COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Lexi Benko threw Indiana State's third no-hitter since the 2012 season as the Sycamores split a pair of games to close their trip to the Golden Eagle Classic at Tennessee Tech.
 
Game One
Indiana State shut out Quinnipiac 9-0 on the heels of a no-hitter from Lexi Benko. The Chesterton, Ind. native struck out five on the afternoon and allowed just one base runner, a hit-by-pitch in the fourth inning, to secure the no-no.
 
Isabella Henning led off the second inning with a single to right field and would come around to score on a Lexie Siwek RBI single up the middle to make it a 1-0 game.
 
The Sycamores added to their lead in the third inning on a RBI groundout from Annie Tokarek that scored Olivia Patton who led the inning off with a single.
 
The Indiana State offense broke the game open in the top of the fifth, scoring seven runs on five hits in the frame. Abi Chipps started the action with a bunt single where she would come all the way around to score on a Bobcat throwing error to make it 3-0. Isabella Henning made it 6-0 with a three-run blast to left for her first home run of the season.
 
Amanda Guercio made it back-to-back home runs with a solo shot down the left field line which put the Sycamores up 7-0. Cassie Thomerson made it 9-0 with a pinch-hit 2-RBI single to left field before the Bobcats retired the side.
 
Benko got two groundballs and struck out the final batter of the game to finish off the no-hitter. She improves to 6-5 on the season while lowering her ERA to 2.14.
 
Indiana State finished the game with eight hits, including a 2-for-3 effort from Isabella Henning which was her second multi-hit game of the weekend.
 
Guercio's home run was her second of the season and her second-straight game with a home run, both coming against Quinnipiac.
 
Game Two
The Sycamores fell 7-4 in a hard-fought effort against Tennessee Tech in the final game of the trip.
 
Tennessee Tech jumped out in front early, putting up four runs in the first inning. Cassi Newbanks replaced starter Lyndsi Adamson with one out in the inning and got the next two batters to retire the side.
 
Lexi Siwek helped cut into the lead with an RBI single in the top of the second to score Amanda Guercio. The Golden Eagles added a solo shot in the bottom half of the frame to take a 5-1 lead.
 
The Sycamores would make it a 5-3 ballgame in the third, scoring two runs with a Bella Peterson SAC fly RBI and an Annie Tokarek RBI single. The Golden Eagles were able to get a strikeout to end the Indiana State threat and strand two runners on base.
 
In the top of the fourth, TeAnn Bringle got aboard with a one-out single and got to second on an error. Cassie Thomerson drove her in with a pinch-hit RBI single to make it a 5-4 game. The Sycamores would leave runners on second and third as Tennessee Tech got a strikeout and a groundout to get out of the inning.

Newbanks worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth to keep it a one-run game.
 
With one out in the bottom of the sixth, the Golden Eagles hit a two-run home run to left field to extend their lead to 7-4.
 
Indiana State got a runner on in the seventh with an Annie Tokarek single but couldn't get anything else going, falling 7-4 in the finale of the road trip.
 
The loss drops Lyndsi Adamson to 3-1 on the year. Cassi Newbanks worked 5.2 innings in relief and allowed three earned runs.
 
The Sycamores finished the night with nine hits, with multi-hit performances coming from Tokarek and Siwek who each had two.
 
Around the Horn
-Lexi Benko's no-hitter against Quinnipiac is the first for Indiana State since 2016 when Taylor Lockwood no-hit Loyola Chicago.
 
-The Sycamores now have three players with double-digit RBIs. Annie Tokarek has a team-high 11 while both Isabella and Danielle Henning have 10.
 
-Indiana State is now 3-0 all-time against Quinnipiac after picking up two victories this weekend. The all-time series with Tennessee Tech is now tied at three.
 
-Lexie Siwek finished the weekend 7-for-10, including three multi-hit games. She now has a four-game hitting streak.
 
-Isabella Henning went 6-12 over the weekend, collecting two doubles, a home run and six RBIs
 
-The Sycamores 155 hits this season are second-most among MVC teams, trailing only Bradley who has 165.
 
Up Next
Indiana State will open MVC play at home this weekend with a three-game series against Valparaiso. Saturday will be a doubleheader starting at noon with Sunday's finale also beginning at noon.

For the latest information on Sycamore Softball, be sure to visit GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.