Ball State University
Bowling Green (DH)
Softball Sweeps Bowling Green At Home Friday
April 23, 2010 | Softball
Three single season school records were set by Ball State players in the doubleheader. First, Elizabeth Milian (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc) recorded her 211th strikeout this season to break her 2008 record of 204 strikeouts. Then, Jessie Ware (Phoenix, Ariz./Hamilton) tallied her 98th total base and 43rd run to become the single season leader in both categories at Ball State. The previous owner of the run record was Taylor Yancey who tallied 42 runs in 2007 and the total base record was co-earned by Abby Gross and Amy Doyle who notched 93 apiece in 2007 and 1998, respectively.
GAME 1 - Ball State 17, Bowling Green 4
After being held to zero runs in Wednesday's nightcap against Purdue, Ball State wasted no time getting to the scoreboard against Bowling Green and led 5-0 in the first inning.
Reaching home first for the Cardinals was lead-off batter Ware who was driven in by Amanda Carpenter's (Santee, Calif./Santana) single. Lisa Rozanski (Tampa, Fla./Alonso) was next to score, crossing home after Alyssa Collins (Fortville, Ind./Mt. Vernon) reached on a fielder's choice. This was Collins first of five hits on the day. Then, Kate Wilczynski (Tucson, Ariz./Canyon Del Oro) stepped up to the plate and smacked her ninth double of the season down the right field line to drive in Collins and Carpenter. Meredith Nash (Peculiar, Mo./Raymore-Peculiar) is credited with the final RBI of the inning as she drove in Wilczynski on a single to left field.
Bowling Green put a single run on the board in the top of the second inning on an Adrienne Dick home run, but Milian struck out two batters to keep it a single run inning for the Falcons.
Regardless of the Falcons' putting Zada Lines in the circle for Melissa Bott, the Cardinals' second inning at bat was a near repeat of their first inning performance as they again tallied five runs. This time, however, Ware, Rozanski and Carpenter would all reach on walks rather than singles. With the bases loaded, Collins singled to drive in Ware and then advanced to second on an error by the right fielder which also allowed Rozanski to score on the play. Carpenter scored with Wilczynski reaching on a fielder's choice and then Amanda Montalto (Las Vegas, Nev./Palo Verde) singled to drive in Collins for the fifth run of the inning and tenth run of the game.
The Falcons began a mid-game rally in the top of the third inning when Rachel Proehl notched her second single of the game and then stole second with Karmen Coffey at bat. Coffey followed Proehl's lead and singled to drive in Proehl. With Coffey on first, Paige Berger stepped up to bat and slugged the Falcons' second home run of the day to drive in two runs. Susan Sontag notched a fourth consecutive hit for the Falcons as she tripled to center field. Sontag's hit wouldn't go further than third base, however, as the next batter, Lines, struck out swinging.
Ball State would not score again until the fourth inning which began with a single by Collins who was five for seven at bat in the doubleheader. Wilczynski followed with a single of her own and then Montalto drove in Collins with her 12th double this season. Kristy Stratton (Paw Paw, Mich./Paw Paw), Ware, Rozanski Alicia Barkley (Oklahoma City, Okla./Putnam City) and Carpenter would also be credited with RBIs in the inning.
Kim Mazzapica (Palm Harbor, Fla./East Lake) took the mound for Milian in the top of the fifth and the Falcons would post no runs or hits in their last attempt at bat.
GAME 2: Ball State 12, Bowling Green 3
The second game of the doubleheader also ended in five innings and the Cardinals held the Falcons to zero runs until the top of the fourth inning when Berger posted her second home run of the day on Milian. The ace gave up eight hits and three runs while striking out six.
Ball State's offense took a 6-0 lead in the first inning which began with Barkley driving in the first two runs for the Cardinals on a single through the right side that scored Ware and Rozanski, both on base after singling to the infield. The bases would quickly be loaded for Wilczynski after Carpenter reached on an error by first base and Collins singled to the pitcher. Wilczynski was walked to advance all of the runners including Barkley who scored on the walk. Then, Montalto doubled for two RBI and Nash drove in Wilczynski after grounding out to the second baseman.
The Cardinals scored three runs in the second inning and the hitting began with Rozanski singling to the shortstop and getting to second on her seventh steal of the day. Then, Barkley notched her second triple of the day and fourth of the season to drive in Rozanski and give the Cardinals a 7-0 lead. Collins would be the next batter credited with an RBI as she singled to second to drive in Carpenter and Barkley. Carpenter's run was unearned as she advanced on a throwing error by the third baseman.
After Berger's home run in the fourth for the Falcons, Montalto would answer with a homer of her own and notched three RBI in the process. The sophomore tallied seven RBI, hit three extra-base hits and posted two multi-hit games.
Bowling Green answered with two runs and four hits in the top of the fifth, but the game would end 12-3 after Katelynn Boso lined out to Nash who was fielding second base for the Cardinals.
Ball State (30-13; 8-4 MAC) hosts Toledo (9-30; 3-8 MAC) in a two-game Mid-American Conference series Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. at the BSU Softball Complex. Toledo returns to play after splitting a doubleheader Friday with Miami Ohio.
Sunday's game has a Think Pink theme in which the Cardinals will wear pink jerseys. The jerseys were donated by US Bank and Tom Durment and are featured in an online auction that opened April 9 and will end after the last pitch of Sunday's game. Fans are also encouraged to wear pink to the game and Ball State Athletics is assisting by selling pink leis for $1 at the BSU Softball Complex. All proceeds from the auction and the lei sale will be donated to Cancer Services of East Central Indiana, Inc.-Little Red Door. For more information on the Think Pink game and auction, click HERE.
Live stats and audio (91.3 WCRD) will be provided for both games on www.ballstatesports.com as well as inning-by-inning updates courtesy of @BallStSoftball on Twitter.
