Big crowd sends ISU baseball to super regional

They came shaking blue and white pom-poms and holding blue Mylar balloons. They came representing the Terre Haute Rex. They came wearing T-shirts celebrating recent victories in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament and the NCAA regional. They came carrying signs, one reading "Results Driven/Passion Fueled."

Indiana State baseball coach Mitch Hannahs waves to fans that came to the Terre Haute Regional Airport to see the team off to the NCAA super regional on Wednesday.

One even came in an armadillo costume.

Hundreds of fans of Indiana State University's baseball team attended the Sycamore Send-Off on Wednesday afternoon at Terre Haute Regional Airport, cheering wildly as the team bus arrived. Since Terre Haute couldn't host the super regional, the team flew to Texas to play its opponent, Texas Christian University, in Fort Worth.

Plenty of fanfare accompanied the team's arrival, with fire trucks and police cars escorting its bus, the first responders’ lights and sirens blaring.

Lauren Gross, a community engagement specialist for Union Health Foundation and a recent ISU grad, said, "They were getting better and better when I was in school and they got pretty far my senior year. But to see their progress and to see how hard they’ve worked and it pay off with their success, it's incredible."

Jesse Hile, whose family won the Hile Legacy Award in November 2017 for having 15 family members who attended ISU since 1958 and two currently enrolled, attended the regional games with his father Glenn, who pitched for the team back in the 1970s.

"This is huge, so amazing," said Hile, whose first job out of college was with the ISU athletic department. "Obviously, it didn't work out hosting it here, but it means a lot to the community and the support we’ve seen from all of this has been incredible."

Hile was particularly impressed this season with left fielder Adam Pottinger.

"He's stood out this whole season, but the whole team's really fun to watch, especially the infield," he said. "It's been incredible to watch."

Members of the Indiana State baseball team prepare to board the plane at the Terre Haute Regional Airport on Wednesday.

REX pitcher Connor Brady, on the other hand, thought starting pitcher Matt Jachec and shortstop Randall Diaz were ISU's standouts. He joined his teammates to wish the Sycamores well.

"We thought it would be a good idea for us to come and root them on," he said.

Brady noted that when ISU's season ends, the Rex will be getting a couple of players from the team, including Diaz.

"But I’d like all of them," he added.

Melissa Burke, who works in ISU's athletic department and sported a Regional Champs T-shirt, cheered as the team bus made its way to the airport tarmac next to the terminal.

"It's such an honor to be in the top 16 in the country and prove people wrong who didn't think we could come out of our regional — it's meant a lot," she said.

Chris Kemp, whose daughter and daughter-in-law both graduated from ISU, attended the send-off with his granddaughter Lily, 7. He can't remember seeing the team play as well as it did this season.

"This is kind of a once-in-a-lifetime type thing," he said. "It can only be positive for future players and future development of the stadium, it can only be a plus."

Members of the Indiana State baseball team walk to their airplane on the tarmac upon their arrival at the Terre Haute Regional Airport.

Terre Haute mayor Duke Bennett was also on hand for the send-off. He attended all three regional victories.

"They were all a little different but they were all exciting," he said. "The energy with everybody rallying around the team is awesome. They deserve this kind of support without any doubt. It brings excitement to the community as a whole and that makes me excited."

On the runway, team members walked toward an Allegiant Air Airbus 319 aircraft, touching fans through the chain-link fence.

The winner of a best-of-three series between the teams beginning at 5 p.m. Friday will advance to the eight-team College World Series in Omaha, Neb.

"Of course they will win," said Kelly Walker, a 2000 ISU alum who made Terre Haute home after graduating. "They’ll bring it back to Terre Haute for all of us."

The Indiana State University Alumni Association and Sycamore Athletics will host watch parties throughout the weekend of super regional at Rick's Garage at the Idle Creek Golf Course. Hile, for one, plans to attend those watch parties. There are also other watch parties happening at other Terre Haute businesses.

Games will be Friday at 5 p.m., Saturday at 6 p.m. and, if necessary, Sunday, June 11 at a time to be announced later. Food and beverages will be available for purchase, with a $10 buffet option including a non-alcoholic beverage. Rick's Garage is at 5353 Ryanne Marie Lane.

David Kronke can be reached at 812-231-4232 or at [email protected].

The fans of Texas Christian University's baseball program have crafted a textbook example for making the best of a difficult situation.

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles.