Ashley Dickerson
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Indiana State Baseball (11-6, 0-0 MVC) is set to open their home slate at Bob Warn Field on Saturday for a double header against Siena College (2-11, 0-0 MAAC) at 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., and will continue for a game three on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. The home opener will feature renovations that will be headlined by the brand new, interactive video board in right center field.
Weekend Schedule
Saturday: vs. Siena (DH) 1:00pm & 4:00pm
Sunday: vs. Siena 1:00pm
Probable Pitchers
Saturday: Daniel Peterson, Justin Hill
Sunday: TBD
Summing It Up
Indiana State Baseball (11-6) is coming off of a 11-7 win over No.13 N.C. State on Wednesday. The Sycamores out-slugged the Wolfack, tallying 16 hits in game two. The team collected a total of 24 hits in the midweek split. Indiana State now owns two wins over ranked opponents, including one over then No. 22 Oklahoma State on March 6.
MVC Honors Sweep
Indiana State not only swept the weekend at the Campbell Invitational, and earned a win over ranked N.C. State, they swept the Missouri Valley Conference honors for the week of March 14. Senior Daniel Peterson was named pitcher of the week, while junior Hunter Owen was named player of the weekl This week marks the second consecutive week the Sycamores earned pitcher of the week honors.
MVC Pitcher of the Week - Mar. 7
After a standout appearance in game three against the Cowboys, LHP Justin Hill, and Sycamore newcomer, earned MVC Pitcher of the Week honors for week three of the season. Hill allowed just two hits in 7.2 innings on the mound, improved himself to 2-0 on the mound, and led the Sycamores to their second shutout win this season. Hill currently holds a 1.47 ERA, good enough for a top five spot in the Valley.
Owen At The Plate
Junior Hunter Owen is currently on a seven-game hitting streak as he hit his first home run of the 2016 season on March 12 against Davidson, while going 7-for-12 on the weekend with six RBIs and a hit by pitch. The junior collected four hits against No.13 N.C. State while driving in three runs. Owen leads the team in overall hitting with a .412 batting average, a .588 slugging percentage and .488 on base percentage throughout 17 games started and played. Owen continues to produce at the plate as he leads the Sycamores in multiple offensive categories. Owen headlines the runs category with 17, hits with 28, doubles with seven, RBIs with 19, and hit by pitches with four.
Immediate Impact
Freshman Clay Dungan has been impactful for the Sycamores out of the dugout. Having started eight and playing in 11 games for ISU, the freshman is hitting a remarkable .400 at the plate, and is 12-for-30 overall, including a 4-for-5, two RBI game against No.13 N.C. State in the 11-7 win on Wednesday afternoon. Accompanying Dungan is freshman Chris Ayers who has started five games, playing in eight, inking a .348 average with three doubles.
Peterson Back On Top
Senior Daniel Peterson has been battling injury after injury since the 2013 season. This year, Peterson (3-1) has made five appearances while starting in three. His start against Dartmouth was his first since the 2013 season, and he threw seven complete innings while striking out nine, walking one, and only allowing three hits. Peterson earned the win in shutout manor. Peterson earned his third win over Davidson in the Campbell Invitational where he pitched eight complete innings, striking out 10, and allowing only four hits. Peterson improved his ERA to 1.40 and total strikeouts to 27, putting him at the top of the Sycamore pitching staff in both categories.
Doubling Up
The Sycamores remain solid in the field, sporting a Missouri Valley Conference best .977 fielding percentage. Senior Andy DeJesus has played a role in all 15 double plays, while sophomore Tyler Friis has had his hands on 12.
A Little History
The Sycamores and the Saints have not met in the past, making this the first meetings between the two schools.
Scouting The Competition
The Siena Saints are currently 2-11 on the season and 0-0 MAAC. On the offensive side, the Saints are led by Jordan Bishop (.319 batting average, 15 hits, .407 on base percentage), Joe Drpich (.304 batting average, 13 RBIs), and Dan Swain (.314 batting average, 11 hits, .600 slugging percentage). The pitching staff is led by Tim Zehnbauer who carries a 1.35 ERA over three appearances. Kyano Cummings leads the team in innings pitched with 20.1 and carries a 6.20 ERA and 15 strikeouts, while Chris Amorosi has pitched 15.2 innings and has struck out 15 as well and holds a 10.34 ERA.
Be sure to join the Sycamores this weekend and check out the field upgrades, and follow us on Twitter and Facebook for updates throughout the year.
