The Indiana State baseball team opens Missouri Valley Conference play this weekend, hosting the Southern Illinois Salukis for three games on Bob Warn Field at Sycamore Stadium.

All three games can be heard live on the Nelligan Sports Marketing Radio Network as Brian Fritz calls all the action on the diamond. Friday's game can be heard live on WPRS AM 1440 with both Saturday's and Sunday's game on WIBQ 98.5 FM. The series can also be seen live for free through SycamoreVision on GoSycamores.com.

Indiana State (8-7) has won five of their last seven games, including a series win at Minnesota last weekend. Southern Illinois (9-11) has lost four straight games, but has lost just one weekend series in Terre Haute since the 1997 season (four wins, three ties, one loss).

Weekend Schedule / Promotions
Friday: 3:00 p.m. – half off admission by donating a canned food item; free NCAA Tournament 75th anniversary t-shirts while supplies last
Saturday Doubleheader: 1:00 p.m. – purchase two adult tickets and get the next two free

Probable Weekend Indiana State Pitching Rotation
Friday: Sean Manaea (Jr. -- LHP -- 6-5 -- 235 -- Wanatah, Ind. -- Andrean HS)
Notes: Ninth pitcher in ISU history to tally 100+ Ks in a season (115 in 2012) ... 230 career strikeouts
2013 Season Stats: 2-1 record ... 1.08 ERA ... 9 IP, 6 H, 1 R (0 ER), 9 Ks at Minnesota last Friday
Saturday: Devin Moore (Sr. -- RHP -- 6-3 -- 210 -- Springfield, Ill. -- Lincoln Land CC)
Notes: Struck out a career-high 10 batters in 4.2 IP vs. South Dakota State on March 9
2013 Season Stats: 2-1 record ... 3.10 ERA ... 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 6 Ks at Minnesota last Saturday
Sunday: Daniel Peterson (Jr. -- RHP -- 6-6 -- 182 -- Lenexa, Kan. -- Neosho County CC)
Notes: Transfer from Neosho County CC ... earned all-state honors while at De Soto HS (KS)
2013 Season Stats: 0-2 record ... 4.15 ERA ... 4.1 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 2 Ks at Minnesota last Sunday

A Little History
This weekend's series will be the 161st, 162nd and 163rd meetings between Indiana State and Southern Illinois, in a series that dates back to 1967. The Salukis lead the series by a 91-69 margin, although the Sycamores have won nine of the 13 matchups. Indiana State swept SIU on the road last season on May 11-13. Southern Illinois holds an 8-7-4 series record against Indiana State in Terre Haute, including a 4-1-3 mark since 1995. Under head coach Rick Heller, Indiana State is 5-3 against Southern Illinois and 1-2 in games played in Terre Haute.

Game-by-Game -- Southern Illinois
Below is a quick look at the last 10 games between Indiana State and Southern Illinois.

May 13, 2012 at Southern Illinois -- W, 10-4               May 21, 2011 at Indiana State -- W, 4-1
May 12, 2012 at Southern Illinois -- W, 7-5                 April 25, 2010 at Southern Illinois -- L, 12-13
May 11, 2012 at Southern Illinois -- W, 6-3                 April 23, 2010 at Southern Illinois -- W, 14-4
May 21, 2011 at Indiana State -- L, 7-9                      May 22, 2009 at Wichita, Kan. -- L, 6-10
May 21, 2011 at Indiana State -- L, 2-5                      April 18, 2009 at Indiana State -- W, 5-3

Manaea Tabbed On Golden Spikes Award Watch List
Junior Sean Manaea was named to the Preseason Golden Spikes Award Watch List heading into the 2013 season, an award presented by USA Baseball at the end of the season to the top amateur baseball player in the country. Manaea is one of 50 student-athletes from around the nation to earn selection to the preseason list and is joined by Missouri State's Nick Petree in representing the Missouri Valley Conference.

Manaea Named To Three Preseason All-America Teams
Junior Sean Manaea earned selection to a trio of Preseason All-America teams heading into the season, as Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and Perfect Game each selected the Indiana State southpaw as a First Team All-American. Below is a quick look at the last All-America selections for the Indiana State baseball team:

ABCA: OF Dan Olson, 1996                                       Collegiate Baseball: DH Todd Tatlock, 1995
Baseball America: SP Casey Whitten, 1993                 Sporting News: 3B Chad McDonald, 1990

Manaea Joins 200 Strikeout Club
Junior Sean Manaea struck out nine batters last weekend at Minnesota, continuing his climb up the career rankings at Indiana State. Manaea totaled 115 Ks in his sophomore season, ranking in a tie for third in school history for single-season strikeouts. Below is a quick look at the Top 10 in career strikeouts at Indiana State.

1. Casey Whitten (1991-93) -- 299                             6. Mike Farrell (1988-91) – 248
2. Mike Gardiner (1984-87) -- 296                             7. Sean Manaea (2011-present) – 230
3. Brad Finken (1994-97) -- 275                                T8. John Howes (1982-86) – 217
4. Blaise Ilsley (1983-85) -- 274                                T8. Tom Browning (1993-96) – 217
5. Mitch Stetter (2000-03) -- 254                               10. Paul Quizner (1983-86) – 214

Getting To The Seventh
Under head coach Rick Heller, Indiana State is 84-14 in games that they hold a lead heading into the seventh inning. When the Sycamores have trailed after the sixth inning, ISU is 16-53.

Productive At The Plate: Part I
Senior Robby Ort enters the weekend with 165 career RBIs at the plate, ranking sixth in program history at ISU. Below is quick look at the Top 10 for RBIs in school history.

1. Boi Rodriguez (1985-87) -- 200                              6. Robby Ort (2010-present) – 165
2. Chad McDonald (1988-90) -- 198                           7. Bob Zeihen (1985-88) – 159
3. Dan Frye (1989-92) -- 186                                    8. Mike Lexa (1984-86) – 154
4. John LaMar (1989-92) -- 175                                 9. Dan Olson (1994-96) – 153
5. Mike Eberle (1984-87) -- 174                                 10. Kevin Egli (2000-03) – 151

Productive At The Plate: Part II
Senior Robby Ort has led the team in runs batted in following each of his first three seasons at Indiana State, totaling 157 RBIs in his freshman through junior seasons. The Newburgh, Ind., native has also increased his production in all three seasons, improving from 50 RBIs as a freshman to 53 RBIs as a sophomore to 54 RBIs as a junior. In 2012, Ort became the first Sycamore in program history to lead the team in runs batted in for three consecutive seasons.

Steady At Short
Junior Tyler Wampler has been a mainstay on defense for the Sycamores, starting 101 games at shortstop over his three seasons. Wampler has tallied 371 fielding assists (140 as a freshman in 2011, 184 as a sophomore in 2012, 47 in 2013) in his time at Indiana State, a total that puts the West Terre Haute, Ind., native on pace to break Dan Frye's school record of 541.

Off And Running
Sophomore Landon Curry led Indiana State with 16 stolen bases last season as a true freshman, ranking in a tie for sixth in the MVC overall. Curry became the first freshman since Bob Zeihen in 1985 to lead the Sycamores in steals as a rookie. The Uniondale, Ind., native is off to a fast start again in 2013, swiping a MVC-leading nine bases already this season.

Kraemer's Grand Slam Highlights Series Win At Minnesota
Redshirt senior Koby Kraemer hit a grand slam in the sixth inning inside the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, sending the Sycamores to a 9-4 win in the rubber match on Sunday. Indiana State earned a 2-1 victory on Friday night against the Golden Gophers as junior Sean Manaea pitched his first complete game with nine strikeouts.

Manaea Earns Second MVC Pitcher Of The Week Award
For the second time this season, Indiana State junior starting pitcher Sean Manaea has been named the MVC Pitcher of the Week as announced the league office. Manaea also earn the award after his 10 strikeouts in six shutout innings against College of Charleston on Feb. 22.

Manaea tossed his first complete game of his ISU career on Friday night, leading the Sycamores to a 2-1 victory on the road against Minnesota. Manaea struck out nine batters in the game, allowing six hits, one unearned run and one walk to the Golden Gophers. The ISU junior was nearly perfect through his first six innings on the mound, allowing just a bunt single in the second inning while striking out seven batters. Manaea's best play of the game may have come on defense as he covered home following a wild pitch and made a diving tag that ended the game for a 2-1 ISU win.

Curry Named MVC Scholar-Athlete Of The Week
Sophomore Landon Curry led the Indiana State baseball team with four runs scored during their series victory at Minnesota and has been named the MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week.

The Uniondale, Ind., native and Norwell High School product scored both of Indiana State's runs in their 2-1 victory over the Golden Gophers on Friday night, including the game-winning run following a throwing error after Curry stole third base. The ISU sophomore added a two-run double in the ninth inning of the rubber match on Sunday, capping a 9-4 Indiana State victory to clinch the series. For the week, Curry also drove in three runs and stole two bases. Heading into action on Wednesday, the ISU centerfielder leads the conference with nine stolen bases. In the classroom, Curry carries a 3.81 GPA while majoring in Business.

Best Winning Percentage In The MVC Since 2009
Indiana State has posted 146 wins and a .608 winning percentage since the 2009 season, the best winning percentage in that span among teams in the MVC. ISU is second to Wichita State (155) in overall wins, but leads the way in winning percentage due to playing 21 fewer games.

Against The Best
Indiana State is 3-2 against the RPI Top 60 this season, with wins over Austin Peay (15), Mercer (24) and College of Charleston (60). Last season, the Sycamores were 14-13 against the RPI Top 100 and 7-8 against teams that made the NCAA Tournament field.

Allowing Big Innings
Under head coach Rick Heller, the Sycamores are 74-22 (.771) when the team does not allow a three-run inning during a game. When Indiana State does allow their opponent to score at least three runs in one inning, Indiana State holds a 39-51 (.433) record.

ISU Claims First Outright Regular Season Title In School History
Indiana State earned their first outright Missouri Valley Conference regular season championship in 2012, finishing the league schedule with a 14-7 record. The 2012 season marked the fourth time in program history that the Sycamores have sat atop the standings at the end of the season, joining the teams from 1982, 1983 and 1985. The 1982 and 1983 squads won the East Division of the MVC while the 1985 team tied with Wichita State.

At-Large Selection
Indiana State received an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament field on Selection Monday last season, just the second time in school history that the Sycamores have made the postseason without winning the MVC Tournament. Indiana State claimed their only other at-large selection back in 1987 when the Sycamores fell in the conference finals to Wichita State, ending the regular season at 44-16-1 before going 1-2 in a regional in Austin, Texas.

Winning Ways
Indiana State posted their fourth straight winning season in 2012 and third straight under head coach Rick Heller. ISU's last run of four consecutive winning seasons came from 2000-03, while the last time that Indiana State posted five winning seasons in a row came during a 17-year run from 1977-1993. During Indiana State's 17-year run from 1977 to 1993, the Sycamores posted a 675-354-7 record and made six NCAA appearances.

Three Runs Or Less
The three-run plateau has been the breaking point for the Sycamores under head coach Rick Heller the last four seasons. When ISU has allowed three runs or less to their opponents, the team is 67-10 (.870) over the past four seasons. When opponents score four runs or more, ISU holds a 46-63 (.422) record.

Scoring First
The Sycamores scored the first run in 38 of their 60 games last season, tallying a 31-7 record when putting a run on the scoreboard first. ISU scored in the first inning in 25 of their games, going 22-3 last season when plating a run in the opening frame. That trend has continued into 2013, as Indiana State is 5-1 when scoring first and 1-0 when scoring in the opening inning.

Strong In The Field
Indiana State has ranked in the Top 35 in fielding percentage in all three of their seasons under head coach Rick Heller, one of only nine teams in the nation to do so from 2010-2012. Three of the nine from around the nation are from the Missouri Valley Conference, as Evansville and Creighton are also in the select group.

Double-Digit Hits
Indiana State recorded at least 10 hits in a game 29 times last season, going 26-3 when posting double-digit hits. Indiana State's only losses when tallying 10 hits came in walk-off wins for their opponents. So far in 2013, ISU is 4-0 when posting 10 hits or more and 4-7 when going for nine hits or less.

Saint Patrick's Day Success
Indiana State defeated Minnesota on Saint Patrick's Day last weekend, picking a 9-4 victory on Sunday inside the Metrodome. The Sycamores are now 22-10 all-time on the holiday, including a six-game winning streak. Last season, Indiana State defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saint Patrick's Day in San Antonio, Texas, winning 6-4 in 10 innings.

Early Runs
The Sycamores dominated the early innings last season, outscoring their opponents 242-110 (+132) over the first five innings of their 60 games. In the first inning alone, ISU had a 37-run advantage, scoring 58 runs to their opposition's 21. In 2013, Indiana State has a nine-run advantage in the first five innings, leading 41-32, but has scored just three first-inning runs.

Above Average
Indiana State ranked above the league average in batting, pitching and fielding last season, one of just two teams in the MVC to do so. ISU ranked third in batting average (.288), second in ERA (3.25) and fourth in fielding percentage (.974). Wichita State also finished last season above the league averages of .276 at the plate, 3.81 on the mound and .971 in the field.

Close Games
In Indiana State's four seasons under head coach Rick Heller, the Sycamores are 64-47 (.577) in games decided by three runs or less. In games decided by four or more runs since 2010, the Sycamores carry a 49-25 (.662) record. This season, Indiana State is 4-4 in games decided by three runs or less.

40 Wins
Indiana State's 10-4 win over Southern Illinois on May 13 last season gave the Sycamores their 40th win of the season, the 10th time in program history that ISU broke the 40-win barrier. ISU's 41 wins in 2012 tied for seventh-most in school history and was the team's best since winning 42 games back in 1991. Below is a quick look at the 40-win seasons in ISU history:

2012: 41-19, First Place MVC, NCAA At-Large Bid        1987: 45-18-1, NCAA At-Large Bid
1992: 40-19, Third Place MVC                                   1986: 48-21, MVC Tournament Champions
1991: 42-23, Third Place MVC                                   1985: 57-22, T-First Place MVC
1990: 43-21, Fourth Place MVC                                 1982: 40-20, First Place MVC East Division
1989: 48-21, MVC Tournament Champions                 1979: 41-11, MVC Tournament Champions

Manaea, Ort Named Preseason All-MVC
Senior Robby Ort and junior Sean Manaea were named to the Preseason All-MVC Team heading into the season in a vote conducted by the eight head coaches from around the MVC.

Ort, a native of Newburgh, Ind., and Castle High School, hit .291 last season while leading the team with 54 RBIs and 20 doubles. Over his first three seasons at Indiana State, Ort has totaled 157 runs batted in, needing 17 more in his senior season to break into the Top 5 in school history.

Manaea, an Andrean High School product and Wanatah, Ind., native, went 5-3 on the mound with a 3.34 ERA last season, leading the team with 115 strikeouts in 105 innings pitched. Manaea's 115 strikeouts last season ranked the southpaw in a tie for 13th on a national scale, while his 221 career Ks put Manaea in seventh place in school history.

Sycamores Picked Third In MVC Preseason Poll
In a vote conducted by the eight head coaches from around the Missouri Valley Conference, Indiana State was picked to finish in third place during the upcoming 2013 season.

Coming off their first outright regular season MVC championship in program history and their first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 1995, the Sycamores return 14 total letterwinners, five position starters and seven pitchers from last year's squad that finished 41-19 on the season and participated in the NCAA Regional in Eugene, Ore. Indiana State welcomes 14 newcomers to the team and will have six student-athletes eligible after redshirting in 2012.

Three Sycamores Earn MVC Specialty Awards In 2012
Jeremy Lucas and Dakota Bacus and head coach Rick Heller each claimed a specialty award from the MVC following the 2012 season, highlighted by Lucas becoming the program's first conference Player of the Year. Bacus was named the Newcomer of the Year for the conference while Heller earned the Dan Callahan / MVC Coach of the Year award.

Lucas hit a team-leading .345 last season, topping the roster in hits (78), home runs (nine), runs scored (53), slugging percentage (.540) and on-base percentage (.443). The Cleveland Indians draftee also totaled 52 RBIs and 13 doubles. Bacus went 7-4 with a 2.70 ERA on the mound, tossing three complete games. The Oakland Athletics selection set the program record for innings pitches in the single season, racking up 116.2 innings on the mound. Heller was named the Dan Callahan / MVC Coach of the Year following the 41-19 season for the Sycamores, their first 40-win season since 1992.

Eight Sycamores Earn All-MVC Honors
ISU placed eight members of their 2012 team on the All-MVC teams, led by Dakota Bacus, Jeremy Lucas and Robby Ort all earning First Team status. Kyle Burnam, Sean Manaea and Tyler Wampler all earned All-MVC Second Team plaudits, with Honorable Mention All-MVC awards going to Jon Hedges and Landon Curry. Along with his Joe Carter Player of the Year and First Team All-MVC awards, Lucas also picked up MVC All-Defensive Team honors. ISU's eight selections were tied for the second-most in the conference, one behind Missouri State's nine.

Indiana State Around The NCAA
The Sycamores are among the nation's best in several offensive and defensive categories. Below is a look at where Indiana State ranked around the NCAA:

Category                            ISU Rank           ISU Total               NCAA Leader / Total
Stolen Bases Per Game          T-27th                2.07                      Louisville / 3.67
Strikeouts Per 9 IP                 T-28th                 8.4                   South Alabama / 9.7
Sacrifice Flies                        T-29nd                 12                   Four Teams Tied / 19
Triples Per Game                  T-30th                0.43                        Virginia / 1.0
Stolen Bases                         T-48th                  29                        Campbell / 67
Strikeout-to-Walk Ratio            57th                  2.47                Cal State Fullerton / 5.0
Triples                                  T-61^st                   6                    Virginia, Arizona / 19
Fielding Percentage                 74th                  .971                        Lamar / .993

Welcome Aboard
ISU added 14 newcomers to the team in 2013, with five freshmen and nine transfers joining the Sycamore baseball program. Below is a quick look at the new faces on the roster.

No.       Name                        Year      Pos.       Ht.       Wt.          Hometown
4          Taylor Steen              Fr.         C         6-3       190         Grand Fork, N.D.
11         Hunter Owen             Fr.        INF       6-0       175         Evansville, Ind.
12         Jeff Smith                 Jr.         C         6-0       190         Valparaiso, Ind.
17         Logan Willard             Jr.       RHP       6-2       210         Eagle Grove, Iowa
20         Taylor Shaw             R-Sr.       C         6-2       210         Pleasant View, Utah
22         Mike Fitzgerald           Jr.        OF        6-1       210         Rochester, Ill.
28         Cody Zimmerman        Jr.        INF       5-9       200         Newark, Calif.
30         Jeff Degano               Jr.        LHP       6-4       200         Surrey, British Columbia
31         A.J. McElderry            Jr.        LHP       6-2       210         Batavia, Iowa
32         Tony Rosselli              Fr.        OF        6-2       185         Terre Haute, Ind.
33         Daniel Peterson          Jr.       RHP       6-6       182         Lenexa, Kan.
36         Bobby Boynton           Fr.       RHP       6-1       215         Decatur, Ill.
37         Nick Martin                Fr.       RHP       6-0       205         Lake of the Hills, Ill.
38         Josh Dove                 Jr.       RHP       6-2       235         Terre Haute, Ind.

On To The Next One...
Indiana State closes out their five-game homestand on Wednesday, March 27, hosting Illinois (Chicago) at 3:00 p.m. ISU won 8-7 in 12 innings at UIC last season.