Ball State University Athletics
Softball Hosts Eastern Michigan Saturday and Sunday
April 10, 2010 | Softball
TWITTER UPDATES: @BallStSoftball
Game Information: After splitting a doubleheader with Central Michigan, Friday, the Ball State Cardinals (22-9; 2-2) return to the BSU Softball Complex for their sixth and seventh consecutive home games Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. against the Eastern Michigan Eagles (11-17; 3-3) . . . This marks the third two-game conference series of the season for the Cardinals who have split series with both Miami and Central Michigan so far this year . . . The Eagles have seen three conference teams - Miami, Bowling Green and Toledo.
Ball State's Coach Nicholson: Ball State head coach Craig Nicholson, in his fourth season at the helm for the Cardinals and 15th year as a head coach, earned his 100th win at Ball State in a 7-0 shutout against Temple, March 13 . . . This makes him the first head coach in school history to reach 100 wins in just 195 games . . . The 2009 Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year is currently 109-99 at Ball State . . . He owns an 832-189 career coaching mark for a .816 winning percentage . . . Prior to coming to Ball State, Nicholson spent 11 years as the head coach at Central Arizona College where he was named the National Junior College Athletic Association Coach of the Year in 1997, 1999, 2003 and 2005 . . . He was also the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Junior College Coach of the Year in 1997, 1999 and 2005 . . . Nicholson led Central Arizona to NJCAA National Championships in 1997, 1999, 2003 and 2005, and garnered national runner-up finishes in 1996 and 2000 . . . Central Arizona won seven conference championships and eight regional titles in his 11 seasons.
2010 Season: Having played 26 consecutive road games at the beginning of the season and upsetting then-ranked No. 3 Missouri, the Cardinals began home play April 3 and are now 2-3 at home . . . Their longest winning streak this season spanned nine games (March 6-March 19).
The 2009 Season: Ball State won the school's first-ever Mid-American Conference Championship with an 18-3 league mark, which was the best regular season record in school history . . . The Cardinals were 29-24 overall.
Cardinals Split Series Against Central Michigan: Ball State took a 7-0 lead in the first inning of game one against Mid-American conference foe, Central Michigan, in Friday's doubleheader at the BSU Softball Complex . . . The Cardinals held their lead throughout the first game to tally their fifth double-digit win of the season defeating the Chippewas 12-8 . . . Elizabeth Milian was in the circle for the Cardinals' win, notching her 16th victory of the season . . . Game two, however, saw the Chippewas in the double digits as they posted a convincing 11-3 win on the Cardinals . . . Audra Sanders (4-6) and Kim Mazzapica (2-1) split the pitching duty for Ball State in game two.
Ware a Triple Threat: With 21 games left to be played in the regular season, Jessie Ware, a senior transfer from Arizona State, tallied her tenth triple of the season Friday against Central Michigan to become Ball State's all-time single season leader in this category . . . She is batting at a team-leading .415 clip and also leads the team with 44 hits, 33 runs and a .802 slugging percentage . . . With 22 RBI and nine doubles, she is second to Amanda Montalto who owns 25 and 11, respectively . . . Ware and Montalto are tied with four homeruns apiece . . . Heading into the week, Ware led the MAC in runs scored, triples and total bases . . . She also shared the top spot in the conference for doubles with Montalto . . . On the field, Ware has 43 putouts and a .920 fielding percentage . . . She was named MAC West Division Player of the Week March 2 and March 30.
Milian Chasing Records: With 139 strikeouts this season, Milian needs just 20 to pass Ball State's career strike out leader, Bernie Coffman (1986-89) . . . Milian already owns the school's single season record for strike outs, accumulating 204 in 2009 . . . With 69 career wins, Milian is second to Coffman in this category and needs just eight wins to take the lead . . . Milian was chosen as the Mid-American Conference West Pitcher of the Week (March 23), her fourth nod this season and ninth of her career, including a Player of the Week honor in 2008 . . . Maintaining a 3.97 grade point average as a secondary mathematics education major, Milian was named the MAC Co-Female Scholar Athlete of the Week (March 26) - the first of her career . . . She has also received recognition on ESPN.com.
Returning MAC Pitcher of the Year: Milian, a Ball State senior, was selected as the 2009 MAC Pitcher of the Year and Nan Harvey Sportswoman of the Year . . . One of 30 candidates for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award in the sport of softball, Milian owns a 3.97 grade-point average on Ball State's 4.0 scale as a secondary mathematics education major . . . She tallied a 21-15 pitching record last season and was named to the All-MAC and National Fastpitch Coaches Association first teams . . . A member of the Academic All-MAC team two straight years, Milian was also named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District First Team last season . . . She ranked second in the MAC in wins (21), innings pitched (224) and complete games (27) as a junior plus held opponents to a .214 batting average, which ranked third in the league.
Additional Team Leaders: Lisa Rozanski, a 2009 All-MAC First-Team choice, ranked fifth in the nation in triples and 19th in the nation in stolen bases last year . . . She has a team-leading 16 steals in 22 attempts this season . . . Junior Alicia Barkley was named the 2009 MAC Player of the Year after posting a .337 batting average, including hitting at a .446 clip in conference play . . . She was named to the All-MAC First Team and the NFCA All-Region First Team . . . This season, Barkley has 28 total bases in 99 at bats, including 24 hits with two triples.
Ball State's 2010 Preseason: The Cardinals were selected by the MAC head coaches as the preseason favorite to win the 2010 Mid-American Conference West Division . . . In addition, Ball State begins the 2010 season ranked No. 38 in the country in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Preseason Collegiate Top 25 Poll released Jan. 25 . . . Ball State was joined by BYU and San Diego State, who also received four votes in the poll.
