Softball Falls to Marshall, Purdue at Miami Tourney

Sunday, March 27

Oxford, Ohio

1:00 p.m.

Ball State University

19-12

Marshall

13-17

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Marshall	0	0	0	0	0	8	0	8	9	2
Ball State	1	0	0	1	2	2	0	6	8	2

Softball?s Gilbert Named MAC West Player of the Week

Softball Falls to Marshall, Purdue at Miami Tourney

March 28, 2011 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Ball State Athletics

OXFORD, Ohio - On the final day of the Miami Tournament, Ball State Softball fell 8-6 to Marshall and 3-1 to in-state rival Purdue at the MU Softball Complex.

With the losses, the Cardinals own a 19-13 overall record on the season and an even 2-2 mark during tournament play.

Ball State vs. Marshall

In the opening contest, the Cardinals were the first to strike as freshman Jennifer Gilbert (McKinney, Texas/McKinney) knocked a base-hit through the right side. Then, senior center fielder Lisa Rozanski (Tampa, Fla./Daytona Beach CC) drew a walk and senior shortstop Alicia Barkley (Oklahoma City, Okla./Putnam City) drove in Gilbert with an RBI-ground-out to second base.

Ball State returned in the bottom of the fourth frame as junior catcher Amanda Montalto (Las Vegas, Nev./Palo Verde) singled and advanced to second base on a fielding error by Marshall's catcher. Sophomore Hannah Zimmerman (Indianapolis, Ind./Scecina Memorial), pinch running for Montalto, advanced to third off senior third baseman Kate Wilczynski's (Tucson, Ariz./Canyon Del Oro) sac bunt. Then, junior second baseman Alison Mercado (Perris, Calif./Arizona Western) laid down an RBI-bunt to score Zimmerman.

In the fifth inning, Barkley led off for the Cardinals, as the exercise science major bunted to third. Then, senior right fielder Alyssa Collins (Fortville, Ind./Mt. Vernon) reached on a fielder's choice and Barkley advanced to second base safely. Sophomore left fielder Amanda Carpenter (Santee, Calif./Santana) followed with an RBI-double out to left center field to drive home Barkley.

Marshall rallied for eight runs in the top of the sixth inning as Taylor Thompson bunted for a base-hit and stole second base on Jazmine Valle's at-bat. Then, Valle singled up the middle and an RBI-double from Rebecca Gamby drove in Thompson.

With runners in scoring position, Ball State junior pitcher Audrey Workman (Wickenburg, Ariz./Wickenburg) walked Victoria Marvin to load the bases and Bri Anna Hope plated four runs on a grandslam to left field to put the Thundering Herd up 5-4.

Then Marshall's Ashley Gue singled up the middle and with Melissa Loesing's at-bat, stole second base. Loesing then followed with a bunt off Ball State reliever Audra Sanders (Lynnville, Ind./Tecumseh) during which Gue advanced to third.

Loesing stole second base during Alianna Telles' at-bat, a pop-up to second base. With runners in scoring position, Taylor Winton smacked a three-run home run to left field, increasing the Thundering Herd's lead to 8-4.

In the top of the sixth, the Cardinals recorded a pair of runs as Gilbert doubled to left center field. Then, Barkley drew a walk off reliever Rachel Rillo and Rager scored Gilbert off a base-hit up the middle. Collins' sac fly out to left field off reliever Erika Bennett drove in Barkley to score the sixth and final run of the contest.

Gilbert recorded two hits in four at-bats in the opener with a double and two stolen bases, while Barkley went 1-for-3, including one RBI, and Mercado went 2-for-3, including one RBI and one stolen base.

Tallying the loss, Workman owns a 6-5 record on the season after giving up six runs on six hits and three walks, while collecting seven strikeouts, while Sanders allowed three hits and one walk.

Ball State vs. Purdue

In game two, Ball State jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first inning as Collins singled to Purdue's shortstop and advanced to second on Barkley's ground-out to pitcher Suzie Rzegocki. Freshman first baseman Taylor Rager (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) followed with a base-hit through the right side, scoring Collins.

The Boilermakers tied the game up in the bottom of the seventh frame as Andie Varsho's double to left center field drove home Rzegocki, pushing the matchup into extra innings. Purdue then secured the 3-1 victory with a two-run home run into left field in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Collins went a perfect 4-for-4 in the contest, in addition to tallying two stolen bases, while Rager recorded one hit in three at-bats, including one RBI. Sanders allowed seven hits and three walks in just over seven innings, in addition to fanning three Boilermakers batters.

Next up for Ball State, the squad travels to Athens, Ohio for a doubleheader with Ohio Friday, starting at 1 p.m., followed by contests with Akron Saturday and Sunday.