Softball Defeats Dayton in Home Opening DH

Thursday, March 24

Muncie, Ind.

3:00 p.m.

Ball State University

16-11

Dayton (DH)

10-13

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Dayton	0	1	1	0	0	2	8	1
Ball State	3	5	2	0	X	10	12	0

March 25, 2011 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Ball State Athletics

MUNCIE, Ind. - Ball State Softball took two contests from Dayton Thursday afternoon in the Cardinals' home-opening doubleheader at the BSU Softball Complex. With the wins, the squad improves to 17-11 overall on the season.

In game one, Ball State out hit Dayton, 12-10, and committed no errors in the 10-2 victory in five innings. When it was the Cardinals' turn to step up to the plate in the bottom of the first inning, a swinging frenzy began as senior center fielder Lisa Rozanski (Tampa, Fla./Daytona Beach CC) singled through the left side and advanced to second on senior shortstop Alicia Barkley's (Oklahoma City, Okla./Putnam City) base-hit.

Then with two runners on base, freshman first baseman Taylor Rager (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) whacked a home run down the right field line and drove in Rozanski and Barkley.

The Flyers responded to the Cardinals' offense in the top of the second inning as Dana Trotta singled to center field off Ball State's Audrey Workman (Wickenburg, Ariz./Wickenburg) to score Barrett.

At bat in the bottom of the second inning, the Cardinals tallied three hits and put up five runs to extend their lead to 8-1. After a pitching change for the Flyers, the scoring drive began when Barkley doubled up the middle to drive in freshman Jennifer Gilbert (McKinney, Texas/McKinney).

Then, Dayton's Amanda Daly walked junior catcher Amanda Montalto (Las Vegas, Nev./Palo Verde) and with the bases loaded, senior right fielder Alyssa Collins (Fortville, Ind./Mt. Vernon) reached on an error by Dayton's shortstop and scored Rozanski.

Sophomore Amanda Carpenter (Santee, Calif./Santana) then contributed a hit to left field to drive Barkley home. Mercado came up next for Ball State, but was soon walked by Daly to score Montalto and initiated the Flyer's second pitching change in the circle for the inning. Then, Dayton's Alysha Isaacson walked Gilbert to drive in Collins and secure Ball State's fifth run.

The Flyers tallied a home run to left field to initiate the third inning and the strength of the Cardinals' defense shined as a strikeout and two consecutive popups left three batters on base.

Ball State's next big inning at bat come in the bottom of the third as Barkley initiated the scoring drive with a bunt. With Montalto at bat, Barkley advanced to second base on a wild pitch and then to third after Montalto flied out to right field.

Isaacson then walked Rager and sophomore Hannah Zimmerman (Indianapolis, Ind./Scecina Memorial) was sent in to pinch run. Zimmerman stole second base and advanced to third after Collins grounded out to Isaacson to score Barkley. Ball State put its final point on the board after Carpenter's single up the middle drove in Zimmerman.

In addition to her home run, Rager went 1-for-2, while Barkley tallied three hits in four appearances, in addition to her double and stolen base, and Carpenter, who went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate and recorded one stolen bag.

Credited with the win, Workman pitched three strikeouts and walked three batters to improve her season record to 6-4. Junior pitcher Kim Mazzapica (Palm Harbor, Fla./East Lake) also allowed for three hits, in addition to tallying three Flyers strikeout.

In game two, Ball State out hit Dayton, 15-2, and committed no errors in the 15-1 victory in five innings. The Cardinals were the first to the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning as freshman third baseman Audrey Bickel (Munster, Ind./Andrean) drove Gilbert home.

Ball State extended its lead in the bottom of the second inning where the offense shined. Collins bunted, stole second base and advanced to third off Carpenter's single up the middle. Sophomore Sadie Robertson (Fenton, Mo./Rockwood Summit) then singled through the left side to score Carpenter.

With runners in scoring position, Gilbert slugged her fifth home run of the season to center field off Dayton's Kelsi Seidlitz and drove in junior second baseman Alison Mercado (Perris, Calif./Arizona Western) and Robertson.

Barkley was then hit by a pitch from Dayton's Sarah Wedel, who had just stepped in the circle to replace Seidlitz. With Bickel at bat, Barkley stole second base and advanced to third after Bickel grounded out to Wedel. However, Barkley was left on base after Rager lined out to Dayton's third baseman.

Ball State came back in the bottom of the third inning as Robertson singled to left field to score Carpenter and freshman Julie Cortez (Colorado Springs, Colo./Chaparrel) came in to pinch run for Robertson.

Next to bat for the Cardinals was Montalto, pinch hitting for Mercado, who singled to Wedel and advanced Cortez to third base. Then, Gilbert was hit by a pitch from Dayton's Daly, who had just stepped in circle to replace Wedel. With the bases loaded, Daly walked Rozanski and Cortez scored.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Robertson contributed a single that drove in Collins and Zimmerman, pinch running for Rager. Then, Carpenter advanced to third base after Mercado flied out to right field. Next to bat for the Cardinals was Gilbert, whose base-hit up the middle scored Carpenter.

Coming in to pinch hit for Rozanski, senior Kristy Stratton (Paw Paw, Mich./Paw Paw) hit a single off Daly and drove Robertson home. Freshman Katrina Morales (Whittier, Calif./St. Paul), pinch hitting for Barkley, then reached on an error by Dayton's first baseman. With the bases loaded, Bickel's single to right field stood as a catalyst to score Gilbert.

Then, Zimmerman reached on a fielder's choice and Stratton was tagged out at home. Pinch hitting for Collins, freshman Lauren Schroeder (Greenfield, Ind./New Palestine) singled through the right side and drove in Bickel and Morales, but was caught leaving first base early.

Dayton responded in the top of the fifth inning as Lauren Nacke hit a single off Mazzapica, who had just stepped in the circle to replace sophomore Audra Sanders (Lynnville, Ind./ Tecumseh). The Flyers' Kasi Vazquez reached on a fielder's choice to score Nacke, but Bickel tagged Trotta out at third.

Aside from her home run, Gilbert went a perfect 2-for-2 in the contest and Collins and Carpenter each tallied two hits in two appearances and a stolen base each, while Robertson went 3-for-3.

Sanders earned the win after a phenomenal four innings, recording a no-hitter, in addition to four strikeouts and allowing only one walk during the game, while Mazzapica allowed for two hits and tallied one strikeout.

The Cardinals return to action this weekend at the Miami Tournament in Oxford, Ohio. Ball State begins with contests Saturday versus Toledo and Marshall at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and will complete play in the tournament Sunday against Marshall and Purdue at 1 and 3 p.m.