Indiana State University Athletics

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – For members of Indiana State's Softball program, Tuesday did not just only mark the first day of class for the spring semester. It also marked the first team practice of the 2019 season as the countdown to opening day has officially begun for the Sycamores.
 
The team began the spring season with a two-hour practice session at Indiana State's indoor athletics facility. Defensive drills and situations, hitting drills and situations and pitching sessions comprised the season's first practice plan.
 
"We had a really good start," Indiana State Head Coach Mike 'Pooch' Perniciaro said. "You can tell that the team was committed during the offseason and did their workouts. The pitched, they hit and they threw over the break which is important because we only have 21 practices from now until our first game. It was important for them to do that over the break and they did."
 
Perniciaro, referred to as "Coach Pooch," brings in eight newcomers – six freshmen and two transfers – after only losing one starter from a squad last year that saw the Sycamores post their highest Missouri Valley Conference finish since 1991. Despite so many pieces returning and eight additional players joining the program, Pooch is not worried that might bring added pressure from the team's opponents in 2019.
 
"It is not going to change our approach," Pooch said. "We are who we are and that is how we are going to play. Maybe we did catch some people off-guard last year but the thing that I look at is that we are talented. We have talented kids who are working hard. It has been a good transition. I am not really worried about what the other teams are doing, I am more focused on what we are doing."
 
After that league finish that was the best for the Sycamores in 27 years and the program's first win over Purdue since 1999, Pooch's goals still remain the same as he enters his second season leading Indiana State.
 
"Our goals are always going to be the same - we always want to be at the top of the conference," explained Pooch. "We need to compete well out of conference and we want to be a regional team that is recognized that is good, plays hard and plays the right way. Those are things that I want other teams to see from us."
 
The Sycamores open the 2019 season on Feb. 9 at Stetson while the home schedule begins on March 5 when Purdue Fort Wayne visits the Wabash Valley.
 
For the latest information on the Sycamore Softball team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.