TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – After two weeks of rescheduling and postponement, the Sycamores will take on Youngstown State and Austin Peay in the upcoming week. ISU is hosting the Indiana State Tournament during the upcoming weekend.
The games with Youngstown State were scheduled to be the home opener for the Sycamores at Bob Warn Field at Sycamore Stadium as a three-game series was on tap. With the winter weather, ISU and YSU cancelled the series in Terre Haute, and changed to a two-game series in Westfield, Ind. The Penguins and the Sycamores will play at Grand Park in the Indianapolis suburb.
The Austin Peay contest was originally scheduled to be played in Terre Haute, with an earlier meeting to be in Clarksville. Weather postponed the first meeting between the two clubs and Tuesday's game was moved to Clarksville. The Sycamores and the Governors played once in 2014, with the game being played at Bob Warn Field.
Week Schedule vs. Youngstown State and Austin Peay
Sunday: vs. Youngstown State, at Grand Park, Westfield, Ind. 4:30 p.m. (ET)
Monday: vs. Youngstown State, at Grand Park, Westfield, Ind. 12:00 p.m. (ET)
Tuesday: at Austin Peay, 4:00 p.m. (ET)
Probable Pitching Rotation
Jeff Degano - LHP (2-1, 2.75 ERA, 18 K)
David Stagg - LHP (0-1, 10.97 ERA, 13 K)
Jeremy McKinney - RHP (1-1, 2.61 ERA, 12 K)
Schedule Change -- Youngstown State
The series between the Penguins and the Sycamores was moved from Bob Warn Field at Sycamore Stadium in Terre Haute, to Grand Park in Westfield, Ind. What was originally scheduled as a three game series is now a two game set to be played on Sunday and Monday. The Sycamores play their first game at Bob Warn Field on March 12th against Central Michigan as the opening game of the Indiana State Tournament.
A Little History -- Youngstown State
The Sycamores and the Penguins have met on the baseball diamond one other time. In 2014, ISU and YSU played in an elimination game in the NCAA Bloomington Regional. Youngstown State ended up beating the Sycamores by a 5-2 tally and ending the Sycamores' postseason run. Youngstown made the NCAA Regional by winning the Horizon League Tournament. Youngstown State finished 2014 with a 17-38 record.
Scouting the Penguins
Youngstown State has felt the wrath of the early season weather issues. The Penguins have only taken the field three times, and that was opening weekend at Jacksonville State. The Penguins were swept in the three-game series, playing one game Friday, Feb. 13, before playing a double header on Saturday, Feb. 14. Weekend series against Tennessee Tech and Western Carolina have been cancelled. Lorenzo Arcuri leads the team with a .417 average after three games. Arcuri has scored three runs and recorded two RBI. Alex Core and Ryan Cordova are tied for the team lead in RBI despite both of them only starting one game. Core is batting .400 in just five at bats, while Cordova is hitting .250 in four at bats. On the mound, Penguin starts have thrown in a combined 8.2 innings in the three games. Kevin Yarabinec had the longest outing of any member of the pitching staff, going 3.2 innings, allowing six hits, seven runs, four earned, and walking four. In the three games over Opening Weekend, Youngstown used 11 different pitchers. Ryan Krokos and Jared Wright were the only two to have scoreless appearances.
Schedule Change -- Austin Peay
The contest scheduled for Mar. 10th in Clarksville, Tenn. was originally scheduled to be played in Terre Haute. Due to the winter weather, the first matchup in Clarksville was postponed and rescheduled for the 10th. There has not been a makeup date released for the contest to be played in Terre Haute.
A Little History -- Austin Peay
The Sycamores and the Governors have played a total of 40 times, the Sycamores lead the series 25-15. Last year the two schools met one time, a 3-0 ISU victory. In 2013, the schools split the two game season series, with both teams winning on their home field. The 2012 matchup between the schools was during the NCAA Eugene Regional. The Governors took the game 1-0 to end the historical season for the Sycamores that saw them win 41 games, the most since the 1991 campaign when the Sycamores won 42 games under legendary head coach Bob Warn. In the last ten years, APSU and ISU have played 13 times with the Sycamores going 5-8 during that time.
Scouting the Governors
Austin Peay is currently 5-4 in the 2015 season. The Governors opened the season as part of the Governors Challenge and played games against Niagara and South Dakota State, both Governor victories. Austin Peay played Western Michigan in a three game series at the end of February, dropping two of the three contests. Ridge Smith is leading the Governors with a .472 batting average. Smith has started and played in all nine games, going 17-for-36 with eight extra base hits. Smith has also knocked in seven runs while scoring five. Alex Robles leads the team with 11 RBI. Robles is hitting for a .371 average and has the team's lone homer. The Governors are hitting for a .302 team average, 38th best in Division I. On the mound, Austin Peay is led by Caleb Powell. Powell has started two games and has a 2.84 ERA. In 12.2 innings pitched, Powell has given up 14 hits, six runs, four earned, walked two batters and struck out nine. Powell has won both of his starts so far this season. Jared Carkuff leads the Governor staff with 16.1 innings pitched in the 2015 season. Carkuff sports a 4.41 ERA and a 1-2 record.
#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 are now a Top 25 team, as well as this upcoming series against Georgia Tech, in which the Yellow Jackets are receiving votes in the NCBWA poll, as well as the USA Today Coaches' Poll, and Collegiate Baseball.
Degano's Dominance
Starting pitcher Jeff Degano took over the Friday night starter's role in the series against Georgia Tech. In his past two starts, Degano has pitched a combined 14.0 innings, allowing two runs, nine hits, and struck out 11. Degano has also recorded two quality starts in his last three outings. The start that didn't meet the quality start specifications was his first start since undergoing Tommy John surgery to repair his throwing elbow.
Struggling at the Plate
Against Georgia Tech, the Sycamore offense managed a .128 batting average. This was .091 points lower than the previous weekend against the Vanderbilt Commodores. ISU had 11 hits over the weekend, with Derek Hannahs and Andy Young recording multiple hits in the series.
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.
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.
Power Surge
In the first three games of the season, three different Sycamores hit home runs. In 2014, ISU hit 14 team home runs in their 53 games. Jacob Hayes hit his fifth career home run against Grambling State. Hunter Owen hit the first of his career on the first pitch he saw of 2015 against Central Arkansas, Tony Rosselli also went yard against UCA, his second career homer.
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. Ryan earned a place on the Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American Team and was the 2014 Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year. Ryan 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 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 did well against Big 10 teams in 2014. The Sycamores split with Indiana, defeating the Hoosiers 12-8 in Terre Haute on March 26 but lost at Indiana 8-4 on Apr. 9. Indiana State owns two wins over Ohio State (7-3 and 8-6) but lost at Illinois (8-0). Indiana State defeated Purdue 10-3 on Apr. 22. In 2015, ISU is scheduled to face off against the Big Ten seven times, with games against Rutgers, Nebraska, Indiana, and Purdue. The first test against the Big Ten is scheduled for Mar. 14th as Rutgers makes the trek to Terre Haute to play in the Indiana State Tournament.
Lucky Number Seven
ISU is looking to make it seven winning season 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 Regionals in Bloomington, Ind. 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 161 and played in 162 of the 164 games for the Sycamores since arriving in the 2012 season. Entering 2015, Curry had a career .290 batting average and 53 stolen bases. Curry needs 15 stolen bases to tie for sixth-place all-time at ISU. Curry has hit in the lead-off spot 153 times of his 162 games played, and every game since April 24, 2013, a string of 69 straight entering 2015. Curry made the most of his one career home run, belting a grand slam against Ball State in 2012.
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 Mar. 10th when they travel to Clarksville, Tenn. to take on the Governors of Austin Peay. The game was originally scheduled to by played in Terre Haute, but a postponement of a contest from earlier in the season changed the venue to Raymond C. Hand Park on the campus of Austin Peay.
For the latest information on the Sycamore Men's Baseball team, make sure to visit GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook and Twitter.
