TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Amanda Guercio was 2-for-2 at the plate, Della Gher tied her own school record with her fifth save of the season and the Sycamores recorded a three-game Missouri Valley Conference sweep for the first time since 2015 as Indiana State claimed a 2-0 win over Valparaiso at Price Field Sunday.
 
Indiana State (15-10, 3-0) scored the only runs of the game in the first inning and forced Valparaiso (12-11, 0-3) to leave six runners stranded in scoring position throughout the game, including all three bases occupied as the game ended.
 
Gher's save came in more ways than one. Not only is she credited with a statistical save, the game ended on her quick reaction as Valparaiso threatened with bases loaded and two outs in the seventh. That was when Carly Trepanier ripped a line drive back to the circle which Gher snagged for the final out. The result was a shifting of the record books – Gher ties her own record while the 2018 Sycamores become the first team in school history to start conference play 3-0.
 
Guercio beat out a throw by Crusader catcher Jenna Stauffenberg in the first frame to keep the inning alive and send ISU's second run across the plate. Brooke Mann had already given the Sycamores the lead with an RBI single to left center. That hit for Guercio gave her the confidence to continue the positive plate appearances as she followed that with a single up the middle in the third then drew a walk in the sixth.
 
Arielle Blankenship (7-2) was credited with the win after allowing only one hit in three innings in relief. She retired the first seven batters she faced and allowed no walks and two strikeouts.
 
PLAYER OF THE GAME
With three positive plate appearances, Amanda Guercio is our honoree. She was 2-for-2 at the plate with a walk and it was her determined running to beat out a close play at first on a slow-rolling single that allowed Indiana State's second run of the game to cross the plate.
 
STAT OF THE GAME
Of the nine runners left on base by the Crusaders in the game, six were stranded in scoring position.
 
PITCHERS OF RECORD

• Win: Arielle Blankenship, Indiana State (7-2)
• Loss: Kenzie Grossmann, Valparaiso (8-4)
• Save: Della Gher, Indiana State (5)

RECORDS UPDATE

• Indiana State: 15-10 (3-0 MVC)
• Valparaiso: 12-11 (0-3 MVC)

NOTABLES

• This marks the first time in school history Indiana State has started conference play with three straight wins (includes Missouri Valley Conference and Gateway Conference play).
• Indiana State now leads the all-time series over Valparaiso, 11-2. The Sycamores have won 11 straight in the series.
• ISU is 8-1 all-time against Valparaiso when playing in Terre Haute.
• The win clinches the first Missouri Valley Conference series sweep for the Sycamores since winning two games over Northern Iowa in 2016 (the third game of the series was canceled due to weather).
• This marks the first three-game series sweep for Indiana State in Missouri Valley Conference play since 2015 when the Sycamores won all three games over Evansville.
• With the save, Della Gher has tied her own school record with her fifth save of the season. She set that record last season as a freshman.

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