Softball?s Ware and Milian Sweep MAC West Weekly Honors
May 04, 2010 | Softball
Ball State (36-13; 14-4 MAC) was 4-0 this weekend against Northern Illinois and Western Michigan and has swept its last four conference opponents. The Cardinals, who lead the Mid-American Conference in batting, posted a .350 team batting average and a .599 slugging percentage, which includes 15 extra base hits. On Saturday, the Cardinals notched their 10th shutout of the season in a 13-0 win against Western Michigan on the road.
The MAC office took note of two of the team's stand-out performers - Jessie Ware (Phoenix, Ariz./Hamilton) and Elizabeth Milian (Grand Blanc, Mich./Grand Blanc) - and named them the MAC West Division Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively.
Player of the Week - Jessie Ware
Ware, the Cardinals third baseman, has been named the Mid-American Conference West Division Player of the Week, the league office announced Tuesday. The redshirt senior transfer from Arizona State also received the award March 2 and March 30.
Ware led the Ball State offense with a .778 batting average and 1.444 slugging percentage this weekend and posted multi-hit performances in each game while going four-for-four at bat in two of the four road games. She also tallied seven of the team's 15 extra base hits in 18 at bats. In Friday's doubleheader against Northern Illinois, which saw extra innings in both games, Ware hit for the cycle in game one and nearly repeated the feat in game two but was shy a home run. In Sunday's game, Ware recorded her 72nd hit of the season to surpass Alicia Barkley (Oklahoma City, Okla./Putnam City) as Ball State's single season leader in the category.
Leading the team and the conference with a .431 batting average overall and batting at a .460 clip in MAC play, Ware has set four Ball State single season records this season - hits (72), triples (13), runs (55) and total bases (128).
Pitcher of the Week - Elizabeth Milian
Milian, Ball State's senior pitcher, has been named the MAC West Division Pitcher of the Week, the league office announced Tuesday. This is the sixth time this season Milian has won the MAC West weekly honor and the 12th nod of her career, including a Player of the Week honor in 2008.
The Cardinals' ace for four years, Milian maintained a perfect 3-0 record against MAC opponents, Northern Illinois and Western Michigan, on the road this weekend. She also struck out 21 batters in 22 innings pitched and is 26-5 this season. With Saturday's 13-0 five-inning shutout against the Broncos, Milian surpassed Bernie Coffman (1986-89) to become the winningest pitcher in Ball State history. To date, Milian has tallied 79 career wins.
Milian also owns Ball State career records in games started (120), complete games (107), strikeouts (693) and saves (8).
To read the MAC release, click HERE.
