Softball Tallies Day One Split With Loss to USF

Friday, March 4

Tampa, Fla.

2:00 p.m.

Ball State University

7-4

South Florida

9-8

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Ball State	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	4	0
South Florida	0	5	0	2	1	0	0	8	13	0

Softball?s Mazzapica Earns MAC West Pitching Honors

March 05, 2011 | Softball

Box Score

By: Ball State Athletics

TAMPA, Fla. - Ball State Softball fell to host USF, 8-2, in the Cardinals' second contest of the day at the Under Armour Invitational, at the USF Softball Field in Tampa, Fla. With the loss, Ball State owns a 1-1 tally in the tournament and a 7-4 mark on the season.

Senior shortstop Alicia Barkley (Oklahoma City, Okla./Putnam City) put Ball State's first run on the board after freshman Jennifer Gilbert (McKinney, Texas/McKinney) singled to left field.

Then early in the bottom of the second inning, the Bulls earned a 2-1 lead as a passed ball allowed senior Erin Bly and freshman Stephanie Medina to score. USF would record six more runs until the top of the sixth inning when Gilbert's RBI-single through the right side drove in Barkley and gave the Cardinals their final run in the contest.

Gilbert was a standout at the plate, as she went 2-for-3, in addition to driving in Barkley on two occasions. Sophomore pitcher Audra Sanders (Lynnville, Ind./Tecumseh) and junior hurler Kim Mazzapica (Palm Harbor, Fla./East Lake) combined for nearly six innings. Sanders allowed for 10 hits, while walking two and fanning three Bulls batters and Mazzapica scattered three hits, walked two and tallied one strikeout.

Ball State continues the tournament with matchups versus Michigan and Villanova at 3 pm and 8 p.m. Saturday. Ball State will complete its play in the tournament Sunday against East Tennessee State 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.