Softball at Blues City Classic 2/19-2/20

[SycEm]

The 2010 Sycamore softball season opens this weekend at the Blues City Classic hosted by the University of Memmphis. ISU opens at 10am (ET) on Friday morning with Appalachian State and then at 12:15pm (ET) against McNeese State. Saturday, the Sycamores take on SEMO at 12:15pm (ET) and then take on the host Tigers at 4:45pm (ET) to finish out the weekend. The tournament site (http://www.gotigersgo.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/mem-10-blues-classic.html)seems to be providing GameTracker and Free Video feeds all weekend.

Sycamores should be young but talented. Haven't been outside to practice at all yet - so there will probably be an adjustment to dirt from the Arena. Sycamores are also dealing with a couple of injuries that will hold some players out. Sycamores are one of only four teams in the conference to qualify for the last four conference tournaments - the others being Illinois State, Missouri State, and Southern Illinois.

GO SYCAMORES!

[SycEm]

Sycamores drop the opener 1-0 to Appalachian State. Both teams get 4 hits, but the Mountaineers manage a 2 out double to plate the lone run in the bottom of the 5th. Bright spots for ISU include Fr. Mackenzie Connely going 3-3 at the plate and Sr. Meagan McCurdy pitching 6 innings and allowing only 4 hits while striking out 8. Sycamores had a runner thrown out at the plate in the 3rd inning trying to score from 2nd on a single to CF.

Game two sees ISU fall to McNeese State by an 8-3 score. With the win, McNeese moves to 3-5 on the season. Sycamores manage 9 hits this game, but can only score 3 runs. McNeese got 5 runs in the top of the 1st off Fr. Pitcher Sara Evans and 1 more in the 2nd before she gets pulled (only 2 of those runs were earned). Fr. Kristen Felker throws 3 2/3 innings of relief giving up 2 runs (1 earned) and So. Lindsey Beisser finishes up with 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. So. Stephanie Robinson goes 2-4; So. Alyssa Doyle goes 2-3; Fr. Alex Lucas goes 2-4; Fr. Connelly adds another hit; and Jr. Rachel McCleary gets a hit.

Four freshmen started each game as did three sophomores (all though not the same ones each time). Three players that did not see action due to various injuries/issues are most likely starters - Sr. Amber Paz, Jr. Stephanie Jonson, and Fr. Kim Pierce.

Two more games tomorrow - SEMO and Memphis.

[SycEm]

Softball splits today - losing first game 6-3 to SEMO and then beating the host Memphis Tigers 1-0 in the late game.

Sycamores get 7 hits in game one loss, but strand 7 runners. Fr. Kristen Felker gets the loss, allowing 5 runs in 1 2/3 innings. Fellow Fr. Sara Evans comes in to relieve and goes the rest of the way (5 1/3 innings) allowing only 1 run and striking out 5. So. Alyssa Doyle goes 2-4 at the plate and So. Lindsey Beisser has 2 RBI and the other one comes from So. Bailey Wittenauer.

In the win over Memphis, Sr. Meagan McCurdy has her 2nd complete game of the weekend, this on the right side of the 1-0 score. She allows 5 hits and strikes out 4 in the win. She appears ready to take the role of #1 pitcher after the graduation of Darcy Wood - as she has thrown 2 complete games this season (13 innings) while allowing a total of 1 run on 9 hits. At the plate, ISU only gets 3 hits - two of them coming from So. Alyssa Doyle and an RBI single from So. Bailey Wittenauer in the top of the 6th.

On the seaon, Doyle is now hitting .545 (6-11) with 2 doubles after seeing little action as a true freshman a year ago. Fr. Mackenzie Connelly had another hit today to move to .556 on the season (5-9). McCurdy has a 0.54 ERA through two starts. The two Fr. pitchers (Sara Evans and Kristen Felker) each fell to the "big inning" in their respective starts.

ISU heads to Nashville next weekend to participate in the Tiger Spring Classic hosted by Tennessee State. Games Saturday and Sunday.

[goindystate]

SycEm, will this team do any better this year, or will it be similar to the past few seasons?

[SycEm]

I think they have a chance to be pretty good. They are definitely young - with 13 of the 18 on the roster either Freshmen or Sophomores, so it may take a little time to get consistency. McCurdy is a legitimate pitcher when healthy - which she hasn't been for a couple of years. She must have been good this weekend. They will need to find a consistent #2 pitcher - but between Evans, Felker, and Beisser they have more talented pitching depth than I can ever remember. When I saw them in the fall, I thought Pierce was probably the most ready to contribute at a high level of the freshmen, and she is hurt and didn't play this weekend. Connelly hit .556 (5-9) starting all four games as a true freshmen - so that is promising. Sophomore Doyle hitting .545 (6-11) with two doubles is also very encouraging.
I don't think they will have any offensive "stars" like Simpson or Armour were last year, but collectively, I think they are better from 1-9 in the line-up. Defensively, they appeared much improved in the fall - but they made some errors this weekend. It was their first time outside, and everyone but Appalachian had already played games (McNeese has 12 games in already).