Ball State University
North Carolina State
Softball Loses Two In Under Armour Invitational
March 07, 2009 | Softball
CLEARWATER, Fla. ? The Ball State softball team suffered a loss the N.C. State Friday 2-0 for its first game in South Florida's Under Armour Invitational. The Cardinals followed with a loss to Hofstra the same day 2-1 in extra innings.
Game One
In the first game of the series, the Cardinals held off the Wolfpack (5-6) until the bottom of the fourth inning when N.C. State's Kristine Bechtholdt hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth to put her team on the board.
Ball State attempted a comeback in the fifth; however, with two runners on base, Lisa Rozanski was caught on her way to home. Ball State would not score the rest of the game, falling 2-0.
Allie Pennock stole three bases in the game, seven this season. She also led the Cardinals with two hits for her fifth multi-hit game this year.
N.C. State's Mendy McKenzie struck out a season-high 13 batters, while Elizabeth Milian moved to 2-3 with four strikeouts.
Game Two
Hofstra improved to 4-5 after defeating Ball State for the Cardinal's second game of the day.
In the first inning, with bases loaded, two outs and a full count, pitcher Laura Masch struck out Hofstra's Carolann Lubach to allow for the Cardinals' first at bat.
Ball State took an early lead when Jen Reifschneider hit her fourth home run of the season over the right field fence to put the Cardinals up 1-0 in the second inning.
However, Hofstra's Lubach redeemed herself as she answered with her own solo home run in the fourth inning to tie the score at one a piece.
Collins doubled in the fourth, her second this season, but was unable to get around the bases. A lightning throw from Bejarano to Alicia Barkley caught Hofstra stealing to second base for the second out that inning. A strikeout from Laura Masch would end the inning before the two runners left on base could advance. Bejarano made another play by grab a ball off a foul tip earlier in the game.
After pitching six and a third innings, Milian came in to pitch for Masch at the top of the sixth, with two outs. Mach threw five strikeouts. A ground out from Barkley to first base would end the inning and set the Cardinals up to bat in the bottom of the seventh; however, the score would remain tied until the end of regulation innings.
After a runner was placed on second to begin the eighth inning, two singles moved the scoring run home to put Hofstra up 2-1.
Kamilah Holle then became the tying run in the bottom of the eighth. She advanced to third, but two strikeouts and a ground out eliminated Ball State's chances for a victory.
Hofstra batted out 11 hits to the Cardinals' four, two of which were made by Alyssa Collins.
Ball State (2-7) returns to action 11 a.m. Saturday against Illinois-Chicago. The game will end pool play and determine Saturday evening and Sunday's tournament play.
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