Ball State University
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Western Michigan
Softball Wraps-Up Weekend With 6-5 Win Against Western Michigan
May 02, 2010 | Softball
The Cardinals tallied nine hits to the Broncos five in the game and went only one inning without a hit.
Jessie Ware (Phoenix, Ariz./Hamilton) led the Cardinals in the four-game weekend against Northern Illinois and Western Michigan, batting at a .778 clip and tallying a 1.444 slugging percentage. Of her 14 hits, the redshirt senior racked up three doubles, three triples and one home run in 18 at bats.
In Sunday's game, Ware led-off for Ball State with a single and would be driven in by a single hit by Amanda Carpenter (Santee, Calif./Santana). Ware hit a perfect four hits in four at bats in the game. Lisa Rozanski (Tampa, Fla./Alonso), who reached on a fielder's choice, would also score for the Cardinals in the inning after Alyssa Collins (Fortville, Ind./Mt. Vernon) hit a sacrifice fly to center field.
While three runners were left on base in the second, the Cardinals scored three runs. The first was scored when Rozanski batted in Jackie Durment (Glenville, Ill./Glenbrook South) who was pinching running for Amanda Montalto (Las Vegas, Nev./Palo Verde), representing one of four Cardinals walked in the game. Ware picked up the inning's second run when Carpenter was walked with the bases loaded.
Ball State rode this four run lead until Meghan Thomas and Michelle Bendewald each tallied home runs in the bottom of the second. Bendewald's home run drove in Meredith Whitney who represented the only batter walked by Elizabeth Milian (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc) in the game.
Then, in the third inning, Gracie Barstad slugged the Broncos' third home run of the game to even the score at four runs apiece.
Ware reignited the momentum for the Cardinals in the fourth inning with a double driven into deep left field. She would score on a single hit up the middle by Alicia Barkley (Oklahoma City, Okla./Putnam City) for Ball State's only run in the inning. Ware and Barkley would team up again in the sixth inning to score the Cardinals' sixth run of the game.
Representing Western Michigan's final attempt to rally, Bendewald hit her second home run of the game in the bottom of the seventh for a one-run deficit. The Broncos were unable to score again in the inning and the game ended with the Cardinals up 6-5.
Ball State returns to play in a doubleheader Friday against Akron beginning at 1 p.m. at the BSU Softball Complex in Muncie, Ind. Then, the Cardinals take on Ohio Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m., also at the BSU Softball Complex. The weekend's games mark Ball State's final contests of the regular season, and Ball State's seniors - Milian, Meredith Nash (Peculiar, Mo./Raymore-Peculiar), Jen Reifschneider (Wichita, Kan./Maize) and Ware - will be recognized Sunday, which has been designated Senior Day at the park.
Live stats will be provided on www.ballstatesports.com and inning-by-inning updates courtesy of @BallStSoftball on Twitter.
