Ball State University Athletics
Cards Split in Day One of Fresno State Softball Classic
March 09, 2006 | Softball
Softball vs. UCF
Ball State came back from a 1-0 deficit to score a pair of runs in the bottom of the third and then held on for a 3-2 victory over San Diego State Thursday in the first game of the Bulldog Softball Classic in Fresno, Calif.
The Cardinals struck first when Allie Pennock reached on an error, stole second and then scored on Amanda Pick's single to left field in the bottom of the first. San Diego answered with two runs on three hits in the top of the second. BSU's come-back inning came in the bottom of the third. With two outs, Pick reached first on an infield single. Abby Gross followed with a double up the middle to score Pick and knot the score. The Cardinals' go-ahead run came on Kelli Jeziorski's RBI single to left center, which scored Gross.
San Diego threatened with a runner on second in both the fourth, fifth and sixth. The Aztecs loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh, but freshman hurler Laura Masch retired the side forcing a fly out to center field.
Pick led the way offensively with two of Ball State's six hits. She added an RBI and a run scored. Gross, Jeziorski, Sarah McGregor and Cortney Patteson had one hit each. Gross added a run and an RBI. Masch got her first collegiate victory in her first appearance as a Cardinal. She came in to relieve starter Nicki Hellem in the third, scattering five hits and striking out three.
In the nightcap, Jeziorski scored the Cardinals' only run when she opened the second with an infield single, advanced to second on Taylor Yancey's sacrifice hit and eventually scored on a fielding error by Central Florida. The Golden Knights got all four runs off of three hits in the top of the seventh. BSU threatened in the bottom half of the inning with runners on second and third, but CFU retired the side.
Ball State and Central Florida had five hits apiece. Pick led the way with two for BSU. She also took the pitching loss -- her first of the year -- after allowing all four earned runs. Pick struck out a career-high eight batters in the contest.
BSU, 4-4 overall, faces a pair of nationally-ranked opponents Friday -- No. 9 Oregon State and No. 25 Fresno State.
