Preseason coaches poll picks ISU to win MVC baseball title again

Feb. 6—Coach Mitch Hannahs and his Indiana State Sycamores left an impression on the college baseball world and appear to have strength returning for the 2024 season.

That's how Missouri Valley Conference coaches see it. Indiana State was picked to win this season's MVC baseball title in the annual coaches preseason poll, released by the conference Tuesday morning.

ISU received 95 total points in the poll, and eight of the 10 first-place votes.

Hannahs' Sycamores finished a stellar 2023 season with records of 45-17 overall and 24-3 in the MVC as conference champs. In the postseason, ISU won the MVC tournament at Bob Warn Field, and then won a NCAA regional title in the same ballpark. The Sycamores advanced to the super-regional round of the NCAA tournament, where they got eliminated in two close games by scores of 4-1 and 6-4 at Texas Christian. Though they were the higher seed, the Sycamores played at TCU after the university opted not to host the super-regional because of a scheduling conflict.

Missouri State and Evansville received the other two first-place votes. The Bears finished second in this year's poll with 89 points, while Evansville is in the No. 3 spot with 81 points.

Murray State (fourth, 67 points) and Southern Illinois (fifth, 63 points) are tightly bunched for the next two spots, followed by Belmont (sixth, 40), Illinois State (seventh, 39), UIC (eighth, 34), Valparaiso (ninth, 22), and Bradley (10th, 20).

The 2024 season will be the last for Missouri State head coach Keith Guttin as he wraps up a 42-year career in charge of the Bears with 1,373 career victories so far.

Evansville lost to Indiana State in last season's MVC tournament championship game and finished with a 37-24 overall record. Evansville also will host this season's MVC tournament at Charles H. Braun Stadium.

Tuesday's MVC news release stated that two ESPNU telecasts featuring three league teams will be a part of the network's 2024 schedule. Southern Illinois will play host to Indiana State in an MVC contest April 28 that will be shown on ESPNU at 7 p.m. and Evansville will travel to Indiana State on May 10 as the Sycamores and Aces will battle in a league game that will air on ESPNU at 4:30 p.m.

Indiana State placed a league-high five players on the All-MVC Preseason Team — Josue Urdaneta at second base, Mike Sears at third base, Randal Diaz at shortstop, Grant Magill at catcher and relief pitcher Jared Spencer.

Indiana State returns the bulk of the lineup and the entire bullpen, according to the MVC release. Returnees include Diaz, who was named the MVC tournament's Most Outstanding Player, Magill, Urdaneta, Sears, and outfielders Adam Pottinger and Parker Stinson.

ISU's top starting pitchers moved on to professional baseball, but the bullpen has experience, led by Spencer who finished with a 3-2 record, 3.86 earned-run average and seven saves. Zach Davidson, Cam Edmonson, Cameron Holycross and Simon Gregersen also return to an ISU bullpen that combined for an 18-7 record and 4.03 ERA.

ISU opens the 2024 season with the USF tournament in Tampa, Fla., facing Louisville at noon Feb. 17. The Sycamores open their home schedule at 4 p.m. March 12 against Illinois at Bob Warn Field.