Softball Defeats Toledo, Marshall in Oxford

Saturday, March 26

Oxford, Ohio

11:00 a.m.

Ball State University

18-11

Toledo

4-16

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Toledo	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	2	5	0
Ball State	2	0	2	0	0	2	X	6	9	0

Softball Falls to Northern Illinois in Five

March 26, 2011 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Ball State Athletics

OXFORD, Ohio. - The Ball State softball team defeated Mid-American Conference foe Toledo (6-2) and Marshall (10-2) Saturday on the opening day of the Miami Tournament held at the MU Softball Stadium.

The squad improved to 19-11 on the season with the victories and owns a 2-0 mark in the tournament.

Ball State vs. Toledo Recap

In the opening game, Ball State out-hit Toledo, 9-5, and committed no errors. When the Cardinals' stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the first inning, freshman Jennifer Gilbert (McKinney, Texas/McKinney) and senior center fielder Lisa Rozanski (Tampa, Fla./Daytona Beach CC) tallied base hits and advanced into scoring position on junior catcher Amanda Montalto's (Las Vegas, Nev./Palo Verde) ground-out to second base.

Freshman first baseman Taylor Rager (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) followed with a two-run single to open the scoring in the game.

Ball State tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the third inning, as Gilbert started a BSU rally with a triple to left center field off Toledo reliever Shana Szypka. Rozanski followed with an RBI double to left center field, driving in Gilbert.

In the next play, senior shortstop Alicia Barkley (Oklahoma City, Okla./Putnam City) drew a walk, and with Montalto's at bat, Barkley advanced to second base on the strikeout and Rozanski stole third. With two Cardinals in scoring position, Rager's sac fly to center field was enough to drive in Rozanski.

Toledo rallied for a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning as Erinn Wright blasted a two-run homer to left field off Ball State's junior pitcher Kim Mazzapica (Palm Harbor, Fla./East Lake).

The Cardinals answered back in the bottom of the frame with a two-run blast from pinch hitter senior Kristy Stratton (Paw Paw, Mich./Paw Paw) which also scored senior right fielder Alyssa Collins (Fortville, Ind./Mt. Vernon) who reached base earlier on a fielders' choice.

Rozanski tallied three hits in three at bats in the opener, while Gilbert went 2-for-4 with a double and two stolen bases. Credited with the win, Mazzapica pitched three strikeouts and allowed for no walks and five hits, to improve to 2-1 on the season.

Ball State vs. Marshall Recap

In game two, Ball State out-hit Marshall 13-4 in the five inning, 10-2 win.

Collins started things off for the offense in the second inning as the special education major notched a single to second base. Senior third baseman Kate Wilczynski (Tucson, Ariz./Canyon Del Oro) then reached on a fielder's choice and Collins was tagged out at second.

Wilczynski advanced to second base off Carpenter's base-hit to Marshall's pitcher Natalee Pulver and advanced to third when Mercado was walked. With the bases loaded, Gilbert doubled to left field and drove home Carpenter and Wilczynski.

Marshall responded in the bottom of the second inning as Ashley Gue singled to third base and advanced to second on a throwing error. Then, Melanie Stoehr's RBI-sac fly to center field scored Gue.

Ball State's next big inning at bat come in the top of the third as Pulver walked Rager then Zimmerman, pinch running for Rager, advanced to second off Collins' single to Pulver. Carpenter followed with a three-run home run, her first of the season, to left center field to score Collins and Zimmerman.

The Cardinals tacked on three more runs in the top of the fourth inning, pushing the score to 8-1. Rozanski singled to third base to start the frame, and advanced to third after Barkley reached second on a throwing error. With runners in scoring position, Rager doubled to right center field, driving in Barkley and Rozanski. Then a bunt from Collins advanced Rager to third base and a Wilczynski single to left center field drove Rager home.

In the bottom of the fourth, Marshall's Victoria Marvin whacked a home run to right center field to put the Thundering Herd's second point on the board.

The Cardinals came back in the top of the fifth inning as Barkley doubled to left center field and was sent home after Rager clubbed a home run to center field, her second during tournament play and third on the season.

Rager paced the Cardinals at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3, including four RBI on a double and home run. Carpenter also had a phenomenal showing for Ball State, as the elementary education major recorded two hits in three appearances, in addition to her home run, while Collins went 3-for-4 and Barkley went 2-for-3.

Sophomore pitcher Audra Sanders (Lynnville, Ind./Tecumseh) served up five innings of four-hit pitching, allowing no walks and tallying three strikeouts, to improve to 11-6. The pre-medicine major has pitched over 100 innings on the season and ranks second on the squad with a 2.77 ERA in 19 appearances.

Ball State completes play in the Miami Tournament Sunday against Marshall and Purdue at 1 and 3 p.m., respectively. Live stats will be provided for all games on BallStateSports.com and updates can be found by following @BallStSoftball on Twitter.