AKRON, Ohio ? The Ball State softball team was knocked out of the Mid-American Conference Tournament after losing to the Kent State Golden Flashes 6-3.
The Cardinals started the tournament by upsetting Central Michigan 3-2. They were defeated by Bowling Green 6-0, but bounced back to knock Akron out of the tournament with a 5-4 win.
Kent State went up 1-0 in the first inning as Jessica Toocheck hit an RBI single up the middle allowing Kim Hamilton to score the first run of the game.
Toocheck increased the KSU lead in the third inning with a solo home run to right field.
Ball State answered with three runs in the fourth inning to take the lead. Alyssa Collins advanced to first after being hit by a pitch. Alicia Barkley singled through the left side of the infield to move Collins to second.
Abby Gross remained hot at the plate as she delivered a three-run home run to give the Cardinals a 3-2 lead over the Flashes.
Kent State responded as Lauren Brocklehurst led off the fifth inning with a bunt single. Hamilton followed in the line-up with a double down the left field line. The Cardinals decided to walk Toocheck to load the bases for Jamie Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick took advantage of her situation and knocked the Cardinals out of the tournament with a grand slam.
The Cardinals played 68 games this season more than any other team in BSU history. Their 36 wins are the second most in school history. The team set multiple single-season records including stolen bases (151), runs scored (267), and runs batted in (226).
