-0                             Apr. 13-15, at Bradley - 2-1
Mar. 3-4, at Eastern Kentucky - 2-1                          Apr. 20-22, vs. Dallas Baptist - 2-1
Mar. 9-11, vs. UT Martin - 3-0                                 Apr. 27-29, vs. Nebraska Omaha - 2-1
Mar. 15-18, Irish Classic - 4-0                                  May 4-6, vs. Wichita State - 2-1
Mar. 23-25, at Evansville - 2-1                                 May 11-13, at Southern Illinois - 3-0
Mar. 30-Apr. 1, vs. Illinois State - 2-1                       May 17-19, vs. Missouri State - 1-2

Ouch!
Indiana State enters the week ranking fourth on a national scale in hit by pitches, breaking the school record this season by totaling 102 HBPs. ISU also tied a school record for single-game HBPs on Tuesday, March 13, against SIU Edwardsville, as the Sycamores were hit by seven pitches during the game. ISU was also hit by seven pitches twice during the 2008 season, on March 15 at the College of Charleston and on May 13 against Miami (Ohio).

Double-Digit Hits
ISU has recorded at least 10 hits in a game 29 times this season, going 26-3 when posting double-digit hits. Indiana State's only losses when tallying 10 hits have come in walk-off wins for their opponents (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 15-12.

MVC Series Wins
The Sycamores went 6-1 in their series in Missouri Valley Conference play, including wins in six straight to start their league run. ISU took two out of three games over Evansville, Illinois State, Creighton, Bradley and Wichita State before sweeping Southern Illinois. This season's start marks the first time that ISU has ever posted six straight series wins to begin a league season.

Moving Up The Record Book
Senior Kyle Burnam has been a four-year starter since coming to ISU in 2009. Over his career, Burnam has drawn 117 walks, ranking tied for fourth in ISU history with Bob Zeihen (1985-88) and 21 behind Mitch Hannahs (138 -- 1986-89) for third. The ISU senior has also totaled 237 hits in 211 games played, needing 16 more hits to enter the top five in ISU history.

Scoring First
The Sycamores have scored the first run in 38 of their 56 games this season, tallying a 31-7 record when putting a run on the scoreboard first. ISU has also scored in the first inning in 25 of their games, going 22-3 this season when plating a run in the first.

Getting To The Seventh
Under head coach Rick Heller, Indiana State is 74-12 in games that they hold a lead heading into the seventh inning. When the Sycamores have trailed after the sixth inning, ISU is 14-43.

Triple Play
ISU turned a triple play on Sunday against Southern Illinois as Koby Kraemer, Jordan Pearson, Jeremy Lucas, Ryan Torgerson and Jon Hedges combined for a 5-4-2-1-3 triple play in the first inning. ISU last completed a triple play in 2009, when the Sycamores turned one on May 15, 2009, at Missouri State when Dallas Hord lined into 6-4-3 triple play in the first inning. ISU's fielders in 2009 were Ben Ferrell at short, Kraemer at second and Joe Meggs at first.

Above Average
Indiana State ranks above the league average in batting, pitching and fielding, one of just two teams in the conference to do so. ISU ranks second in batting average (.294), second in ERA (3.11) and fifth in fielding percentage (.974). Wichita State also checks in above the league average in all three categories. The MVC averages this season are .277 at the plate, 3.77 on the mound and .972 in the field.

Winning Ways
Indiana State secured a winning season with their series win over Dallas Baptist and enters the conference tournament at 41-15 overall. The Sycamores have now tallied four straight winning seasons and three straight under third-year head coach Rick Heller. ISU's last run of four consecutive winning seasons came from 2000-03.

Against The Best
The Sycamores are 5-2 this season against teams from the 2011 NCAA Tournament field, winning two out of three games in series against Creighton and Dallas Baptist and picking up a midweek win over Illinois. ISU is also 12-11 against teams in the RPI Top 100.

Freshman At The Top
Freshman Landon Curry leads Indiana State with 15 stolen bases this season, ranking sixth in the MVC. The last time that a freshman led the Sycamores in steals was back in 1985 when Bob Zeihen picked up 16 in his rookie season.

Free Baseball
Indiana State has played 10 extra-inning games this season, including a stretch of five out of nine games from April 3-17. ISU's longest game this season came on Tuesday, April 17, when ISU and Valparaiso played 16 innings on Bob Warn Field before ISU came away with a 2-1 win. The Sycamores are 6-4 in extra-inning games this season.

Close Games
In Indiana State's 15 losses this season, seven have come by just a single run with six of those seven coming in walk-off fashion for the opposition. ISU is 10-7 this season in one-run games.

ISU Ties NCAA Record For Runners Left On Base
The Sycamores tied a NCAA record on Tuesday, April 17, against Valparaiso, as Indiana State left 24 runners on base in their 2-1 victory in 16 innings. San Diego State (vs. Hawaii, April 22, 1994 in 15 innings) and Harvard (vs. Holy Cross, April 15, 1987 in 13 innings) also stranded 24 runners. ISU (24) and Valparaiso (17) combined to leave 41 runners on the base, two short of the NCAA record of 43 held San Diego State (24) and Hawaii (19) from their game in 1994.

Eight Times This Season
The Sycamores have recorded eight shutouts this season, their highest total since blanking opponents nine times during both the 1985 and 1983 seasons. The school record for shutouts in a single season is 10, set by the 1977 squad.

18 In March
Indiana State posted an 18-3 record in the month of March, their most wins in a single month since going 19-9 during April of 1991.