TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Indiana State Softball is set for weekend 2 of the 2025 season, traveling to Birmingham, Alabama, to compete in the Samford Tournament. The Sycamores will face Samford and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) on Saturday and Sunday, February 15th and 16th.
All four games throughout the weekend will have live stats available, and the Sunday game at noon against Samford will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Last Time Out:
The Indiana State Sycamores opened its 2025 season with a challenging weekend at the FGCU Softball Complex, finishing with a 1-4 record but securing their first win under head coach Windy Thees.
Indiana State dropped its first four games, falling 5-2 to LIU and 3-2 to FGCU on opening day. The Sycamores then suffered two more losses on Day 2 of the Kickoff Classic, losing 8-2 to Boston College and 6-0 to Boston University.
The Sycamores capped the weekend with a 4-3 victory over LIU, marking Thees' first win at Indiana State.
A balanced offensive attack led the way, highlighted by a two-run second inning featuring an RBI triple from Mills and a Wischmeier RBI single. Esposito, Colip, and Erschen added clutch hits in the third to extend the lead to 4-0.
The Sharks put two runs on the board in the fourth inning and added another in the sixth, but the Sycamores capitalized on opportunities and secured their first win.
Griffin delivered a solid start in the circle, and Sackett secured the save with a key strikeout in the final frame.
Sycamore Standouts:
Sophie Esposito has started the season strong, hitting .389 with a .778 OPS. She tallied seven hits and three runs during the Kickoff Classic, posting a .389 on-base percentage. Esposito also leads the Sycamores with two stolen bases.
The freshmen had a strong college debut last weekend. Madison Poulson picked up her first collegiate hit, while Brailey Mills hit an RBI triple in Sunday's 4-3 win and scored three runs. Whitley Wischmeier added two hits and two RBIs over the weekend.
The Sycamores recorded three doubles this weekend, with contributions from Livi Colip, Taylor Erschen, and Hannah Welch.
Hailey Griffin led the Sycamore pitching staff this weekend, earning the first win of the 2025 season. She allowed just three hits in Sunday's game and recorded 9 strikeouts over the opening weekend. Griffin heads into this weekend with a 2.47 ERA.
Scouting Samford:
Samford went 2-2 at the Trojan Invitational, falling to North Texas 7-4 and Tennessee State 12-9 but earning wins over Central Michigan (3-2) and Troy (12-0). Katie Campbell's homer and Logan Champion's solo shot helped secure their first win. Jordyn Partain's two-hit shutout and five multi-hit performances powered the Bulldogs' dominant victory over Troy.
Scouting UAB:
UAB softball opened the season 4-1 at the South Alabama Invitational, rebounding from a 4-1 loss to South Alabama with wins over Northwestern State (7-0), UIC (8-0, 6-3), and Murray State (9-1). Tait Davidson threw a no-hitter in her debut, while Caroline McLendon posted a 0.00 ERA in 8.1 innings. Bella Wiggins hit .556 with eight stolen bases, and Lindsey Smith added two home runs.
Up Next:
The Sycamores will travel to UT Chattanooga next weekend, from February 21-23, to compete in a tournament. They will face off against UT Chattanooga, Lamar University, Illinois State, SEMO, and IU Indy.
Follow the Sycamores
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. Fans can also receive updates on Sycamore Athletics by downloading the March On App from both the App Store and the Google Play Store.
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