TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State matched a season-high four errors and stranded nine runners on base in a 6-2 loss to Evansville in the second game of a Missouri Valley Conference doubleheader at Price Field Wednesday.
 
The Sycamores (21-20, 8-8) gave up two first-inning runs and never led in the contest while Evansville (12-27, 5-11) ended an eight-game losing streak. The rubber game of the three-game series is slated for Tuesday, April 24 in Evansville.
 
Grace Hunger's RBI single in the sixth drove in Indiana State's first run of the game as the Sycamores trailed 4-0. She would eventually score in that inning as Evansville's McKenzie Johnson committed her second error of the contest, but despite putting two runners on in the seventh inning, Indiana State could not push another run across the plate.
 
Abbey Kruzel (4-6) was charged with the loss after allowing two runs on five hits in one inning in the circle. Arielle Blankenship took over in the second and retired 11 of the next 12 batters before Della Gher finished the game in the circle.
 
Leslie Sims was 2-for-4 and reached on an error. She stole her 18^th base of the season, the 38^th of her career, and is the only Valley player that is perfect (18-for-18) on the base paths this season with a minimum of 10 attempts.
 
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Making just her fifth start of the year, Grace Hunger gets the nod as she was 1-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI in the contest. She was the only Sycamore with both a run scored and an RBI. Hunger notched her first hit since March 13 at Southeast Missouri State with her RBI single up the middle in the sixth inning.
 
STAT OF THE GAME
After Evansville failed to swipe a bag in the game, the Sycamores have now not allowed a stolen base in nine consecutive games.
 
PITCHERS OF RECORD

• Win: Jaime Nurrenbern, Evansville (2-3)
• Loss: Abbey Kruzel, Indiana State (4-6)
• Save: None

RECORDS UPDATE

• Indiana State: 21-20 (8-8 MVC)
• Evansville: 12-27 (5-11 MVC)

NOTABLES

• Indiana State is now 49-46 all-time against Evansville.
• Michael Perniciaro is now 12-7 all-time against the Purple Aces.
• The loss meant the two teams have split the series at one game apiece. The rubber game takes place in Evansville next Wednesday.
• Brooke Mann drew her 20^th walk of the season. That ties for the seventh-most walks a Sycamore has drawn in a season matching Cathy Holobosky's 20 walks in 1981.
• Leslie Sims now has 52 hits on the season, putting her four away from reaching the top 10 in Indiana State's single season charts.
• Leslie Sims stole her 38^th career base in the game, moving her into sole possession of sixth place all-time at Indiana State. She needs only four more stolen bases to match the 42 stolen bases of Sara Lemond (2000-03).
• Leslie Sims' stolen base marked her 18^th swipe of the year. She has tied Emily Stuck (2000) and Lea Twigg (1994) for seventh in Indiana State's single season charts for stolen bases.
• Sims is now 18-for-18 on the basepaths this year. She is the only Missouri Valley Conference player that's perfect in stolen base attempts (minimum 10 attempts).
• Becky Malchow's two stolen bases ties a career high, matching her two swipes against IUPUI on Feb. 24, 2017.

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