TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Indiana State baseball team will host its first true home series against the Evansville Purple Aces, on Mar. 27-29 at Bob Warn Field at Sycamore Stadium. ISU opened its home schedule when it hosted the Indiana State Tournament, where the Sycamores finished a perfect 4-0. Evansville enters the series with a 10-10 overall record, and 1-2 in the Missouri Valley. The Sycamores are currently 9-11, and 1-2 in the Valley. There has been a slight change to the weekend schedule. Friday's game that was originally slated for 6:30 p.m. has been moved to a 3:30 p.m. start time.
Weekend Schedule vs. Evansville
Friday: vs. Evansville, 3:30 p.m. (ET) -- Sycamore Manor Baseball Bingo
Saturday: vs. Evansville, 2:00 p.m. (ET) -- Faculty/Staff Day -- ISU faculty/staff receive free admission with a valid ID. Guests of ISU faculty/staff can purchase admission for $4.
Sunday: vs. Evansville, 1:00 p.m. (ET) -- All high school teams will receive free admission by submitting their rosters to john.sherman@indstate.edu at least 24 hours before game time. Immediately following the game, kids eighth grade and younger will be able to run the bases at Bob Warn Field!
Probable Pitchers -- Weekend Rotation
Friday: Jeff Degano (LHP, 4-2, 1.83 ERA, 39.1 IP, 48 K's)
Saturday: Ryan Keaffaber (LHP, 1-1, 2.57 ERA, 21.0 IP, 14 K's)
Sunday: David Stagg (LHP, 0-2, 6.92 ERA, 26.0 IP, 24 K's)
A Little History -- University of Evansville
The Purple Aces and the Sycamores have been rivals on the baseball diamond since 1911. ISU and UE have played in 155 contests with the Sycamores holding a 96-59 advantage. In the first-ever meeting on May 10th, 1911, ISU won by a 12-2 tally. Over the last ten years, the ISU and UE have played in 30 games, with the Sycamores holding a 13-17 record. Over the last three years, ISU is 3-6 against Evansville, including dropping the season series in 2014, two games to one. In 2014, UE won the MVC regular season and were 14-7 in conference. In 2015, the Aces have started 1-2 after a three-game series with No. 15 Dallas Baptist in Evansville.
Scouting the Purple Aces
The Purple Aces have started the 2015 season with a 10-10 record. UE has played four games against ranked opponents, going 1-3 in those games. The Aces lost 9-8 in 12 innings against defending-national champion Vanderbilt, and lost two of three against preseason MVC favorite Dallas Baptist.
The Sycamores are set to face a pair of right-handed pitchers to start the weekend before taking the field against reigning MVC Pitcher of the Week, Brodie Harkness. Friday's starter Connor Strain, has started five contests this season, going 1-2 with a 5.65 ERA. In his 28.2 innings, Strain has given up 19 runs, walked eight, struck out nine and given up four home runs. Saturday's projected starter, Patrick Schnieders, has started two games, while appearing in five more out of the bullpen. Schnieders has a 1-3 record with a 4.86 ERA in 16.2 innings of work. Freshman Brodie Harkness is coming off of a start which saw him earn weekly MVC honors. In Harkness' last start against No. 15 Dallas Baptist, Harkness tossed 8.0 innings giving up four hits and one unearned run. On the season, Harkness is 3-1 with a 4.02 ERA while logging a team-high 31.1 innings. Harkness has consistently pounded the zone, striking out 22 batters while walking six.
The Purple Aces' offense is led by MVC Preseason Selection, Kevin Kaczmarski. The senior center fielder is hitting a team-best .392 (20-for-51) average in his 13 games this season. Kaczmarski has scored 10 runs and knocked in 11 more for the Purple Aces. Kaczmarski has drawn 11 walks while striking out three times. Josh Jyawook leads the team with 16 RBI in 2015. Jyawook has hit for a .314 (22-for-70) average, and has scored 15 runs. Third baseman Jonathon Ramon has proven to be the power threat in the Aces' lineup. Ramon has a team-high three home runs while hitting for a .271 (19-for-70) average. Ramon has knocked in 13 runs for the Aces and has scored 12.
The Curse at First
The Sycamores have seen a revolving door at first base in 2015. Injuries have moved Redshirt Senior Derek Hannahs from his position at second base, over to first base. Hannahs is hitting .324 (23-for-71) in 2015, and has had the team's highest batting average each of the last two years. Four Sycamores have started at first base during the 2015 campaign. Last year's starter Jeff Zahn has gone down with an injury, which made room for Dane Giesler, a transfer from Wabash Valley CC. Giesler suffered an ACL injury in his first start at first base against Youngstown State. Manny Estevez has played two games at first, including starting against Nebraska on March 18th, where he hit his first home run of the season.
Turning the Corner
The ISU pitching staff seems to be turning the corner from their early season mishaps. In 2014, the Sycamores led the MVC with a 3.34 Team ERA. Last week, the Sycamore pitching staff posted a 3.73 ERA in the five games, while striking out 30 hitters and walking 19. In the 41.0 innings, the pitching staff gave up 38 hits, 19 runs, 17 of which were earned. Jeff Degano and Ryan Keaffaber each recorded quality starts (6.0 innings pitched, three or less earned runs). In David Stagg's two starts, he needed one more out in each to meet the 6.0 innings needed to fulfill the quality start requirements. Austin Conway made two appearances late in games over spring break, tossing 4.0 innings allowing only two hits and striking out five, recording one win.
Fantastic Freshman
True freshman Tyler Friis has seen his name in the lineup for all 20 games of the Sycamore season. Friis has a .417 on-base percentage and has taken over the lead-off spot in the ISU lineup, hitting there the last four games, including the MVC opening series against Missouri State. Friis has shown a knack for getting on base, drawing a team-high 14 walks and getting hit-by-a pitch twice. He has also hit for a .284 average. Friis has continually put the ball in play, striking out just seven times.
#Fearless
Fearless has been the attitude of the 2015 Sycamore Baseball program. This attitude was personified in the second week of the year when a schedule change saw the Sycamores travel to Port Charlotte, Fla. to take on the defending National Champion Vanderbilt Commodores. Vanderbilt took the series 2-1 but the stats during the games were comparable. Runs were tied at 10, the Commodores managed just two more hits than the Sycamores, and ISU issued 12 walks compared to 19 from Vanderbilt. Other opponents for the 2015 season include two teams that ISU saw in the NCAA Bloomington Regional, Indiana and Youngstown State. Dallas Baptist is also on the schedule who is a Top 25 team. Georgia Tech is receiving votes several polls; the Yellow Jackets took three games from ISU during the third week of the season.
Degano's Dominance
Starting pitcher Jeff Degano took over the Friday night starter's role in the series against Georgia Tech. This season Degano has pitched a combined 39.1 innings, allowing 12 runs; nine earned, 29 hits, and struck out a team-high 48, including a career-high 10 in three-straight appearances against Youngstown State, Canisius and Missouri State. Degano has also recorded five quality starts in a row. A quality start is 6.0 innings pitched, allowing three or fewer earned runs.
Game Experience
In the Georgia Tech series, the Sycamores subbed 14 times. This allowed members of the team that haven't seen the field some extended playing time. Off the bench, the Sycamores notched three hits and scored two runs during the series.
Extra Credit
During the Indiana State Tournament, the Sycamores found their power stroke, belting 20 extra base hits. Five Sycamores hit two doubles, as well as four hitting triples. Andy Young and Taylor Steen hit their first career home runs as Sycamores. Jacob Hayes showed his speed with two triples, bringing his season total to three. Hayes hit four during the 2014 season.
Speed Kills
ISU showed off their team speed during the Indiana State Tournament, hitting five triples, by four different players. The Sycamores also stole six bases in eight attempts. ISU's running game causes issues for pitchers, as Indiana State base runners constantly require attention from opposing pitchers. The Sycamores also took advantage of six opponent errors to score four unearned runs.
Early Season Recognition
The Sycamores placed four players on the Warhawk Classic All-Classic team during the weekend of Feb. 13-15 at the Warhawk Classic hosted by UL-Monroe. Position players Derek Hannahs, Kaden Moore and Andy Young earned a spot, along with pitcher Michael Eberle. ISU went 2-1 in games in Louisiana, placing second at the Classic.
Brothers in Arms
Redshirt juniors, Jeff Degano and Greg Kuhlman made their first appearances since 2013, on Opening Weekend. Both are coming off of arm injuries which didn't allow them to appear on the diamond for ISU in 2014. Kuhlman, prior to 2015, had a 3-3 career record and a 5.38 ERA after appearing in 27 games and making five starts. Degano, a transfer from Marshalltown CC, started in three games in 2013, posting an 0-1 record in 8.2 innings pitched. The pair of southpaws started Saturday and Sunday of Opening Weekend. The Sycamores featured an all-lefty rotation in the first weekend of the year at the Warhawk Classic in Monroe, La. with senior David Stagg getting the ball on Friday night.
Preseason Poll
ISU placed fourth in the MVC preseason poll with 42 points. Dallas Baptist is the preseason favorite to win the conference, earning seven of the eight possible first place votes and 62 points overall. Missouri State picked up the one other and placed second on the list with 53 total points. Wichita State finished a spot ahead of the Sycamores with 43 points. Rounding out the bottom of the conference was Evansville with 28 points, Illinois State with 26, Bradley with 18, and Southern Illinois with 15.
Preseason All-MVC
Ryan Keaffaber was the lone Sycamore to place on the preseason all-MVC team. Keaffaber is a relief pitcher that finished 2014 with a 3-2 record and a 3.26 ERA. He also was named to the 2014 Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year. Other members of the preseason all-conference team are as follows: Paul DeJong of Illinois State; Spencer Gaa and Tyler Leffler of Bradley; Daniel Salters, Justin Wall, David Martinelli, and Brandon Koch of Dallas Baptist; Dylan Becker, Tate Matheny, and Jon Harris of Missouri State; and Daniel Kihle and Sam Tewes of Wichita State.
2-for-3
Over the past three seasons, the Sycamores have earned at-large bids into the NCAA Regionals. In 2012, ISU earned a spot in the NCAA Regional in Eugene, Oregon. ISU also earned an at-large bid last season when the Sycamores competed in the NCAA Regional in Bloomington, Ind.
Stellar Sophomore
Sophomore pitcher Ryan Keaffaber had a freshman season that saw him etch his name into the Indiana State Record Book. Keaffaber earned a place on the Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American Team and was the 2014 Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year. Keaffaber appeared in 24 games with three earning a 3.26 ERA and a 3-2 record. Ryan served mostly as the closer for the Sycamores during the season. His 11 saves are the third-best total in school history while holding opponents to a .212 batting average against him. The only other Sycamore to earn Freshman of the Year honors was Mitch Stetter, a former major leaguer with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Sycamores against the Big 10
Indiana State has accrued a 1-2 record against the Big Ten Conference. ISU showed its strength against Rutgers, the first of four Big Ten teams ISU will square off with during the regular season. The Sycamores won the first contest by a 14-4 tally. The Sycamores then traveled to Lincoln, Neb. where they dropped a pair of one run games at Hawks Field against the Cornhuskers.
Lucky Number Seven
ISU is looking to make it seven winning seasons in a row. The Sycamores earned their sixth-straight winning season in 2014 after going 35-18 and earning an at-large bid into the NCAA Bloomington Regional. The six winnings seasons are the longest such streak since the 17-season streak from 1977-1993.
Look at Me, I Can Be Centerfield
Landon Curry has started in 181 and played in 182 of the 184 games for the Sycamores since arriving in the 2012 season. Curry has a career .284 batting average and 57 stolen bases. Curry needs 11 stolen bases to tie for sixth-place all-time at ISU. Curry has hit in the lead-off spot 170 times of his 182 games played. On March 18th against Nebraska, Curry hit in the second spot of the lineup, the first time since April 24, 2013 where Curry hadn't hit lead off. It snapped a streak of 84 straight games with Curry being on the top of the lineup card. Curry made the most of his one career home run, belting a grand slam against Ball State in 2012. Curry also holds the record for most times being hit-by-pitch at ISU with 49.
Powerful Pitching
The Sycamore pitching staff led the MVC with a 3.34 ERA and placed second with 17 saves in 2014. The pitchers also controlled the running game from the mound, picking off 18 runners. Continuing the pitching prowess, the Sycamores were first in runs allowed (222) and tied for first in the MVC in hits allowed (417) during the 2014 season.
Return to Action
The Sycamores are scheduled to return to action on March 31st and April 1st when they play host to in-state rivals Butler and Ball State. First pitch for both contests is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at Bob Warn Field at Sycamore Stadium.
For the latest information on the Sycamore Baseball team, make sure to visit GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook and Twitter.
