Indiana State baseball won its regional in Terre Haute, Indiana, to advance to the Super Regionals for the first time in program history, but a previous commitment will prevent the Sycamores from hosting the three-game series for the right to play in the College World Series.
The national No. 14 seed the Sycamores were set to host TCU, but due to hosting the Indiana Special Olympics for the 51st year, Indiana State will instead head to Fort Worth, Texas, for the three-game series.
An Indiana State baseball hat on a glove during a game between Indiana State and Elon at Walter C. Latham Park on March 1, 2020 in Elon, North Carolina. (Andy Mead/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
It is a major disappointment for Indiana State players and the program, but the TCU fanbase is stepping up in light of the news.
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The “Lupton Drinking Club,” which hosts a TCU podcast, called for donations to the Indiana Special Olympics and the numbers have poured in.
The Special Olympics announced Tuesday evening that over $25k has been raised so far to help support the Indiana Special Olympics.
Indiana State Athletics announced its inability to host the Super Regionals on Monday after defeating Iowa to win the Terre Haute Regional.
“There are a variety of factors that come into play with the competition for resources and staff,” Indiana State Athletics said in a statement posted to Twitter. “With the potential for multiple large-scale events occurring in the area simultaneously and due to NCAA limitations on hotel distance from the field, there is a lack of hotel space to handle the accommodations required to house the visiting team, the support staff for the games, and the ESPN crew that would be in attendance.”
TCU designated hitter Kurtis Byrne, center, celebrates with teammate Anthony Silva, #5, after hitting a solo home run against Arkansas during the eighth inning of an NCAA college baseball tournament regional championship game in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Monday, June 5, 2023. (Andy Shupe/The Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette via AP)
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Per NCAA rules, host sites must make hotels available for the visiting team within 30 miles of the playing site and a minimum of 25 double-double rooms should be reserved.
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The TCU Horned Frogs mascot joins with a fan in a cheer during the game against the Florida Gators at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha in Omaha, Nebraska, June 18, 2017. (Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports)
“Finally, the personnel to run the event is a factor we must consider,” the statement continued. “After hosting the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament and the Terre Haute Regional in back-to-back weeks, keeping additional staff available that are not already working with Special Olympics has affected our potential workforce for another large-scale operation.”
Indiana State has won 37 of its last 41 games while TCU heads into the Super Regionals on a 9-game winning streak.
