Ball State University Athletics
Softball Launches Season this Weekend
February 24, 2006 | Softball
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Ball State launches its 2006 softball campaign when it travels to Evansville, Ind., this weekend for a three-team double-round robin event . . . The Cardinals will open with a date against Mississippi Saturday at 11 a.m., followed by a matchup against the host Purple Aces at 3 p.m. . . . Sunday's schedule is exactly the same with BSU playing Ole Miss and Evansville at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., respectively.
LAST SEASON: Ball State concluded the 2005 campaign with a 19-37 overall record, a 6-16 Mid-American Conference mark and a sixth-place finish in the league's West Division . . . The Cardinals collected three wins in their final three series and took 2-of-3 from eventual MAC Tournament Champion Miami in Oxford, Ohio, April 30 and May 1.
HEAD COACH TERRI LAUX: Terri Laux (Ohio State '84) enters her 10th season at the helm of Ball State's softball program . . . The sixth coach in the 32-year history of the sport at the university, Laux has guided four of her teams -- 2002, 2001, 2000 and 1998 -- to berths in the MAC's post-season tournament . . . She reaped MAC Coach of the Year accolades after leading the 1998 team to the school's first-ever league title, a berth in the NCAA Championship Tournament, a school record 39 wins and the program's first national ranking of 31st in the Final USA Today/NFCA Division I Softball Poll . . . Laux is the winningest coach in school history . . . She has tallied a 209-253-1 mark at BSU and a 361-501-3 overall ledger in her 18 years as a collegiate head coach.
THE 2006 CARDINALS: Ball State returns 10 letterwinners, including five starters from its 2005 squad . . . Three hurlers are back from last year's pitching staff . . . Seven newcomers join the 2006 team . . . BSU has its four top offensive performers back in Kelli Jeziorski (.272), Amanda Pick (.259), Abby Gross (.257) and Taylor Yancey (.231) . . . Nicki Hellem is the top returning player . . . She is joined by returnees Quincy Duran and Amanda Pick . . . Duran was one of the Cardinals' top pitchers in each of her first two seasons, before an injury kept her off the mound last spring . . . The seven newcomers include three utilities -- Katelyn Gunderson, Kamilah Holle and Shannon Sharpe; a pair of pitchers -- Laura Masch and Abby Zollman; an outfielder -- Allie Pennock; plus shortstop Amanda Graeter.
WEATHER WOES: Ball State's first competition of the season -- Feb. 18-19 at the Tennessee-Martin Tournament -- was cancelled due to inclement weather conditions . . . The Cardinals lost at least four games on their schedule.
SCHEDULE ADDITIONS: Ball State has added four games to its 2006 schedule . . . The Cardinals will travel to Louisville, Ky., March 2, where they will face IUPUI at 2 p.m., followed by a game against Bellarmine at 4:00 . . . BSU will also play a doubleheader at Butler March 6 at 2 p.m., before flying to California for its tournament at Fresno State March 9-12.
SCOUTING THIS WEEKEND'S OPPONENTS: Evansville brings a 6-1 record into the weekend after a doubleheader sweep Wednesday over Tennessee-Martin . . . The Aces also boast victories over Minnesota, North Carolina State, Miami and Middle Tennessee State . . . UE's lone loss is to #17 Auburn . . . Alicia Laraway (.476) and Brittany Herald (.444) are both averaging better than .400 from the plate . . . Ashley Hobbs leads the pitching staff with a 1.61 ERA, a 4-0 record and 24 strikeouts . . . Ole Miss is 2-8 with both wins over Grambling State . . . Lisa Conchos leads the Rebels with a .367 batting average, while Dana Brill owns a 0.81 ERA in two appearances on the mound.
• Ball State and Evansville are 9-9 in the series between the two schools, which began in 1984 . . . The last time the teams met -- in 2004 -- the Aces won both matchups . . . BSU and Ole Miss have met just twice with the Rebels victorious in both . . . Last season, Mississippi posted an 8-0 win.
CHALLENGING SCHEDULE: Ball State's 2006 schedule includes five teams ranked in the 2006 USA Today/NFCA Preseason Poll -- No. 13 Washington, No. 14 DePaul, No. 15 Oregon State, No. 20 Fresno State and No. 24 Iowa . . . Two additional opponents -- Central Michigan and Notre Dame -- received votes in the poll . . . A total of eight opponents made appearances in last year's NCAA Tournament -- Central Florida, DePaul, Fresno State, Iowa, Miami, Notre Dame, Oregon State and Washington.
RADIO COVERAGE: For the second-straight season, Ball State's student station, WCRD 91.3, will provide expanded coverage of softball games . . . This season's package includes 14 regular-season games plus all MAC Tournament competition . . . Karl Mandik will provide play-by-play for the games, which begin with BSU's March 22 date with Indiana . . . The broadcasts can be heard locally or via the internet at www.ballstatesports.com . . . In addition, the station will host the Terri Laux Show, produced by BSU team manager Kelly Schroering . . . Dates for the show are to be determined.
