EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Leslie Sims broke the school record for career stolen bases, tied her own school record for stolen bases in a single game and went 3-for-3 at the plate as Indiana State downed Evansville, 5-1, in the opening game of a Missouri Valley Conference doubleheader at Cooper Stadium.
 
The Sycamores (14-23, 2-10 MVC) used Sims's speed early and often to jump out to a lead on the Purple Aces (12-23, 2-10) and not relinquish it. A leadoff walk and stolen base to start the game by Sims put her in position to score when Shaye Barton crushed a double to right center two batters later. That would be one of Barton's two RBI in the game.
 
Olivia Patton celebrated her birthday later in the opening inning by drawing a bases loaded walk for her first collegiate RBI and to push Indiana State's lead to 2-0.
 
After a solo home run by Haley Woolf scored Evansville's only run of the game in the third inning, ISU responded with single runs in three consecutive innings starting with Brooke Mann's RBI single in the fifth. Barton belted her second RBI with a single in the sixth to score Sims for a second time while Mycaela Miller's single up the middle drove in a run in the seventh for the 5-1 advantage.
 
Gabbi Schnaiter (7-10) was credited with the win after allowing only one run on five hits while walking three in 6.0 innings on the mound. Arielle Blankenship tossed the final inning, ending the game with a strikeout. Emily Lockhart (5-11) was charged with the loss for Evansville after allowing five runs on nine hits with five walks and four strikeouts in the complete game performance.
 
PLAYER OF THE GAME
When you set a school record, expect to see your name here. Leslie Sims set a new school record for career stolen bases (70) and tied her own school record for stolen bases in a single game (3) while going 3-for-3  with a walk in the doubleheader's opening game. She also scored twice in the contest.
 
STAT OF THE GAME
Indiana State has stolen at least three bases in each of the last three games.
 
PITCHERS OF RECORD

• Win: Gabbi Schnaiter, Indiana State (7-10)
• Loss: Emily Lockhart, Evansville (5-11)
• Save: None

RECORDS UPDATE

• Indiana State: 14-23 (2-10 MVC)
• Evansville: 12-23 (2-10 MVC)

NOTABLES

• Indiana State is now 50-46 all-time against Evansville with a 14-20 record in Evansville.
• Leslie Sims broke the Indiana State record for career steals in the second inning, surpassing Amy Vaira's (1992-95) old record of 68 stolen bases. Sims ended the game with 70 steals setting a new school record.
• Leslie Sims ended the game with 70 career stolen bases, a mark that ranks tied for sixth in MVC history alongside Drake's Lindsay Larry (2004-07).
• Sims finished the game with three stolen bases in the game, tying a career-high mark. She previously stole three bases against La Salle on March 10, 2017. That mark is a school record.
• Mike Perniciaro is now 14-7 all-time as a head coach against Evansville.

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