Ball State University Athletics
Softball Continues MAC Play At Bowling Green And Toledo
April 09, 2009 | Softball
MUNCIE, Ind. ? With the weather cancelling its last three games, the Ball State softball team (16-16) owns a 6-1 Mid-American Conference record as it continues Mid-American Conference play at Bowling Green and Toledo throughout the weekend.
As the Cardinals ride a three-game winning streak, Alyssa Collins leads the team with a .381 batting average with 37 hits (third in the MAC), while Elizabeth Milian is tied for first in the MAC with a 12-10 record and a 1.96 ERA in the circle. Milian also received MAC Player of the Week after totaling 17 strikeouts in two games, including her one-hit shutout performance against Kent State.
Lisa Rozanski leads the team with 19 runs and is third in the MAC with 16 stolen bases, including five in the last three games. Rozanski is also tied for first in the conference with five triples. Alicia Barkley is tied for second on the team with 28 hits after going 3-for-4 against Eastern Michigan in game two. Kristy Stratton has also made her way up the chart for a .316 batting average with six hits and five RBI, including going 1-for-2 in the first win over Buffalo.
Head coach Craig Nicholson is also three games shy of his 800th career victory. He posted a 723-90 overall record at Central Arizona and is currently 74-82 at Ball State.
ABOUT BOWLING GREEN
The Cardinals face Bowling Green in a double header 1 p.m. Friday. The Falcons enter the game with a 7-18 overall record and a 2-4 mark in MAC action, and are coming off four losses after being swept by Western Michigan and Northern Illinois. Junior outfielder Susan Sontag leads with a .328 batting average that includes 20 hits with two doubles, two triples and a home run. Hayley Wiemer is not far behind with a .683 slugging percentage off 19 hits and 16 RBI.
Bowling Green leads the all-time series 47-27 with three wins last season against Ball State including handing the Cardinals their first loss in the MAC Tournament last season.
ABOUT TOLEDO
Ball State matches up with Toledo 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. The Rockets, 5-23 overall, won three of four MAC games last weekend for an overall conference record of 3-3 after handing Northern Illinois its first two conference losses and splitting with Western Michigan. Toledo also recently split with non-conference opponent Youngstown State Wednesday winning the first game 12-4 and losing the second 11-2.
With no Rocket starter batting over .300, Brie Ford led Toledo's offense batting .500 over the weekend (.287 for the season) with a 4-for-4 performance in game one against NIU. Pitcher Shana Szypka was a perfect 2-0, picking up her first conference wins of the season. Lacey LeVier currently leads the MAC with eight home runs and is second on the team with a .282 batting average. The Cardinals won both games last season at home against Toledo to lead the all-time series 40-39.
Live stats for this weekend's games will be available through ballstatesports.com.
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