TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State heads to Normal, Ill. as the Sycamores continue Missouri Valley play this weekend with a three-game series at Duffy Bass Field against Illinois State in a key conference series. All three games will be carried live on 105.5 The Legend, while Sunday's game will also be simulcast on ESPN+.
 
Friday's game is set for a 6 p.m. ET first pitch, Saturday at 4 p.m., and Sunday a 2 p.m. start, however weather in the Bloomington-Normal area may cause game time changes. Stay up-to-date on all the information by following the Indiana State social media channels.
 
Recapping The Midweek

• Indiana State fell in back-to-back contests this week as the Sycamores dropped a 7-3 decision on the road at Illinois on Tuesday, before falling to visiting SIUE on Wednesday afternoon by a 17-9 score.
• Carter Beck (.375) and Colin Sander (.300) have been among the team's hitting leaders on the week with three hits apiece, as well as both connecting on doubles over the pair of losses.
• Jaxon Sparks highlighted the week with his first collegiate home run in Wednesday's contest against SIUE as the freshman added a career-high four RBIs against the Cougars.
• Caleb Niehaus and Emil Estrella also doubled over the midweek games, while Niehaus, Nick Sutherlin, and Caden Miller all scored multiple runs.
• The Sycamores utilized 14 different pitchers on the mound over the two midweek games in posting a 12.18 team ERA over 17.0 innings pitched.
• Owen Roberts, Brady Banker, Jack Armstrong, Ryan Karst, and Hunter Small all recorded shutout innings on the mound, while Trevor Fenters posted a 3.38 ERA over 2.2 innings in relief outings against both Illinois and SIUE. 

Season Spotlight

• Mason Roell (.411) has continued to power the Indiana State offensive production since joining the Sycamore lineup. The sophomore third baseman leads the team with eight home runs, while adding a team-high .836 slugging percentage and .543 on-base percentage and enters the weekend on a 10-game hitting streak.
• Carter Beck (.355) continues to showcase why the junior outfielder was selected the Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Player of the Year, leading the Sycamores with 17 multi-hit games and eight multi-RBI contests. He currently is on a 15-game hitting streak and has reached base safely in the last 17 games.
• Colin Sander's (.351) eight-game hitting streak came to an end on Wednesday night against SIUE, but the freshman infielder has seized his opportunity to be a mainstay in the Sycamore lineup. He's recorded four home runs and 16 RBIs, while adding three doubles, a triple, and 15 runs scored. Sander has posted a .649 slugging percentage to sit second on the team behind Roell.
• Nick Sutherlin (.294) continues to produce in the Sycamore lineup sitting third on the team with 31 RBIs, while tying with Carter Beck and Caden Miller with a team-high 11 doubles on the season.
• Emil Estrella (.285), Caleb Niehaus (.282), and Caden Miller (.271) have also been key bats in the heart of the Indiana State lineup combining for 12 home runs and 80 RBIs, while contributing 43 total extra-base hits.
• Indiana State's offensive lineup continued to produce at the plate with the Sycamores sitting fourth in the NCAA in total doubles (82) and sixth in doubles per game (2.48).
• The pitching staff continues to be headlined by sophomore right-hander Ty Brooks as the Milford, Ind. native leads the team with a 5-1 record, 3.64 ERA, and a 35:13 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 47.0 innings.
• Ryan Karst (1-1) has been rounding into form over his last two starts on the mound and is coming off a 5.1-inning, 7-strikeout game in picking up the Monday win over Valparaiso and a shutout appearance in the midweek against Illinois. Karst has a 4.05 ERA over 20.0 innings while allowing opponents to hit .208 from the plate.
• Jack Armstrong (5.02 ERA) held down one of the weekend rotation positions early in the season and sits second on the team with 29 strikeouts over 28.2 innings, while posting an opponent batting average of .209.
• Colby Morse, Carson Seeman, Hunter Small, Breyllin Suriel, and Aaron Moss have also recorded wins on the mound this year, while five different Sycamores have posted saves in 2026.
• The Indiana State pitching staff has combined to post a 7.00 ERA over 286.2 innings while allowing opponents to hit .269 from the plate. 

Sycamores in Conference Play

• Caleb Niehaus (.538) and Mason Roell (.520) are both hitting above .500 in Missouri Valley play in the 2026 season to pace a Sycamore offense hitting .372 from the plate against Valley pitching.
• Mason Roell leads the team with six home runs and a 1.320 slugging percentage in conference play, while Caleb Niehaus has seven hits, a triple, and a home run while driving in seven RBIs.
• Carter Beck (.450) has hit safely in all nine Missouri Valley games and leads the team with 17 RBIs while connecting on four home runs and two doubles.
• Colin Sander (.441) and Nick Sutherlin (.436) have also hit above .400 in conference play on the year with Sander belting four home runs and driving in 15 runs, while Sutherlin has a team-high six doubles and 14 runs scored in conference competition.
• Emil Estrella (.310) is also hitting above .300 in MVC play with 13 RBIs and 13 runs scored.
• The Sycamore pitching staff has combined for a 6.60 ERA in conference competition over 75.0 innings.
• Carson Seeman (2-0, 3.12 ERA) has been effective in extended relief over the weekends with a 10:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 8.2 innings.
• Ty Brooks (2-1, 6.00 ERA) has thrown a team-high 15.0 innings in conference play with 13 strikeouts.
• Spencer Johnsen, Justin Hoff, and Brady Banker have all recorded shutout appearances on the mound.
• Ryan Karst (1-0, 1.08 ERA) and Jack Armstrong (0-1, 9.39 ERA) have both made two starts apiece in conference play. 

Sycamores Against Illinois State

• Indiana State has the all-time 119-88 mark against Illinois State over their respective program histories, but the Redbirds have the 50-47 edge in games played in Normal, Ill.
• In conference competition, the Sycamores hold the all-time 90-58 edge.
• Illinois State took two of the three games in Terre Haute last season with 11-4 and 12-1 wins over the Sycamores over May 15-17. The Sycamores secured the 17-3 win in the Saturday contest.
• The two teams met again in the first round of the Missouri Valley Conference Championships in an elimination game with the Redbirds topping Indiana State 14-4.
• Illinois State's series win over the Sycamores in 2025 snapped a six season stretch where Indiana State won the series over the Redbirds. 

About the Illinois State

• Illinois State was selected fourth overall in the Missouri Valley preseason baseball poll receiving 57 total points and one first-place vote.
• The Redbirds had six players recognized on the conference's Player to Watch List including Brayden Bakes (OF), Reece Clapp (RHP), Matthew Donnison (RHP), Thomas Harper (RHP), Graham Mastros (Util.), and Luke Stulga (OF).
• The Redbirds enter the weekend series with a 21-12 overall record, 5-4 mark in Missouri Valley play, and an 8-1 record at Duffy Bass Field.
• Illinois State opened conference play by sweeping Belmont over March 20-22, before falling in two of three games at Evansville the following weekend. The Redbirds dropped two of three this past weekend at Southern Illinois.
• Brayden Bakes (.379) has lived up to the billing as one of the top outfielders in the Missouri Valley with a .379 batting average, including a team-high 10 home runs and 36 runs scored.
• Graham Mastros (.374) has also been among the team's leaders with 12 doubles and 33 RBIs and has added nine stolen bases.
• Luke Stulga (.329) and Josh Outlaw (.314) are also hitting above .300 from the plate in helping lead a Redbird offense hitting .299 overall as a team.
• Michael Addari (3-2, 1.22 ERA) has been among the Valley's pitching leaders on the year over 37.0 innings while posting a 38:10 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
• Thomas Harper (1-2, 6.15 ERA) and Luke Teschke (3-1, 5.85 ERA) have also been among the team's weekend regulars on the mound.
• Illinois State has recorded a 4.93 ERA as a staff over 286.2 innings pitched while allowing opponents to hit .359.

Follow the Sycamores
For the latest information on the Sycamore Baseball team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Fans can also receive updates on Sycamore Athletics by downloading the March On App from both the App Store and the Google Play Store.