TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Sycamores will close out their regular season this weekend with a three-game MVC series at Belmont, with first pitch set for Friday at 6 p.m. ET, Saturday at 3 p.m. ET, and Sunday at 1 p.m. ET, and all games streamed live on ESPN+.
Matchup History:
Over the history of their matchups, Indiana State holds a 6-8 record against Belmont, with their first game taking place on March 10, 2004. The Sycamores have a 1-4 record at home and 4-2 record away against the Bruins. Indiana State lost the series to Belmont 3-0 last year at Price Field.
Last Time Out:
Indiana State completed a three-game sweep over UIC this weekend at Price Field, securing wins of 2-0, 3-1, and 2-0 behind dominant pitching performances and timely hitting.
In Saturday's doubleheader, the Sycamores opened with a 2-0 victory in Game One, powered by a complete-game shutout from senior Hailey Griffin and a clutch two-RBI double by Livi Colip.
Peyton Simmons led the offense with a perfect 3-for-3 performance at the plate. Indiana State carried that momentum into Game Two, rallying for a 3-1 win behind a two-run triple from Lauren Marsicek and a strong start from Cassi Newbanks, with Lauren Sackett securing the final three outs for the save.
The Sycamores capped off the series on Sunday with another 2-0 shutout. Griffin delivered her second complete-game shutout of the weekend, while Indiana State's offense was fueled by RBI contributions from both Kenzie Cornwell and Livi Colip.
Morgan Goodrich and Kenzie Cornwell each recorded multi-hit games to help lock down the sweep.
Throughout the weekend, Indiana State's pitching staff allowed just one run, while the offense delivered key hits to close out the final home series of the regular season with three consecutive wins.
Sycamore Standouts:
The Sycamores (18-30, 12-10) jumped to fifth place in the MVC standings after their impressive three-game sweep of UIC last weekend.
Morgan Goodrich consistently contributes to the lineup, batting .307 with 42 hits, 11 RBIs, 2 doubles, 2 triples, and a perfect 8-for-8 record in stolen bases across 47 games.
Both Goodrich and Kenzie Cornwell tallied 2 hits in Sunday's victory. Cornwell is hitting .323 with 20 hits in 32 games, along with 4 doubles, 8 RBIs, a .387 slugging percentage, and a .425 on-base percentage, helping drive the offense.
Lauren Marsicek brings steady production with a .302 average, 8 doubles, 1 triple, and 16 RBIs in 47 games. Her 2-RBI triple in Saturday's 3-1 win played a key role in the Sycamores' victory.
Peyton Simmons contributes with a .268 average, 15 hits, and 2 RBIs in 25 games. She has showcased her ability to get on base, posting a .379 on-base percentage and a .304 slugging percentage. Simmons had a standout performance on Saturday against UIC, going a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate
Hannah Welch has started every game for the Sycamores this season and leads the team with 20 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. She is batting .234 with 33 hits, including 5 doubles and 2 home runs.
In the Circle:
Hailey Griffin has been a key player in the circle for the Sycamores, posting a 2.49 ERA and a 10-7 record in 26 appearances. She ranks 5th in the MVC in ERA, 3rd in opposing batting average (.203), 4th in batters struck out (112), 5th in batters struck out looking (29), and 6th in wins (10) in 126.2 innings pitched.
Lauren Sackett has had a strong presence on the mound for the Sycamores, ranking 7th in batters struck out (85), and 2nd in batters struck out looking (38). In 24 appearances, she has posted a 3.57 ERA over 102 innings.
Cassi Newbanks has contributed with a 4.63 ERA and a 5-6 record in 18 appearances. In 48.1 innings, she has allowed 65 hits and 32 earned runs while striking out 26 batters.
Scouting Belmont:
Belmont (35-13, 18-6) is ranked second in the MVC standings after taking 2 out of 3 from Missouri State last weekend. The Bruins dropped game one on Friday 3-2 in 8 innings but bounced back to win game two 3-1 in 8 innings, tying the series. On Sunday, Belmont completed the series victory with a dominant 11-0 win.
Rylee Spindler leads the Bruins with a .368 batting average and has recorded 53 hits, including 8 doubles, 7 triples, 1 home runs, and 31 RBIs in 48 games. She also has 5 stolen bases on 7 attempts. Spindler ranks seventh overall in batting the Missouri Valley Conference and leads the conference with 7 triples.
Maya Johnson leads the Missouri Valley Conference with a 1.14 ERA and 302 strikeouts. She holds a 21-4 record in 29 appearances, with 172 innings pitched and 88 hits allowed, while holding opponents to a .147 batting average.
Up Next:
The Sycamores are set to travel to Des Moines, Iowa, on Wednesday, April 7, to compete in the 2025 MVC Tournament, hosted by Drake.
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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