Softball Falls to Long Island and UConn Friday

Friday, March 11

Clearwater, Fla.

5:30 p.m.

Ball State University

11-6

Long Island

5-16

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Long Island	1	0	0	1	0	0	1	3	10	1
Ball State	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	6	1

Softball Opens Fall Season Hosting Taylor Saturday

March 12, 2011 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Ball State Athletics

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Ball State fell 3-1 to Long Island and 7-2 to Connecticut in the first day of the Under Armour Showcase at the Eddie C. Moore Complex. With the losses, the Cardinals move to 11-7 on the season.

Versus Long Island, a home run scored by shortstop Bianca Mejia in the first inning immediately put the squad up by one run until the Blackbirds scored again in the fourth inning.

Ball State returned the favor in the bottom of the sixth inning as sophomore left fielder Amanda Carpenter (Santee, Calif./Santana) smacked a double to left field and advanced to third base after senior right fielder Alyssa Collins (Fortville, Ind./Mt. Vernon) singled to Mejia.

Long Island claimed the victory in the bottom of the seventh inning as an RBI-double to center field scored the third and final run.

Sophomore catcher Sadie Robertson (Fenton, Mo./Rockwood Summit) was a standout at the plate, going 1-for-2, in addition to collecting one RBI after driving in Carpenter to score the Cardinals' lone run of the contest. Sophomore hurler Audra Sanders (Lynnville, Ind./Tecumseh) allowed for 10 hits, three walks and tallied three strikeouts in seven innings.

Ball State outhit Connecticut, 11-6, however the Cardinals committed three errors compared to the Huskies' one. Ball State opened the scored right away in the top of the first inning as senior shortstop Alicia Barkley (Oklahoma City, Okla./Putnam City) tripled to center field and scored on a passed ball.

Connecticut evened the contest in the bottom of the second inning as freshman Andrea Huelsenbeck, pinch running for junior Amy Baughn, scored on an RBI-single. The Huskies continued their hot-hitting in the bottom of the fifth innings, claiming six runs.

The Cardinals would score once more during the contest in the top of the sixth inning as Carpenter's RBI-single to right center drove in senior center fielder Lisa Rozanski (Tampa, Fla./Daytona Beach CC).

Barkley paced all Ball State batters, going 3-for-4, in addition to tallying her triple, her second of the season. Rozanski and Collins also tallied two hits in four appearances and join junior catcher Amanda Montalto (Las Vegas, Nev./Palo Verde) with one stolen base apiece.

Pitchers Kim Mazzapica (Pam Harbor, Fla./East Lake) and Audrey Workman (Wickenburg, Ariz./Wickenburg) split six innings in the circle as the pair allowed for six hits, while walking three Huskies batters and striking out three.

Ball State continues the Under Armour Showcase Saturday with matchups versus Quinnipiac and Florida at 12:30 pm and 5:30 p.m. Ball State will complete its play in the tournament Sunday against St. Joseph's at noon.

Head coach Craig Nicholson and the team open the home portion of the 2011 season in a doubleheader versus Dayton at the BSU Softball Complex, beginning at 3 p.m. on March 24.