KEVIN JENISON

GoSycamores.com

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Defending Missouri Valley Conference regular season champion Illinois State (15-7, 2-1 MVC) will make a return trip to Terre Haute for a three-game weekend conference series but this time it will be against the Indiana State Sycamores (16-5, 1-2 MVC). First pitch in the series opener on Friday is set for 6:30 p.m. (ET) with a 2 p.m. (ET) start time for Saturday and 1 p.m. (ET) Sunday.

The Redbirds were in Terre Haute last weekend for their opening MVC series against Bradley due to unplayable conditions at Duffy Bass Field in Peoria, Ill. Illinois State swept a twin bill on Friday (13-1 and 7-6) while Bradley won the Saturday game (3-1).

Indiana State is coming off a 12-8 mid-week victory over Indiana which marks the Sycamores third win in four tries against Big 10 teams. Indiana State won a pair of games over Ohio State in Port Charlotte, Fla., in the Snowbird Baseball Classic (7-3 and 8-6) but dropped a mid-week game at Illinois (8-0).

Illinois State was also playing a Big 10 team in a mid-week game this week as they hosted Illinois and lost 6-1.

Series Notes:

When Indiana State takes the field against Illinois State on Friday, it will mark the 169th meeting between the two schools in a series which dates back to 1948. Indiana State has a 94-74 edge in the series but was swept in the Missouri Valley Conference series at Normal, Ill., a year ago as the Redbirds won 4-2, 9-1 and 2-0 in the three-game set.

Indiana State won 2-of-3 games against Illinois State in Terre Haute during the 2012 as they won the final two games of the series 7-3 and 11-3 after dropping the opener 3-2.

Weekend Promotions

Baseball Bingo is the name of the game at the Indiana State-Illinois State baseball game Friday. All fans can grab their BINGO cards on their way into the stadium and fill in their cards as numbers are called between innings. Any fan with a winning card can bring tier card to the press box and claim a prize.

Saturday will be Little League Saturday with youth encouraged to wear their little league jerseys to the game and receive free admission. It will also be Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day with all University faculty and staff receiving $1.00 general admission tickets.

Sunday will be another for the youth of the area. It will be Scout Day at the ballpark with $1.00 general admission tickets to all Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. It will also be a time to “Run the Bases”. Immediately after the game, all youth in eighth grade and under will have an opportunity to run the bases.

Last Time Out

Indiana State remained undefeated at home this season as the Sycamores took the lead early and surged again late to defeat the visiting Indiana Hoosiers 12-8 in a mid-week contest on Bob Warn Field at Sycamore Stadium.

Trent Lunsford started for Indiana State and worked four innings, allowing a run on three hits while striking out four. Nick Kolarik took over to start the fifth and improved to 2-0 on the year as he did not allow a run and just one hit in 1.2 innings of work. A.J. McElderry, Josh Dove, and Ryan Keaffaber also saw action late in the game as they combined to allow seven runs on six hits while striking out two and walking two.

Landon Curry led the Sycamore offense with four singles in five trips to the plate. It was his seventh multiple hit game of the season and the second time he has had four hits in a game. Cody Zimmerman and Jacob Hayes had a double and a single each. It was Zimmerman's 11th multiple-hit game of the season. Derek Hannahs had two singles and three RBIs in the game while Jeff Zahn had a double, and Manuel Estevez and Tyler Wampler had a single each.

Sycamores Move Up In RPI

Indiana State currently ranks 25th in RPI nationally according to WarrenNolen.com and has a 4-2 record against teams in the top 50 including two wins over Ohio State (19th) and two over UNC-Wilmington (47th). One of the two losses was to UNC-Wilmington while the other was to the Auburn Tigers (20th).

In the Rankings

Jacob Hayes leads the Missouri Valley Conference and ranks 10th nationally in triples (4) and triples per game (0.20). He also ranks third in the Valley in total bases (42)

Indiana State has three in the top 10 of players toughest to strike out in the Valley led by Landon Curry (second at 14.7) and followed by Derrick Hannahs (third at 12.8) and Tyler Wampler (fifth at 11.3). Hannahs also ranks second in the Valley for sacrifice bunts (5) and sacrifice bunts per game (0.25) while Curry is fifth in stolen bases (11) and stolen bases per game (0.55).

Mike Fitzgerald ranks second in the Valley and 16th nationally in being hit by a pitch per game (0.47). He also ranks  third in the Valley in being hit by a pitch (8), third home runs (3), third in home runs per game (0.18), and ranking fourth in on-base percentage (.494).

Cody Zimmerman is third in the Valley in hits (29).

Brad Lombard and David Stagg each have four victories on the season which ranks second in the Valley.

Ryan Keaffaber leads the Valley in saves and ranks 14th in the nation with six saves on the season.

Sycamores 3-1 Against Big 10

Indiana State improved their record against Big 10 teams with a 12-8 win over Indiana on Wednesday. The Sycamores also own two wins over Ohio State (7-3 and 8-6) with their only blemish so far a loss at Illinois (8-0). Indiana State will play at Indiana on April 6 and also have a home-and-home series with Purdue this season (April 22 in Terre Haute and May 13 in West Lafayette).

Reached Base Streak Reaches 17

Senior catcher Mike Fitzgerald extended his reached base streak to 17 games this season which leads the Sycamores. Red shirt junior Jacob Hayes currently  has an eight game streak while junior Landon Curry and red shirt junior Connor McClain are on seven game streaks which match their season highs. Hayes went 10 straight earlier this season.

Zimmerman Restarts Hitting Streak

Senior third baseman Cody Zimmerman had his 12 game hitting streak ended at Evansville last Sunday but restarted that run on Wednesday with two hits (double and a single) in four trips to the plate with three RBI. The two hits against Indiana marks the eighth time this season that Zimmerman has had two hits in a game, the 11th game that he has had multiple hits in a contest, his first three RBI game, and his fourth multiple RBI game.

Hannahs Getting It Done At The Plate

Red shirt junior second baseman Derek Hannahs had a 10 game hitting streak stopped at Evansville on Saturday but has now hit safely in two straight including Wednesday when he went 2-for-4 (both singles) and picked up three RBI. It was Hannahs fourth game with at least two hits and his sixth overall while posting his second three RBI game and third multiple RBI game of the season.