Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
12-10
Delaware
7-12
Softball Defeats Delaware to Open Radford Tourney
March 18, 2011 | Softball
BOTETOURT, Va. - Ball State Softball opened the Radford Invitational Friday afternoon with a 11-3 defeat of Delaware at the Botetourt Sports Complex. With the victory, the Cardinals improved to 12-10 on the season after outhitting the Blue Hens, 15-4, and committing only one error in the contest.
Senior shortstop Alicia Barkley (Oklahoma City, Okla./Putnam City) started swinging right away for Ball State in the top of the first inning as a single to left field put her on base and the exercise science major quickly advanced to second on an illegal pitch. Then, senior right fielder Alyssa Collins (Fortville, Ind./Mt. Vernon) singled through the right side and scored Barkley.
Ball State came back in the top of the second inning as freshman first baseman Taylor Rager (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) smacked a home run, her first with the Cardinals, through right field and put Ball State up 2-0.
Delaware responded in the bottom of the second inning as freshman Brittney Noons homered to left field, then a 2-RBI home run in the bottom of the third inning by sophomore Gina Knutson put the score in the Blue Hens' favor, 3-2.
Ball State evened the score in the top of the fourth inning as Barkley's single to right center field scored sophomore Hannah Zimmerman (Indianapolis, Ind./Scecina Memorial), who was pinch running for Rager.
The Cardinals dominated the fifth inning as a 3-RBI home run blasted into right field by junior catcher Amanda Montalto (Las Vegas, Nev./Palo Verde) scored sophomore left fielder Amanda Carpenter (Santee, Calif./Santana) and freshman Katrina Morales (Whittier, Calif./St. Paul), who was pinch running for freshman third baseman Audrey Bickel (Munster, Ind./Andrean).
In the top of the sixth inning freshman Jennifer Gilbert reached first base on a fielder's choice and senior center fielder Lisa Rozanski (Tampa, Fla./Daytona Beach CC) scored on a throwing error by Delaware's pitcher, senior Anne Marie Pagano. Then, Ball State's senior third baseman Kate Wilczynski (Tucson, Ariz./Canyon Del Oro) whacked a base hit up the middle to score Gilbert and Barkley and widen the scoring margin to 9-3.
In the top of the seventh inning, Gilbert reached on a fielder's choice, advancing Collins and Barkley to second and third base, and Rozanski was sent home. Then, Pagano walked Wilczynski with the bases loaded, scoring Barkley for Ball State's 11th run of the contest.
Barkley went a perfect 5-for-5 at the plate, in addition to tallying two stolen bases, while Collins recorded three hits in five appearances and a third stolen bag. Pitchers Audra Sanders (Lynnville, Ind./Tecumseh) and Kim Mazzapica (Palm Harbor, Fla./East Lake) combined for just over six innings in the circle as the duo allowed for four hits and three walks, in addition to fanning three Blue Hens batters.
Ball State has another contest tonight versus Georgetown at 5 p.m., followed by contests versus Pittsburgh and host Radford at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday. The Cardinals will complete their play in the tournament Sunday against the Robert Morris Colonials at 9 a.m.
Head coach Craig Nicholson and the team open the home portion of the 2011 schedule in a doubleheader versus Dayton at the BSU Softball Complex, beginning at 3 p.m. Thursday, March 24.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Sanders, Audra (7-6)
L: Conway (1-4)
Batting:
2B: Carpenter, Amanda 1
HR: Rager, Taylor 1 ; Montalto, Amanda 1
RBI: Barkley, Alicia 1 ; Collins, Alyssa 1 ; Gilbert, Jenny 1 ; Wilczynski, Kate 3 ; Rager, Taylor 1 ; Montalto, Amanda 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Rozanski, Lisa 2 ; Barkley, Alicia 3 ; Gilbert, Jenny 1 ; Morales, Katrina 1 ; Carpenter, Amanda 1 ; Rager, Taylor 1 ; Zimmerman, Hannah 1 ; Montalto, Amanda 1
SB: Barkley, Alicia 2 ; Collins, Alyssa 1
HBP: Rozanski, Lisa 1
Batting:
HR: Knutson 1 ; Noons 1
RBI: Knutson 2 ; Noons 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Stacevicz 1 ; Knutson 1 ; Noons 1
HBP: Knutson 1
