TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State returns to conference play this weekend as the Sycamores make the trip to conference newcomer UIC for a three-game series at Curtis Granderson Stadium over March 31-April 2.
 
SCHEDULE UPDATE: Friday's opener has been moved up to a 1 p.m. ET first pitch. Saturday (3 p.m.) and Sunday (2 p.m.) are also set for afternoon contests. All three games are set to be streamed live via ESPN+ and 105.5 The Legend, while live stats will be provided on GoSycamores.com. Follow us on Twitter at @IndStBaseball for all schedule updates this weekend.
 
The Sycamores enter the conference weekend sitting in a three-way tie atop the Missouri Valley standings following their opening weekend sweep over Valparaiso. ISU, Evansville, and Southern Illinois all sit 3-0 after the first weekend of conference play.

Indiana State also boasts a four-game winning streak following their midweek 8-2 win over Purdue. The Sycamores utilized a strong pitching performance from Lane Miller (8.0 IP, 5 K) and Luis Hernandez's two-double game on their way to winning their fifth consecutive contest against the Boilermakers.
 
Miller made his first start since 2020 one to remember as the redshirt senior needed just 100 pitches to go into the ninth inning against the Boilermakers. He surrendered eight hits and two runs while posting career-highs in both innings pitched and strikeouts. The victory also marked his first win in the Sycamore Blue & White.
 
Hernandez added to his career-best on-base streak sophomore connected on RBI doubles in both the first and third innings to mark 16 consecutive games on base. Miguel Rivera and Keegan Watson also drove in two runs apiece as the Sycamores went ahead 6-0 after three innings in cruising to the non-conference win.
 
The Sycamores' win moved Indiana State to 9-11 against non-conference competition as ISU continued one of the nation's toughest slates on the year. ISU enters the weekend competition sitting 26th overall in RPI sitting as one of three MVC schools in the top 100 in RPI in the country joined by Evansville (32) and Bradley (95).
 
Indiana State's strength of schedule continues to also be one of the toughest in the country. ISU is currently second overall in non-conference strength of schedule sitting behind Florida State (1), while Charlotte (3), Florida A&M (4), and Clemson (5) round out the top five. Factoring in conference games, ISU boasts the third-toughest schedule in the country trailing only Florida State (1) Charlotte (2). Oregon (4) and UCLA (5)
 
The Sycamores have proven they will face anyone this season in the schedule. Two teams currently sitting in the top 10 in the country in RPI in Kentucky (1) and Vanderbilt (9). Other opponents in the top-35 include Miami (14), Northeastern (21), Indiana (27), Missouri (28), Evansville (32), and Illinois (34).
 
Indiana State looks to build off the momentum from their conference opening weekend as the Sycamores began MVC play with a 3-0 record for just the fifth time in program history and first since 2016. Indiana State hit .316 from the plate as a team with 10 extra-base hits over the three-game stretch. From the mound, the ISU pitching staff combined for a 1.67 ERA with a 23:6 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 27.0 innings against Valparaiso.
 
Seth Gergely continues to lead Indiana State's hitting efforts on the year. The redshirt senior boasts a team-best seven-game hitting streak on his way to posting a .338 batting average. He's second on the team in doubles (5), home runs (3), and RBI (17), while also leading the Sycamores with eight stolen bases. Keegan Watson is also on a seven-game hitting streak in putting his average to .324, while Luis Hernandez (.293, eight doubles), and Mike Sears (.265, seven home runs, 21 RBI) are also among the team hitting leaders.
 
Sixteen different Indiana State pitchers have seen time on the mound this year with the Sycamores boasting a team 5.43 ERA and a 214:96 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Four different ISU pitchers have posted two wins in 2023, while Matt Jachec (35) and Jared Spencer (28) are the team's strikeout leaders. Cameron Holycross (0.66 ERA) and Spencer (3.12 ERA) are among the team's ERA leaders on the year.
 
The Sycamores continue to be elite defensively. Indiana State entered the week fourth in the NCAA and first in the MVC in fielding percentage. The Sycamores are fielding at a .986 clip on the season with four players posting perfect 1.000 percentages with at least 20 chances.
 
Scouting the Opposition
UIC Flames
UIC enters the weekend series with a 9-11 overall record on the year, 0-3 mark in Missouri Valley play. The Flames are coming off a midweek win against Western Illinois as UIC snapped a three-game skid after falling in all three games of their MVC opening series at Southern Illinois. UIC is a perfect 3-0 at home in 2023 with wins over Northwestern, Milwaukee, and WIU.
 
AJ Henkle (.333) is the team's hitting leader on the season as the redshirt sophomore paces a UIC offense that is hitting .249 from the plate as a team. Charlie Szykowny (.329) is also among the team leaders, while Carson Robert (.292) is just shy of a .300 mark on the year. Szykowny is the team leader in hits (27), home runs (5) and RBI (17), while Henkle has four homers and 15 RBI on the season. Cole Conn is the team's stolen base leader going a perfect 9-for-9 on the season. UIC's pitching staff has posted a team 7.19 ERA on the season with 14 different pitchers making appearances on the mound. Six different pitchers have earned starts on the year including Kade Lancour (3-2, 5.72 ERA) and Brandon Bak (0-3, 5.72 ERA), while Matt Zahora has a team-high nine appearances on the season. The Flames have posted a 112:88 strikeout-to-walk ratio on the season and have allowed opponents to hit .297 from the plate on the season.
 
UIC was selected eighth overall in the Missouri Valley preseason poll as voted on by the league's head coaches. The Flames received 25 total points in their first season in the MVC. UIC welcomed back Freshman All-American Breck Nowik (.335) to the roster, while Rayth Petersen (.330) was also one of the top hitters in the lineup in 2022. Tyler Ingram was the lone returning weekend starter entering the year after a 4-4 mark and 58 strikeouts in 71.1 innings.
 
UIC's 2023 schedule features two common non-conference opponents with the Sycamores. The Flames have home-and-home series with Purdue (Mar. 21 & May 10) and Iowa (Apr. 18 & May 16). UIC topped Purdue on March 21 in West Lafayette, 6-4.
 
Indiana State – UIC History
Indiana State and UIC have only met twice in their respective program histories dating back to the first matchup in 2012. The Sycamores won the inaugural contest held in Chicago on April 3, 2012, 8-7, in 12 innings. UIC returned the favor the following season in Terre Haute with a 6-2 win on March 27, 2013.
 
Chasing 100
Head Coach Mitch Hannahs enters the weekend series sitting 98-75-1 all-time in Missouri Valley games. The Sycamore skipper is looking to become the fourth active coach in the MVC to reach 100 conference wins joining Evansville's Wes Carroll, Missouri State's Keith Guttin, and Bradley's Elvis Dominguez.
 
If Hannahs hits 100 wins this weekend, he will be just the fifth Missouri Valley coach to hit the 100-win conference mark and have an above .500 record in conference play. He would be one of two active coaches to hit the mark joining Missouri State's Keith Guttin (436-328, 1983-present). Dallas Baptist's Dan Heefner (118-51-1, 2014-22), Creighton's Ed Servais (144-89, 2004-13), and Wichita State's Gene Stephenson (564-198, 1978-2013) all finished their time in the Missouri Valley with an above .500 record in the MVC.

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