Indiana State University Athletics

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Indiana State baseball will travel to Normal to face Illinois State this weekend in a three-game series. Both the Sycamores and Illinois State enter play atop the Missouri Valley Conference at 9-3. First pitch is set for Friday at 6 p.m. ET from Duffy Bass Field. Saturday's action is set for 3 p.m. ET and the finale will begin Sunday at 2 p.m. All three games are scheduled to air on ESPN Plus. Fans can also listen to the action on GoSycamores.com free-of-charge.
 
LOOKING AT INDIANA STATE
The Sycamores come into play at 32-10 on the season and 9-3 in MVC play. ISU is hitting .268 as a squad. Catcher Max Wright (.321, 7 2B, 4 HR, 28 RBI, .414 OBP) and shortstop Clay Dungan (.301, 7 2B, 6 HR, 23 RBI, .479 SLG) lead the team while four other ISU batters are hitting above .270 on the year. Indiana State boasts the 10th-best team ERA in collegiate baseball at 3.20. ISU's .979 fielding percentage ranks 16th nationally and tops in the MVC. 
 
PITCHING STRONG FOR THE SYCAMORES
The Indiana State pitching staff has been outstanding this season, combining for a 3.20 team ERA which is 10th nationally. As a team, ISU also ranks 7th nationally with a 1.17 WHIP and 13th with five shutouts. ISU pitching has combined to hit just 15 batters which is second-best in the country. Four Sycamores have ERA's lower than 2.60 through 42 games. Starting pitcher Collin Liberatore has a 2.00 ERA in 11 starts and 72 innings while Tyler Ward has a 1.99 ERA in over 15 appearances out of the bullpen.
 
THE WEEKEND ROTATION
#28 Triston Polley / Sr. / LHP
6-0, 2.05 ERA, 74.2 IP, 44 H, 17 ER, 60 K, 32 BB
Last Outing: 9.0 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 11 K vs The Citadel 
 
#32 Collin Liberatore / Jr. / RHP
8-0, 2.00 ERA, 72.0 IP, 44 H, 16 ER, 49 K, 19 BB
Last Outing: 8.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 10 K vs SIU
 
#26 Tyler Whitbread / Sr. / RHP
5-1, 3.51 ERA, 51.1 IP, 51 H, 20 ER, 37 K, 9 BB
Last Outing: 3.0 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 3 K vs SIU
 
LOOKING AT THE REDBIRDS
Illinois State enters the play at 27-18 after dropping two-of-three games at Dallas Baptist and a midweek loss to Northwestern Wednesday. The Redbirds are led by Joe Aeilts at the plate with a .362 batting average in 45 starts. Jack Butler (.330) and John Rave (.328) also provide strong bats in the order. Brett Wicklund leads the Redbirds with a 3.59 ERA in eight starts. As a team, Illinois State holds a 5.06 ERA and a .972 fielding percent.
 
ALL-TIME VS ILLINOIS STATE
In one of the oldest series in program history, dating all the way back to 1948, Indiana State leads the Redbirds 106-81. Illinois State took the series last season in Terre Haute, winning two of three games after dropping the opener. The two teams met four times in 2017, including a non-conference season opening game in Clarksville, Tennessee. Indiana State took three of the four meetings, including a sweep of the Redbirds in Normal. 
 
SEVEN WEEKEND SWEEPS IN 2019
Indiana State has recorded seven weekend sweeps during the 2019 season, including four sweeps away from home (at Jacksonville, at UNCW Tournament, at Mercer and against Rutgers in Fort Myers). ISU has swept The Citadel, Valparaiso and most recently Southern Illinois at home. The 2018 Sycamores recorded just two road sweeps (at The Citadel and Valparaiso). The Sycamores took both games from Austin Peay earlier this season, but the finale was canceled due to weather.
 
JUMPING ON TOP AND CLOSING THEM OUT
Indiana State has put up runs consistently this season, averaging six runs a game while outscoring opponents, 257-145. The Sycamores have outscored opponents 53-16 in the first inning of action and 30-8 in the fourth. ISU puts up more runs than opponents in all but two innings this season, including a 40-15 mark in the eighth and ninth innings combined.
 
LIBERATORE MVC PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Collin Liberatore set a new career high with 10 strikeouts as he helped clinch the series with a 7-2 victory Saturday. Liberatore held the Salukis to just two hits over eight innings on the mound. The right-hander retired seven-straight batters to close out his day while retiring the Salukis in order in four different innings. Liberatore issued just one free pass on the day of the 27 hitters he faced as he improved to 8-0 on the year.
 
THE ARM OF APRIL
Collin Liberatore dominated the month of April on the mound for ISU. In four starts, the junior allowed just four runs in 32.2 innings for a 1.10 ERA. The right-hander struck out 19 and walked just seven while allowing just 16 hits and holding opponents to a .147 average against. 
 
A SPECTACULAR SENIOR SEASON
Tyler Ward has seen action in 15 games out of the bullpen his senior season, currently with a 5-1 record and a 1.99 ERA. The right-hander has pitched 40.2 innings and allowed just nine earned runs while striking out 30 and walking just eight. He is second on the team with four saves and third in wins. In April, Ward saw action in six games, with a 0.51 ERA and a 4-1 record. Opponents scored just one earned run against Ward in 17.2 innings. 
 
WATKINS RISING
Second baseman Jarrod Watkins hit for a team-best .626 batting average over the weekend against Southern Illinois. He saw his average climb from .280 to .305 over the course of three games. The senior scored five runs, drove in six and picked up one walk for a .615 on-base percentage. He recorded five extra-base hits over the weekend with four doubles and a home run for a 1.273 slugging percentage. A Washington, Illinois native, Watkins went 4-for-4 with three doubles in the series opener against SIU while hitting a two-run home run in the bottom of the first to put the Sycamores in front in the finale. He was also perfect fielding his position in 13 chances.
 
NOT AFRAID TO WEAR IT
Indiana State ranks 24th in the nation in hit-by-pitches, taking 69 HBP's. Jake Means has been hit a team-high 13 times. Max Wright and Roby Enriquez has been beaned 10 times. Ten different batters have been hit-by-pitch more than once.
 
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For the latest information on the Sycamore Baseball team, be sure to visit GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.