The Indiana State baseball team continues their seven-game road swing on Wednesday when the Sycamores travel to West Lafayette, Ind., for a matchup with the Purdue Boilermakers.

First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m. from Alexander Field, a brand new facility for Boilermaker baseball this season. The game can be heard live on WIBQ 98.5 FM and on the Nelligan Sports Marketing Radio Network as Brian Fritz calls all the action on the diamond.

Indiana State (11-11, 3-3 MVC) and Purdue (10-14, 3-3 Big Ten) will play again in six days, meeting on Bob Warn Field at Sycamore Stadium on Tuesday, April 9, at 6:00 p.m.

Probable Indiana State Starting Pitcher
Wednesday: Tyler Fehringer (R-Sr. -- RHP -- 6-1 -- 220 -- Lincoln, Neb. -- Marshalltown CC)
Notes: Started three midweek games this season … six appearances out of the bullpen
2013 Season Stats: 1-1 record ... 3.94 ERA ... 3.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 Ks vs. Illinois (Chicago) last Wednesday

A Little History
Wednesday's game will be the 64th meeting between Indiana State and Purdue, with the Sycamores leading the all-time series by a 33-28-2 margin. After both ISU and PU had a late-season game cancelled with Butler, the teams scheduled a meeting in West Lafayette on May 15 of last season. The Sycamores held a 1-0 lead with two outs in the ninth inning, but Sean McHugh tied the game with a pinch-hit solo home run before the Boilermakers won the game in the bottom of the 10th inning, 2-1. Indiana State is 13-9-1 in road games against Purdue. Under fourth-year head coach Rick Heller, Indiana State is 0-1 against Purdue and 5-6 against the Big Ten Conference.

Scouting The Boilermakers
Purdue enters the week at 10-14 on the season and an even 3-3 in the Big Ten Conference. The Boilermakers were swept at home by Ohio State to open conference play before going on the road and sweeping Penn State last weekend. Redshirt senior Jake Hansen leads PU with a .319 (23-for-72) batting average while junior Sean McHugh tops the roster with 13 runs batted in. Sophomore Mike Gaglianese is schedule to start on Wednesday against Indiana State, making his first start of the season while posting a 0-0 record and 6.00 ERA over six innings pitched in four appearances out of the bullpen this season. Purdue hosts Butler on Tuesday before entertaining the Sycamores on Wednesday evening.

Game-by-Game – Purdue
Below is a quick look at the last 10 games in the series between Indiana State and Purdue.

May 15, 2012 at Purdue -- L, 1-2 (10)                      March 20, 2002 at Purdue -- L, 4-7
May 9, 2007 at Purdue -- W, 12-7                            May 6, 2001 at Purdue -- L, 2-8
April 5, 2006 at Indiana State -- L, 5-8                     May 5, 2001 at Indiana State -- W, 8-4
April 21, 2004 at Purdue -- L, 0-11                          May 5, 2001 at Indiana State -- L, 7-9
March 25, 2003 at Indiana State -- W, 8-0                April 18, 2000 at Purdue -- W, 2-1

Game-by-Game -- Big Ten Conference
Below is a quick look at the last 10 games for Indiana State against teams from the Big Ten.

March 17, 2013 at Minnesota -- W, 9-4                     April 11, 2012 at Indiana -- L, 7-8
March 16, 2013 at Minnesota -- L, 0-3                      March 7, 2012 vs. Indiana -- W, 13-8
March 15, 2013 at Minnesota -- W, 2-1                     April 13, 2011 at Indiana -- L, 3-6
May 15, 2012 at Purdue -- L, 1-2 (10)                       March 25, 2011 at Illinois -- L, 6-7
April 24, 2012 vs. Illinois -- W, 6-4                            March 9, 2011 vs. Indiana -- L, 4-6

Indiana State Drops Four Games Last Week
After posting a five-game winning streak and a weekend sweep in MVC play over Southern Illinois, Indiana State lost to Illinois (Chicago) at home before falling in all three games of a series at Missouri State over the weekend. ISU has scored 10 runs during their four-game skid, with nine coming in the ninth inning of two games (two vs. Illinois (Chicago), seven at Missouri State on Sunday).

Seven-Run Ninth Inning
Indiana State's seven-run ninth inning in Sunday's series finale at Missouri State was ISU's most runs in a single inning since plating eight runs in the second inning at Bradley last season on April 15.

Sycamores Sweep Salukis To Open MVC Play
Indiana State opened Missouri Valley Conference play with a three-game sweep of Southern Illinois, the second season in a row that the Sycamores have blanked the Salukis over a weekend matchup.

No Errors
Defense led the Sycamores to their series sweep over Southern Illinois, as Indiana State did not make an error in the field in their three-game set with the Salukis. The last time that Indiana State did not make an error over a weekend series was during the 2010 season when ISU took two out of three games at home over Missouri State on April 30 through May 2.

Manaea, Moore Combine For Three MVC Pitcher Of The Week Awards
Junior Sean Manaea and senior Devin Moore have combined for three MVC Pitcher of the Week awards, highlighting a Sycamore pitching staff that ranks second in the conference with a 3.24 ERA this season. Manaea was selected on Feb. 22 following his six shutout innings with 10 strikeouts against College of Charleston and on March 18 after fanning nine batters in a complete game six-hitter at Minnesota. Moore earned the award on March 25 following his two-hit complete game shutout of Southern Illinois.

Manaea Tabbed On Golden Spikes Award Watch List
Junior Sean Manaea was named to the Preseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List heading into the 2013 season, an award presented by USA Baseball at the end of the season to the top amateur baseball player in the country. Manaea is one of 50 student-athletes from around the nation to earn selection to the preseason list and is joined by Missouri State's Nick Petree in representing the Missouri Valley Conference.

Manaea Named To Three Preseason All-America Teams
Junior Sean Manaea earned selection to a trio of Preseason All-America teams heading into the season, as Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and Perfect Game each selected the Indiana State southpaw as a First Team All-American. Below is a quick look at the last All-America selections for the Indiana State baseball team:

ABCA: OF Dan Olson, 1996                                     Collegiate Baseball: DH Todd Tatlock, 1995
Baseball America: SP Casey Whitten, 1993               Sporting News: 3B Chad McDonald, 1990

Manaea Joins 200 Strikeout Club
Junior Sean Manaea struck out five batters last weekend at Missouri State, continuing his climb up the career rankings at Indiana State. Manaea totaled 115 Ks in his sophomore season, ranking in a tie for third in school history for single-season strikeouts. Below is a quick look at the Top 10 in career strikeouts at Indiana State.

1. Casey Whitten (1991-93) – 299                            6. Mike Farrell (1988-91) – 248
2. Mike Gardiner (1984-87) – 296                            7. Sean Manaea (2011-present) – 243
3. Brad Finken (1994-97) – 275                               T8. John Howes (1982-86) – 217
4. Blaise Ilsley (1983-85) – 274                               T8. Tom Browning (1993-96) – 217
5. Mitch Stetter (2000-03) – 254                              10. Paul Quizner (1983-86) – 214

Productive At The Plate: Part I
Senior Robby Ort enters the week with 170 career RBIs at the plate, ranking sixth in program history at ISU. Below is quick look at the Top 10 for RBIs in school history.

1. Boi Rodriguez (1985-87) – 200                            6. Robby Ort (2010-present) – 170
2. Chad McDonald (1988-90) – 198                          7. Bob Zeihen (1985-88) – 159
3. Dan Frye (1989-92) – 186                                   8. Mike Lexa (1984-86) – 154
4. John LaMar (1989-92) – 175                                9. Dan Olson (1994-96) – 153
5. Mike Eberle (1984-87) – 174                               10. Kevin Egli (2000-03) – 151

Productive At The Plate: Part II
Senior Robby Ort has led the team in runs batted in following each of his first three seasons at Indiana State, totaling 157 RBIs in his freshman through junior seasons. The Newburgh, Ind., native has also increased his production in all three seasons, improving from 50 RBIs as a freshman to 53 RBIs as a sophomore to 54 RBIs as a junior. In 2012, Ort became the first Sycamore in program history to lead the team in runs batted in for three consecutive seasons. Ort enters the week with 13 RBIs, one behind Koby Kraemer's team-leading total of 14.

Steady At Short
Junior Tyler Wampler has been a mainstay on defense for the Sycamores, starting 116 games at shortstop over his three seasons. Wampler has tallied 390 fielding assists (140 as a freshman in 2011, 184 as a sophomore in 2012, 66 in 2013) in his time at Indiana State, a total that puts the West Terre Haute, Ind., native on pace to break Dan Frye's school record of 541. Wampler enters the week with a career fielding percentage of .962 (23 errors in 133 games).

Off And Running
Sophomore Landon Curry led Indiana State with 16 stolen bases last season as a true freshman, ranking in a tie for sixth in the MVC overall. Curry became the first freshman since Bob Zeihen in 1985 to lead the Sycamores in steals as a rookie. The Uniondale, Ind., native is off to a fast start again in 2013, swiping 11 bases already this season. For his career, Curry is 27-for-33 in stolen base attempts.

Kraemer's Grand Slam Highlights Series Win At Minnesota
Redshirt senior Koby Kraemer hit a grand slam in the sixth inning inside the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, sending the Sycamores to a 9-4 win in the rubber match on Sunday. Indiana State earned a 2-1 victory on Friday night against the Golden Gophers as junior Sean Manaea pitched his first complete game with nine strikeouts.

Best Winning Percentage In The MVC Since 2009
Indiana State has posted 149 wins and a .603 winning percentage since the 2009 season, the best winning percentage in that span among teams in the MVC. ISU is second to Wichita State (160) in overall wins, but leads the way in winning percentage due to playing 23 fewer games.

Getting To The Seventh
Under head coach Rick Heller, ISU is 85-14 (.859) in games that they hold a lead heading into the seventh inning. When the Sycamores have trailed after the sixth inning, ISU is 17-55 (.236).

Against The Best
ISU is 3-2 against the RPI Top 50 this season, with wins over Austin Peay (24), Mercer (30) and College of Charleston (38). Last season, the Sycamores were 14-13 against the RPI Top 100.

On The Road Under Head Coach Rick Heller
Under head coach Rick Heller, Indiana State is 59-53 (.527) in road and neutral site games since the start of the 2010 season. In MVC action, the Sycamores are 17-18 (.486) away from Terre Haute. This season, Indiana State is 3-7 on the road.

Allowing Big Innings
Under head coach Rick Heller, the Sycamores are 76-24 (.760) when the team does not allow a three-run inning during a game. When Indiana State does allow their opponent to score at least three runs in one inning, Indiana State holds a 40-53 (.430) record.

Three Runs Or Less
The three-run plateau has been the breaking point for the Sycamores under head coach Rick Heller the last four seasons. When ISU has allowed three runs or less to their opponents, the team is 69-11 (.863) over the past four seasons. When opponents score four runs or more, ISU holds a 47-66 (.416) record.

Scoring First
The Sycamores scored the first run in 38 of their 60 games last season, tallying a 31-7 record when putting a run on the scoreboard first. ISU scored in the first inning in 25 of their games, going 22-3 last season when plating a run in the opening frame. That trend has continued into 2013, as Indiana State is 8-1 when scoring first and 2-0 when scoring in the opening inning.

Double-Digit Hits
ISU recorded at least 10 hits in a game 29 times last season, going 26-3 when posting double-digit hits. ISU's only losses when tallying 10 hits came in walk-off wins for their opponents. So far in 2013, ISU is 4-1 when posting 10 hits or more and 7-10 when going for nine hits or less.

Early Runs
The Sycamores dominated the early innings last season, outscoring their opponents 242-110 (+132) over the first five innings of their 60 games. In the first inning alone, ISU had a 37-run advantage, scoring 58 runs to their opposition's 21. In 2013, Indiana State has a three-run advantage in the first five innings, leading 45-42, and has scored just four first-inning runs.

Saint Patrick's Day Success
Indiana State defeated Minnesota on Saint Patrick's Day this season, picking a 9-4 victory on Sunday, March 17, inside the Metrodome. The Sycamores are now 22-10 all-time on the holiday, including a six-game winning streak. Last season, Indiana State defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saint Patrick's Day in San Antonio, Texas, winning 6-4 in 10 innings.

All About Defense
The Sycamores rank 32nd in the country in fielding percentage heading into the week, as the Sycamores check in with a .975 fielding percentage. Under head coach Rick Heller, Indiana State is 55-19 (.743) when they do not make an error in a game, including a 6-4 record this season. When the Sycamores have made a fielding miscue in Heller's four seasons, the team sits just above the .500 mark at 61-58.

Strong In The Field
Indiana State has ranked in the Top 35 in fielding percentage from 2010-12 under head coach Rick Heller, one of only nine teams in the nation to do so over each of the previous three seasons. Three of the nine from around the nation are from the Missouri Valley Conference, as Evansville and Creighton are also in the select group. CU (28th), ISU (32nd) and UE (53rd) are all in the Top 60 in fielding this season.

Close Games
In Indiana State's four seasons under head coach Rick Heller, the Sycamores are 65-49 (.570) in games decided by three runs or less. In games decided by four or more runs since 2010, the Sycamores carry a 51-27 (.654) record. This season, Indiana State is 5-6 in games decided by three runs or less.

Indiana State Around The NCAA
The Sycamores are among the nation's best in several offensive and defensive categories. Below is a look at where Indiana State ranks around the NCAA:

Category                            ISU Rank           ISU Total               NCAA Leader / Total
Sacrifice Flies                        T-12th                18                            VMI / 28
Fielding Percentage                 32nd                .975                        Lamar / .989
Stolen Bases Per Game            38th                1.68                      Wofford / 3.17
Strikeouts Per 9 IP                  39th                  8.1                   Arkansas State / 9.6
Strikeout-to-Walk Ratio           42nd                 2.49               Cal State Fullerton / 4.67
Earned Run Average                51st                 3.24                      Arkansas / 1.68
WHIP (BB + Hits / IP)               63rd                 1.29                      Arkansas / 1.01
Double Plays Per Game            66th                 0.91                         BYU / 1.48

ISU Earns Back-to-Back MVC Scholar-Athlete Of The Week Selections
Sophomore Landon Curry (March 20) and senior Devin Moore (March 27) have led the team to back-to-back weekend series wins over Minnesota and Southern Illinois, earning the MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week awards following each week of play.

Curry scored both of Indiana State's runs in their 2-1 victory over the Golden Gophers on Friday night, including the game-winning run following a throwing error after Curry stole third base. The ISU sophomore added a two-run double in the ninth inning of the rubber match on Sunday, capping a 9-4 Indiana State victory to clinch the series. For the week, Curry also drove in three runs and stole two bases. Moore allowed just two hits and one walk with three strikeouts in nine shutout innings, needing just 95 pitches to blank SIU. The ISU senior retired the first 12 batters he faced and allowed baserunners in just two innings, as SIU put two runners on in both the fifth and ninth innings before Moore was able to pitch out of the jams.

ISU Claims First Outright Regular Season Title In School History
Indiana State earned their first outright Missouri Valley Conference regular season championship in 2012, finishing the league schedule with a 14-7 record. The 2012 season marked the fourth time in program history that the Sycamores have sat atop the standings at the end of the season, joining the teams from 1982, 1983 and 1985. The 1982 and 1983 squads won the East Division of the MVC while the 1985 team tied with Wichita State.

At-Large Selection
Indiana State received an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament field on Selection Monday last season, just the second time in school history that the Sycamores have made the postseason without winning the MVC Tournament. Indiana State claimed their only other at-large selection back in 1987 when the Sycamores fell in the conference finals to Wichita State, ending the regular season at 44-16-1 before going 1-2 in a regional in Austin, Texas.

Winning Ways
Indiana State posted their fourth straight winning season in 2012 and third straight under head coach Rick Heller. ISU's last run of four consecutive winning seasons came from 2000-03, while the last time that Indiana State posted five winning seasons in a row came during a 17-year run from 1977-1993. During Indiana State's 17-year run from 1977 to 1993, the Sycamores posted a 675-354-7 record and made six NCAA appearances.

40 Wins
Indiana State's 10-4 win over Southern Illinois on May 13 last season gave the Sycamores their 40th win of the season, the 10th time in program history that ISU broke the 40-win barrier. ISU's 41 wins in 2012 tied for seventh-most in school history and was the team's best since winning 42 games back in 1991. Below is a quick look at the 40-win seasons in ISU history:

2012: 41-19, First Place MVC, NCAA At-Large Bid       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

Manaea, Ort Named Preseason All-MVC
Senior Robby Ort and junior Sean Manaea were named to the Preseason All-MVC Team heading into the season in a vote conducted by the eight head coaches from around the MVC.

Ort, a native of Newburgh, Ind., and Castle High School, hit .291 last season while leading the team with 54 RBIs and 20 doubles. Manaea, an Andrean High School product and Wanatah, Ind., native, went 5-3 on the mound with a 3.34 ERA last season, leading the team with 115 strikeouts in 105 innings pitched. Manaea's 115 strikeouts last season ranked the southpaw in a tie for 13th on a national scale.

Three Sycamores Earn MVC Specialty Awards In 2012
Jeremy Lucas and Dakota Bacus and head coach Rick Heller each claimed a specialty award from the MVC following the 2012 season, highlighted by Lucas becoming the program's first conference Player of the Year. Bacus was named the Newcomer of the Year for the conference while Heller earned the Dan Callahan / MVC Coach of the Year award.

Lucas hit a team-leading .345 last season, topping the roster in hits (78), home runs (nine), runs scored (53), slugging percentage (.540) and on-base percentage (.443). The Cleveland Indians draftee also totaled 52 RBIs and 13 doubles. Bacus went 7-4 with a 2.70 ERA on the mound, tossing three complete games. The Oakland Athletics selection set the program record for innings pitches in the single season, racking up 116.2 innings on the mound. Heller was named the Dan Callahan / MVC Coach of the Year following the 41-19 season for the Sycamores, their first 40-win season since 1992.

On To The Next One...
ISU hits the road in MVC play for the second straight weekend, traveling to Wichita State.