Saturday, April 28
Ypsilanti, MICH.
1:00 PM
Ball State University
31-16, 13-6
8
at
1
Eastern Michigan (GM1)
9-35, 5-14
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Ball State
0
0
1
7
0
0
0
8
6
0
Eastern Michigan
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
6
2
Photo by: Tessa Mortensen
Softball Takes Two Saturday, Completes Series Sweep at EMU
April 28, 2018 | Softball
YPSILANTI, Mich.- - Led by another strong day from its pitching staff, the Ball State softball team completed a three-game series sweep of Eastern Michigan with 8-1 and 9-1 (5) wins Saturday afternoon at EMU's Varsity Field.
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With the pair of victories, the Cardinals improve to 32-16 overall and lock up a berth in the 2018 Mid-American Conference tournament with a 14-6 league record.
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Saturday's opener saw the Eagles (9-36; 5-15 MAC) jump out to an early 1-0 lead, only to have Ball State score eight unanswered runs to secure the victory. Seven of the runs came in another explosive fourth inning which saw sophomore left fielder Haley Dominique open the scoring with a two-run single up the middle.
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In the circle, senior Carolyn Wilmes picked up her 10th win of the season by holding the Eagles to four hits and one run over the first four innings. Wilmes also struck out three batters in the contest.
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Sophomore closer Alyssa Rothwell came in and threw the final 3.0 innings to secure her ninth save of the season which gives her sole possession of the MAC single-season record. Rothwell limited EMU to two hits, while striking out four.
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In the nightcap, the Cardinals opened the game with a single, a walk and a three-run home run from sophomore Janae Hogg and never looked back.
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Junior starting pitcher Aeshia Miles turned in another dominating performance to pick up her 17th win of the season, holding the Eagles to four hits and one run over five innings. She also struck out four batters to raise her season total to 138 which is the 16th-best single season total in program history.
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FROM COACH BARTLETT:
"All three pitchers were sharp today. They spun the ball well and executed in tough counts. All three had a really nice day."
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 "We came up short in the early innings of the first game, but we really hit three balls that I thought were going to leave the yard. The wind just beat the ball down and the hits didn't fall. Finally, in the fourth, EMU helped us out with a couple of defensive miscues and we broke the game open.
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"Overall, I thought our hitters were very consistent throughout the day and did a good job sticking to the process.Â
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"Haley did a great job sparking the offense in both games. Her strengths are her consistency and hand-eye coordination. I love that she doesn't change her approach at the plate no matter where I put her in the lineup.Â
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"Haley's going to be disciplined and selective at the plate. She's going to put a great hack on a good pitch and hit the ball on the nose. Haley has been a bedrock for us this whole season. She's doing a tremendous job."
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BREAKING DOWN THE GAME 1: Ball State 8 - Eastern Michigan 1:
• Ball State looked poised to break the game open early, loading the bases with one out. However, the Cardinals could not capitalize as an infield fly and a pop up to short ended the threat.
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• Eastern Michigan flipped the script in the second, by also loading the bases with one out. Unlike Ball State in the first, however, EMU was able to capitalize as a bases loaded walk plated the first run of the game.
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• Ball State's defense limited the damage to one run, however, as a force at home and a Wilmes strikeout ended the threat.
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• In the third inning, it was once again the Cardinals turn to load the bases, this time with no outs courtesy of a walk to senior second baseman Maddy Labrador, an error on a fielder's choice from junior designated player Olivia Huffman and a walk to Dominique. Junior first baseman Annie Robinson then tied the score with a bases loaded RBI walk.
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• Like the inning before, however, EMU was able to limit the damage to one run as a pair of pop ups to the shortstop ended the inning.
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•After Wilmes retired the side in the bottom of the third, the Cardinals broke the game open with seven runs in the top of the fourth.
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• After freshman right fielder Kendall Fields drew a walk and senior shortstop Brittany Hopper singled up the middle, an error on a fielder's choice by Labrador loaded the bases. Freshmen pinch runners Katie Janiga and Taylor Castleberry then scored the first two runs of the frame on Dominique's single up the middle.
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• The Cardinals scored the next two runs on a wild pitch and a successful double steal by Payton (second) and Dominique (home). An RBI single to right field from junior right fielder Madison Lee followed, pushing the advantage to 6-1.
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• Sophomore center fielder Kennedy Wynn capped the scoring with her seventh home run of the season, a two-run blast to left field.
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BREAKING DOWN THE GAME 2: Ball State 9 - Eastern Michigan 1 (5):
• The Cardinals jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the nightcap courtesy of Hogg's three-run blast in the top of the first.
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• Ball State added three more runs in the second, starting with four straight walks to Lee, Hopper, freshman second baseman Hailey Demnianiuk and Dominique. Sacrifice flies from Huffman and Hogg drove in the final two runs of the inning.
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• Lee extended Ball State's lead to 7-0 in the top of the third, thanks to a one-out double. Wynn scored on the play after singling up the middle to open the frame.
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• Ball State's final two runs came with two outs in the fourth thanks to an RBI single from freshman third baseman Stacy Payton followed by an RBI double from Wynn.
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• Eastern Michigan's lone run of the game came courtesy of a two-out RBI single from Sophia Holland in the bottom of the fourth.
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NEXT UP
The Ball State softball team closes the 2018 regular season next weekend, when it travels to Toledo for a single game Friday (3 p.m.) and a doubleheader Saturday (1 p.m.).
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FOR MORE INFORMATION
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State softball, follow the team on Twitter: @BallStateSB, @CoachCBartlett & @BallStateSports / Instagram: ballstatesb / Facebook: BallStateSB.
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With the pair of victories, the Cardinals improve to 32-16 overall and lock up a berth in the 2018 Mid-American Conference tournament with a 14-6 league record.
Â
Saturday's opener saw the Eagles (9-36; 5-15 MAC) jump out to an early 1-0 lead, only to have Ball State score eight unanswered runs to secure the victory. Seven of the runs came in another explosive fourth inning which saw sophomore left fielder Haley Dominique open the scoring with a two-run single up the middle.
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In the circle, senior Carolyn Wilmes picked up her 10th win of the season by holding the Eagles to four hits and one run over the first four innings. Wilmes also struck out three batters in the contest.
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Sophomore closer Alyssa Rothwell came in and threw the final 3.0 innings to secure her ninth save of the season which gives her sole possession of the MAC single-season record. Rothwell limited EMU to two hits, while striking out four.
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In the nightcap, the Cardinals opened the game with a single, a walk and a three-run home run from sophomore Janae Hogg and never looked back.
Â
Junior starting pitcher Aeshia Miles turned in another dominating performance to pick up her 17th win of the season, holding the Eagles to four hits and one run over five innings. She also struck out four batters to raise her season total to 138 which is the 16th-best single season total in program history.
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FROM COACH BARTLETT:
"All three pitchers were sharp today. They spun the ball well and executed in tough counts. All three had a really nice day."
Â
 "We came up short in the early innings of the first game, but we really hit three balls that I thought were going to leave the yard. The wind just beat the ball down and the hits didn't fall. Finally, in the fourth, EMU helped us out with a couple of defensive miscues and we broke the game open.
Â
"Overall, I thought our hitters were very consistent throughout the day and did a good job sticking to the process.Â
Â
"Haley did a great job sparking the offense in both games. Her strengths are her consistency and hand-eye coordination. I love that she doesn't change her approach at the plate no matter where I put her in the lineup.Â
Â
"Haley's going to be disciplined and selective at the plate. She's going to put a great hack on a good pitch and hit the ball on the nose. Haley has been a bedrock for us this whole season. She's doing a tremendous job."
Â
BREAKING DOWN THE GAME 1: Ball State 8 - Eastern Michigan 1:
• Ball State looked poised to break the game open early, loading the bases with one out. However, the Cardinals could not capitalize as an infield fly and a pop up to short ended the threat.
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• Eastern Michigan flipped the script in the second, by also loading the bases with one out. Unlike Ball State in the first, however, EMU was able to capitalize as a bases loaded walk plated the first run of the game.
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• Ball State's defense limited the damage to one run, however, as a force at home and a Wilmes strikeout ended the threat.
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• In the third inning, it was once again the Cardinals turn to load the bases, this time with no outs courtesy of a walk to senior second baseman Maddy Labrador, an error on a fielder's choice from junior designated player Olivia Huffman and a walk to Dominique. Junior first baseman Annie Robinson then tied the score with a bases loaded RBI walk.
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• Like the inning before, however, EMU was able to limit the damage to one run as a pair of pop ups to the shortstop ended the inning.
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•After Wilmes retired the side in the bottom of the third, the Cardinals broke the game open with seven runs in the top of the fourth.
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• After freshman right fielder Kendall Fields drew a walk and senior shortstop Brittany Hopper singled up the middle, an error on a fielder's choice by Labrador loaded the bases. Freshmen pinch runners Katie Janiga and Taylor Castleberry then scored the first two runs of the frame on Dominique's single up the middle.
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• The Cardinals scored the next two runs on a wild pitch and a successful double steal by Payton (second) and Dominique (home). An RBI single to right field from junior right fielder Madison Lee followed, pushing the advantage to 6-1.
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• Sophomore center fielder Kennedy Wynn capped the scoring with her seventh home run of the season, a two-run blast to left field.
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BREAKING DOWN THE GAME 2: Ball State 9 - Eastern Michigan 1 (5):
• The Cardinals jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the nightcap courtesy of Hogg's three-run blast in the top of the first.
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• Ball State added three more runs in the second, starting with four straight walks to Lee, Hopper, freshman second baseman Hailey Demnianiuk and Dominique. Sacrifice flies from Huffman and Hogg drove in the final two runs of the inning.
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• Lee extended Ball State's lead to 7-0 in the top of the third, thanks to a one-out double. Wynn scored on the play after singling up the middle to open the frame.
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• Ball State's final two runs came with two outs in the fourth thanks to an RBI single from freshman third baseman Stacy Payton followed by an RBI double from Wynn.
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• Eastern Michigan's lone run of the game came courtesy of a two-out RBI single from Sophia Holland in the bottom of the fourth.
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NEXT UP
The Ball State softball team closes the 2018 regular season next weekend, when it travels to Toledo for a single game Friday (3 p.m.) and a doubleheader Saturday (1 p.m.).
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FOR MORE INFORMATION
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State softball, follow the team on Twitter: @BallStateSB, @CoachCBartlett & @BallStateSports / Instagram: ballstatesb / Facebook: BallStateSB.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wilmes, Carolyn (10-6)
L: TRUJILLO, Trisha (4-10)
S: Rothwell, Alyssa (9)
Batting:
HR: Wynn, Kennedy 1
RBI: Dominique, Haley 2 ; Robinson, Annie 1 ; Lee, Madison 1 ; Wynn, Kennedy 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Labrador, Maddy 2 ; Dominique, Haley 1 ; Payton, Stacy 1 ; Lee, Madison 1 ; Wynn, Kennedy 1 ; Janiga, Katie 1 ; Castleberry, Taylor 1
SB: Huffman, Olivia 1 ; Dominique, Haley 1 ; Payton, Stacy 1
HBP: Payton, Stacy 1
Batting:
RBI: ANDERSON, Arielle 1
SH: ISALY, Sam 1
Base Running:
RUNS: HOLLAND, Sophia 1
HBP: HOSTETLER, Haley 1 ; ISALY, Sam 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
2
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
cf/rf
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballC
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballINF/OF
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