Ball State University
Rutgers
Softball Earns Two More Wins in Florida
March 06, 2010 | Softball
In the first game, Ball State's Lisa Rozanski scored the lone run of the game on an error by Penn State's second baseman, Morgan Long, in the third inning. The Nittany Lions committed three errors in the inning. The final score saw Ball State on top 1-0.
In the second game, the Scarlet Knights tallied two runs in the first inning forcing the Cardinals to stage a comeback. Ball State's answer began in the fourth inning off a triple from leadoff batter Jessie Ware. Following Ware in the line-up was Amanda Montalto, an All-Mid-American Conference First Team selection as a rookie, who delivered a single that moved Ware across home plate and upped her RBI count to six on the year.
Amanda Carpenter continued the hitting for the Cardinals and reached on an error by Rutgers' leftfielder, Mickenzie Alden. This error sent Ball State's Hannah Zimmerman, pinch runner for Montalto, to second. Next to the plate was the Ball State season single leader in home runs with 11 in 2009, Jen Reifschneider, who notched a double and picked up her seventh RBI of the season as Zimmerman crossed the plate.
The Cardinal hitting streak led Rutgers to change pitchers. Following the pitching change, Ball State's Amanda Carpenter stole home and Reifschneider stole third. Keeping the hitting trend alive, Alyssa Collins stroked a two RBI double to leftfield, scoring Meredith Nash and Reifschneider. Montalto picked up two more RBI, marking her third of the game and eighth of the season, with a single to rightfield that sent Alicia Barkley and Collins home. The inning ended with Ware tagged out at second and the Cardinals up 7-2.
Rutgers notched three more runs in the seventh inning after Mikelyn Messina homered with two people on base, but Ball State prevailed 7-5.
Ball State resumes play Sunday at 9 a.m., when it takes on the Fordham Rams (10-3). The Rams maintain a perfect 4-0 record in the Under Armour Invitational with wins against Florida International, Florida Gulf Coast, Central Michigan and Memphis.
