Ball State University
Valparaiso (DH)
Softball Splits DH With Valpo
March 25, 2008 | Softball
VALPARAISO, Ind. ? Ball State played two extra inning games against Valparaiso on Monday. The Cardinals fell 1-0 in game one, but came back with a 4-3 victory in game two.
In game one, Ashley Wolter of Valparaiso led off the bottom of the second inning with a double to center field. Wolter was able to advance to third, but Elizabeth Milian got Tracy Korth and Courtney Laferle to pop up keeping the game scoreless.
Mallory Gill recorded the second hit of the game when she singled to right field for the Crusaders.
Aubrey Sundling entered the game for Gill to pinch run for Valparaiso. Sundling stole second base, and advanced to third off an infield hit by Karen Korb.
Korb advanced to second, but Natalie Bejarano picked off Sundling to give the Cardinals two outs. Ball State got out of the inning when Alicia Ashburn grounded out to the pitcher.
Alicia Barkley singled to left field to earn the first hit of the game for BSU in the top of the seventh inning.
Barkley advanced to second off a sacrifice bunt by Allie Pennock. Barkley was eventually thrown out at second, and Gross stuck out to end the inning.
Wolter picked up her second hit in the bottom of the seventh inning, but the Crusaders were unable to score sending the game to extra innings.
Brittney Jones started the top of eighth inning on second due to the international tie-breaker rule. Jones was thrown out trying to advance to third on a wild pitch.
Pick was walked to reach first base, and Milian singled to shortstop to give the Cardinals two base runners. Amber Wolf entered the game to pinch hit for BSU.
Wolf hit a deep fly ball to left field but it wasn't long enough and the Cardinals were unable to generate a run in the eighth.
Valparaiso tried a sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the inning to advance the runner to third. An error by Ball State allowed the runner to round third base and score the game winning run.
Milian took the loss on the mound for BSU. Milian fell to 8-5 on the season. Valparaiso's Andrea Zappia shut down the Cardinal offense. Zappia struck out nine batters and only gave up two hits.
In game two, Valparaiso threatened to score the first run of the game in the bottom of the third inning. The Crusaders had runners on third and second with one out.
Tiffany Garofano threw her fifth strikeout of the game for the second out, and Shannon Robinson flew out to center field to end the inning.
Valpo had two more base runners on in the bottom of the fourth with two outs. Garofano struck out Sadie Conner to end the inning. Garofano left the game in the fifth inning with seven strikeouts.
Kathryn Wilczynski hit a three-run double to put Ball State on top.
The Cardinals had the bases loaded in the top of the sixth inning with two outs. Wilczynski battled to a full count and hit a deep fly ball to right field. Wolter got a good jump on the ball but was unable to haul in the catch giving Ball State a 3-0 lead.
Robinson responded in the bottom of the sixth inning with a lead-off double to center field. Wolter followed with an RBI single to left field to put the Crusaders on the scoreboard.
Whitney Warner hit a single to left center field advancing Wolter to second. Laferle hit a two RBI line drive double to center field to tie the game at 3-3.
Neither team was able to score a run in the seventh or eighth inning, but Wilczynski came up huge again in the top of the ninth when her single up the middle allowed Alyssa Collins to score from second.
Valparaiso had a base runner on third in the bottom of the ninth inning, but Milian got back to back Crusaders to ground out giving the Cardianls the 4-3 victory.
The Cardinals host the Butler Bulldogs on March 25, at 2 p.m.
