Ball State University
Temple
Softball Opens Weekend With Consecutive Shutouts
March 14, 2010 | Softball
Ball State's wins against the Owls and Seawolves were pitched by Audra Sanders (Lynnville, Ind.) and Elizabeth Milian (Grand Blanc, Mich.), respectively. Pitching nine strikeouts against Stony Brook, Milian, 10-1 this season, has recorded 103 strikeouts this year making her career strikeout count 559. She is just 69 strikeouts away from clinching the school record set by Ball State's ace pitcher Bernie Coffman who took the mound for the Cardinals from 1986-89.
Sanders allowed only one hit against Temple and the win evens her season record at 3-3.
In game one against Temple, Ball State showed dominance from the very beginning and its first run came in the third inning when Hannah Zimmerman (Indianapolis, Ind.) crossed the plate on an RBI courtesy of Alicia Barkley (Oklahoma City, Okla.). The run was unearned because it originated with an error committed by Temple's shortstop.
The Cardinals scoring continued in the fourth inning with runs by Jackie Durment (Glenview, Ill.) and Amanda Carpenter (Santee, Calif.). Durment, pinch running for Amanda Montalto (Las Vegas, Nev.) who reached first on an error by the Owls' second baseman, crossed the plate on an RBI triple from Carpenter. This was Carpenter's second triple during the Florida tour. She later crossed the plate after Meredith Nash (Peculiar, Mo.) bunted and advanced to second.
Ball State tallied its final four runs in the fifth inning. The action began when Alyssa Collins (Fortville, Ind.) crossed home on a hit by Jessie Ware (Phoenix, Ariz.) who reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to third. Ware crossed next on a double hit by Montalto - her sixth of the season. Next up to cross the plate was Montalto, who stole home with Jen Reifschneider (Wichita, Kan.) at bat. Carpenter followed suit on the next play scoring after Reifschneider doubled to right field.
On the mound, Sanders held the Owls to one hit, zero runs and pitched four strikeouts.
In game two against Stony Brook, the Seawolves bullpen gave up two homeruns, one triple and one double, while the defense gave up five stolen bases; one of which, in the second inning, was tallied as a point for Ball State. This stolen base belonged to Ware.
Ware and Carpenter each slugged their second home run of the season in the fourth inning. Carpenter's homer sent Durment, pinch running for Montalto who was walked, across the plate for the third point of the inning. At this point, Ball State led 4-0.
Ball State scored four more in the sixth inning, which began with Carpenter's third double of the season. Carpenter then crossed the plate on an RBI bunt by Kate Wilczynski (Tucson, Ariz.). Lisa Rozanski's (Tampa, Fla.) triple hit to centerfield batted in Jen Moore (Canton, Ohio), pinch running for Wilczynski, and Nash, pinch running for Kristy Stratton (Paw Paw, Mich.) who got on base from a single to the catcher. Rozanski scored the Cardinals' eighth and final point of the night after Stony Brook's third pitcher of the night, Alyssa Struzenberg, threw a wild pitch.
Stony Brook was unable to score on Milian who allowed four hits from 22 at bats. The game ended in just six innings.
The Cardinals resume play Sunday at 9 a.m. when they take on the Middle Tennessee State (5-9) Blue Raiders in their closing game of the Under Armour Showcase sponsored by the University of South Florida in Clearwater, Fla.
To get live updates from this game, follow @BallStSoftball on Twitter.
