The Indiana State baseball team wraps up their eight-game homestand to end the 2013 regular season this weekend, welcoming the Bradley Braves to Bob Warn Field at Sycamore Stadium for a Missouri Valley Conference series. The series kicks off on Thursday, May 16, at 6:30 p.m.

All three games of the series 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. A free video stream is also available through SycamoreVision on GoSycamores.com. 100.7 MIX-FM will be on hand Friday night for fan entertainment.

Alumni of the Indiana State baseball program will receive free admission to all three of this weekend's games against Bradley.

Indiana State (22-22, 7-10 MVC) is riding a four-game winning streak into the weekend, coming off a three-game sweep of Alcorn State and a midweek victory over Ball State. Bradley (16-28, 1-17 MVC) has lost 15 straight games in league play, but features one of the top hitters in the nation in senior Mike Tauchman (.431 batting average, first in the NCAA).

Weekend Schedule
Thursday: 6:30 p.m. – Regional Hospital Night, employees can receive up to four free tickets by showing their hospital ID
Friday: 6:30 p.m. – ISU will honor the 1983 MVC championship team on their 30th anniversary
Saturday: 1:00 p.m. – Senior Day, festivities held prior to the game

Probable Weekend Indiana State Pitching Rotation
Thursday: Sean Manaea (Jr. -- LHP -- 6-5 -- 235 -- Wanatah, Ind. -- Andrean HS)
Notes: Third in ISU history with 285 career Ks ... at least eight Ks in eight of his 11 starts
2013 Season Stats: 5-4 record ... 1.58 ERA ... 7.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R (1 ER) , 11 Ks vs. Alcorn State last Friday (ND)
Friday: Devin Moore (Sr. -- RHP -- 6-3 -- 210 -- Springfield, Ill. -- Lincoln Land CC)
Notes: 39 hits allowed in his last 53.2 IP ... ISU has scored one run or less in five of his eight starts
2013 Season Stats: 4-4 record ... 2.74 ERA ... 8.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R (1 ER), 5 Ks vs. Alcorn State last Saturday (W)
Saturday: Greg Kuhlman (R-So. -- LHP -- 6-3 -- 180 -- West Des Moines, Iowa -- Valley HS)
Notes: Three starts and 15 bullpen appearances ... career highs in IP (6) and SO (9) last Sunday
2013 Season Stats: 3-1 record ... 5.02 ERA ... 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 9 Ks vs. Alcorn State last Sunday (W)

A Little History – Bradley
This weekend's series will be the 134th, 135th and 136th all-time meetings between Indiana State and Bradley. Indiana State is 36-21 at home against Bradley and holds an 8-3-5 series record against the Braves in Terre Haute. The Sycamores have taken two out of three games against the Braves over each of the last two seasons and are 10-4 against Bradley in their last 14 meetings. Under fourth-year head coach Rick Heller, Indiana State is 5-4 against Bradley.

Scouting The Braves
Bradley enters the final week of the regular season at 16-28 overall and in eighth place in the Missouri Valley Conference with a 1-17 league record. After winning the series finale against Evansville on March 31, the Braves have lost 15 consecutive conference games. Senior Mike Tauchman has been one of the best hitters in the conference this season, totaling a .437 (73-for-167) batting average and a .522 on-base percentage with 27 stolen bases. Tauchman has been even better in league games, hitting .493 (33-for-67) with 10 steals.

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

April 15, 2012 at Bradley -- W, 14-3 (7)                     April 8, 2011 at Indiana State -- W, 5-3
April 14, 2012 at Bradley -- L, 4-5 (11)                      May 22, 2010 at Bradley -- L, 4-5
April 15, 2012 at Bradley -- W, 5-4 (11)                     May 21, 2010 at Bradley -- W, 7-3
April 10, 2011 at Indiana State -- L, 8-9                    May 20, 2010 at Bradley -- L, 5-6
April 9, 2011 at Indiana State -- W, 11-8                   April 12, 2009 at Indiana State -- W, 12-4

At Home Under Head Coach Rick Heller
Under head coach Rick Heller, Indiana State is 66-28 (.702) in home games since the start of the 2010 season. In MVC action, the Sycamores are 21-17 (.553) in Terre Haute. This season, Indiana State is 15-6 at home and 6-2 within the conference at Bob Warn Field.

Tournament Seedings
Indiana State will enter the 2013 MVC Tournament as either the sixth or seventh seed, as Southern Illinois trails the Sycamores by one-and-a-half games. Illinois State travels to SIU and Creighton hosts Missouri State in the other league series this weekend. The Redbirds must sweep the Salukis to claim the top seed in the tournament, anything less and Wichita State will be the top seed. CU and MSU are tied in the MVC standings for third place.

Hitting Streak For Hannahs
Redshirt sophomore Derek Hannahs enters the Bradley series on a 15-game hitting streak, dating back to the series-opener at Wichita State on April 5. The Robinson, Ill., product is 18-for-44 (.409) at the plate during his hitting streak, also scoring 12 runs and posting a team-leading .462 on-base percentage. Clint Barmes (2000) and Demetrius Dowler (1993) hold the record for consecutive games with a hit at 30 games. Below is a quick look at the best hitting streaks for Indiana State under fourth-year head coach Rick Heller.

1. Ryan Strausborger (2010) -- 22 games                 5. Kyle Burnam (2012) -- 12 games
2. Koby Kraemer (2011) -- 18 games                        T6. Jeremy Lucas (2011) -- 11 games
3. Derek Hannahs (2013) -- 15 games               T6. Robby Ort (2011) -- 11 games
4. Kyle Burnam (2010) -- 13 games                          T6. Rob Ort (2012) -- 11 games

Kudrecki, Manaea Battling For Single-Season ERA Record
Juniors Kurt Kudrecki and Sean Manaea have been stellar for Indiana State this season, combining to allow just 17 earned runs over 107.1 innings on the mound. Kudrecki, a native on Dyer, Ind., leads the team with 25 appearances and three saves while totaling a 1.15 ERA over 39 innings. Manaea, a product of Wanatah, Ind., has posted a 1.58 ERA over 11 starts and 68.1 innings pitched. Below is quick look at the single-season ERA leaders, a category that requires at least 40 innings pitched in a season to qualify.

1. Kurt Kudrecki (2013) -- 1.15 ERA                    6. Craig Kozlowski (1986) -- 2.15 ERA
2. Brian Omogrosso (2002) -- 1.51 ERA                     7. Jim Ridenour (1977) -- 2.30 ERA
3. Sean Manaea (2013) -- 1.58 ERA                    8. Dakota Bacus (2012) -- 2.37 ERA
4. Joe Thatcher (2002) -- 1.73 ERA                           9. Dave Thomas (1977) -- 2.49 ERA
5. Paul Quizner (1983) -- 2.05 ERA                           10. Tim Barrett (1982) -- 2.51 ERA

Manaea Ranks Third In ISU History In Strikeouts
Junior Sean Manaea struck out 11 batters last Friday against Alcorn 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. The Sycamore southpaw enters the weekend with 88 strikeouts and an average of 11.6 per nine innings, good for fourth in the nation. Below is a quick look at the Top 10 in career strikeouts at Indiana State.

1. Casey Whitten (1991-93) – 299                             6. Mitch Stetter (2000-03) – 254
2. Mike Gardiner (1984-87) – 296                              7. Mike Farrell (1988-91) – 248
3. Sean Manaea (2011-present) – 285                T8. John Howes (1982-86) – 217
4. Brad Finken (1994-97) – 275                                 T8. Tom Browning (1993-96) – 217
5. Blaise Ilsley (1983-85) – 274                                 10. Paul Quizner (1983-86) – 214

Ort Stands Alone In Program History
Senior Robby Ort ranks third in career runs batted in (195) and fourth in career hits (269) at Indiana State, becoming the first Sycamore in program history to rank in the top five in both categories. The Newburgh, Ind., native is a two-time First Team All-MVC selection and holds a career .318 batting average with 16 triples, 24 home runs and 32 stolen bases.

Productive At The Plate: Part I
Senior Robby Ort enters the weekend with 195 career RBIs at the plate, ranking third in program history at Indiana State. Below is quick look at the Top 10 for RBIs in school history.

1. Boi Rodriguez (1985-87) – 200                              6. Mike Eberle (1984-87) – 174
2. Chad McDonald (1988-90) – 198                            7. Bob Zeihen (1985-88) – 159
3. Robby Ort (2010-present) – 195                     8. Mike Lexa (1984-86) – 154
4. Dan Frye (1989-92) – 186                                     9. Dan Olson (1994-96) – 153
5. John LaMar (1989-92) – 175                                 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. In 2012, Ort became the first Sycamore in program history to lead the team in runs batted in for three consecutive seasons. The Newburgh, Ind., native enters the weekend with a team-leading 38 RBIs in 2013.

Manaea Tabbed On 60-Man Golden Spikes Award Watch List
Junior Sean Manaea was named to the Midseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List, 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 60 student-athletes from around the nation to earn selection to the list and one of 31 that appeared on both the preseason and midseason lists.

Manaea has posted a 5-4 record and a 1.58 ERA this season, fanning 88 batters in 68.1 innings on the mound while allowing just 44 hits, 25 walks and 12 earned runs in 11 starts. The ISU junior has struck out at least eight batters in eight of his 11 outings, including a season-high of 11 Ks last Friday against Alcorn State.

Manaea Named To CBHOF National Pitcher Of The Year Watch List
Junior starting pitcher Sean Manaea was one of 41 pitchers from around the nation named to the National Pitcher of the Year Watch List by the College Baseball Hall of Fame. The CBHOF Pitcher of the Year award is college baseball's version of the Cy Young Award and is given annually to the nation's top collegiate pitcher. Manaea joins Missouri State's Nick Petree in representing the Missouri Valley Conference for the award.

Steady At Short
Junior Tyler Wampler has been a mainstay on defense for the Sycamores, starting 137 games at shortstop over his three seasons. Wampler has tallied 450 fielding assists (140 as a freshman in 2011, 184 as a sophomore in 2012, 126 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 .963 (26 errors in 154 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 has been active on the bases again in 2013, ranking fourth in the conference with 18 stolen bases this season. For his career, Curry is 34-for-41 in stolen base attempts.

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

All About Defense: Part I
The Sycamores ranked 60th in the country in fielding percentage heading into the week, as the Sycamores check in with a .972 fielding percentage. Under head coach Rick Heller, Indiana State is 60-22 (.732) when they do not make an error in a game, including an 11-7 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 67-66.

All About Defense: Part II
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 (7th), ISU (60th) and UE (97th) are all in the Top 100 in fielding percentage this season.

Allowing Big Innings
Under head coach Rick Heller, the Sycamores are 85-28 (.752) 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 42-60 (.412) record.

Getting To The Seventh
Under head coach Rick Heller, ISU is 94-14 (.870) in games that they hold a lead heading into the seventh inning. When the Sycamores have trailed after the sixth inning, ISU is 18-65 (.217). This season, Indiana State is 17-0 when leading after six innings of play.

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 75-13 (.852) over the past four seasons. When opponents score four runs or more, ISU holds a 51-75 (.405) record.

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 pitching staff that carries a 3.50 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 six-hitter at Minnesota. Moore earned the award on March 25 following his outing against Southern Illinois where he allowed just two hits over nine shutout innings in ISU's 1-0 win in 11 innings.

Three Sycamores Earn MVC Scholar-Athlete Of The Week Awards
Redshirt senior Koby Kraemer (April 10 / April 17), senior Devin Moore (March 27) and sophomore Landon Curry (March 20 / April 24) have all been named the MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week this season. After the fall semester, the baseball team led all men's athletic teams at Indiana State with a combined 3.42 grade point average.

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, March 17. Indiana State earned a 2-1 victory on Friday night against the Golden Gophers as junior Sean Manaea pitched his first complete game at Indiana State with nine strikeouts and made a game-saving tag at home plate to end the game. Kraemer's grand slam against the Golden Gophers was the first for the Sycamores since Landon Curry cleared the bases against Ball State last season on March 28.

Scoring First
The Sycamores have scored the first run in each of their last six games, dating back to their road game at SIU Edwardsville on May 7. Indiana State is 18-7 (.720) this season when scoring the first run of the ballgame compared to just 4-15 (.211) when their opponent scores first.

Nationally-Ranked Opponents
Indiana State is 4-2 against nationally-ranked opponents this season, sweeping three games from No. 30 Creighton and splitting a pair of games with No. 28 Mercer.

Close Games
In ISU's four seasons under head coach Rick Heller, the Sycamores are 71-57 (.555) in games decided by three runs or less. In games decided by four or more runs since 2010, the Sycamores carry a 56-30 (.651) record. This season, ISU is 11-14 in close games.

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.

Seven Former Sycamores In The Show Or Triple-A
Led by shortstop Clint Barmes (Pittsburgh Pirates), left-handed pitcher Joe Thatcher (San Diego Padres) and right-handed pitcher Brian Omogrosso (Chicago White Sox), seven former Sycamores are currently either in Triple-A or on Major League Baseball rosters. Former Sycamore pitcher Blaise Ilsley is also working in the Majors, serving as the bullpen coach for the St. Louis Cardinals. Since 2009, 14 members of the Indiana State baseball team have been drafted or signed as a free agent with MLB teams.

Weather Problems In 2013
The Sycamores have lost nine games this season due to poor spring weather. Included in those nine games have been two entire weekends that have been cancelled, March 1-3 at Eastern Kentucky and April 26-28 at UT Martin.

On To The Next One...
The 2013 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament begins on Tuesday, May 21 in Normal, Ill.