Ball State University
Dayton (DH)
Softball Downs Dayton in Doubleheader Wednesday
March 25, 2010 | Softball
Game 1: Ball State 7, Dayton 2
In game one, Jessie Ware (Phoenix, Ariz./Hamilton) put the Cardinals' first point on the board in the second inning when she stole home plate in a squeeze play that also saw Jackie Durment, pinch running for Montalto, successfully steal second. Ware has stolen a perfect 14-for-14 bases this year.
Back for more in the third inning, Ware smacked a double deep to centerfield that drove Lisa Rozanski (Tampa Fla./Alonso) and Alicia Barkley (Oklahoma City, Okla./Putnam City) home.
The Flyers responded to the Cardinals' offense in their next at bat when Anne Maci slugged a homerun off Ball State's Audra Sanders (Lynnville, Ind./Tecumseh). Sanders held Dayton for the remainder of the inning and ended the third by striking out Emily Stegeman.
Ball State tallied its final four points of the game in the fifth inning. The scoring drive began Barkley hit a single that drove Rozanski across the plate. Then, Ware singled to right field and Barkley advanced to third base on the play. Montalto was up next for the Cardinals and slugged her first homerun of the day to drive home Barkley and Ware. At the end of the inning, the Cardinals led 7-1.
Dayton's Kathleen Maloof sent a bomb over the fence in the seventh inning with no runners on base to give the Flyers their second and final run of the day.
Credited with the win, Sanders pitched 10 strikeouts and walked just two batters to improve her season record to 4-4.
Game 2: Ball State 5, Dayton 0
Kim Mazzapica (Palm Harbor, Fla./East Lake), 2-1 this year, took the mound for the Cardinals in their second game against Dayton and allowed no runs, gave up just three hits and walked one batter in six innings pitched. Milian, Ball State's ace, took to the circle in the seventh inning and gave up zero runs, one hit and pitched one strikeout.
Ball State earned its first run in the second inning when Alyssa Collins (Fortville, Ind./Mt. Vernon) doubled to right centerfield to drive in Alyssa Freiling (Bixby, Okla./Sequoyah). After Freiling crossed the plate, however, Barkley lined out to leftfield and two batters were left on base.
Jen Reifschneider (Wichita, Kan./Maize) contributed a double hit in the third inning that drove Ware home. Reifschneider, however, was tagged out at second on a throw from left field to the shortstop. The score was 2-0 after the third.
Dayton's Maloof attempted to string together a sequence for the Flyers in the bottom of the third, but was caught by a double play, initiated by Ware, that showcased the strength of the Cardinals' defense.
In the top of the fifth inning, Collins hit a single off Dayton's Eva Rappe who had just stepped in the circle to replace Sarah Wedel. With Barkley at bat, Collins advanced to second on a wild pitch and then to third after Barkley grounded out to third base. Next to bat for the Cardinals was Ware whose single to right field drove Collins home to make the score 3-0.
With Barkley on base in the seventh inning, Montalto batted her second homerun of the day and third this season to increase the Cardinals' lead to five. Montalto is slugging at a .559 clip this year.
Dayton, unable to respond in the seventh inning, gave Ball State its ninth shutout this season.
The Cardinals have no games scheduled for this weekend, but will play in their 25th straight road game Tuesday at 5 p.m. against IUPUI in Indianapolis, Ind. Fans can follow along with live stats provided on www.ballstatesports.com and also receive game updates by following @BallStSoftball on Twitter.
