Softball Blanks Villanova, 5-0, at Under Armour Invite

Saturday, March 5

Clearwater, Fla.

3:00 p.m.

Ball State University

8-4

Villanova

6-7

Ball State

Villanova

Softball Falls to Bowling Green, 7-6, in 12 Innings

Softball Blanks Villanova, 5-0, at Under Armour Invite

March 05, 2011 | Softball

Box Score

By: Ball State Athletics

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Ball State softball team recorded a 5-0 shutout of Villanova in the second day of action in the Under Armour Invitational at the Eddie C. Moore Complex. With the win, the Cardinals move to 2-1 in tournament action and 8-4 overall.

Ball State outhit Villanova, 11-2, and completed the contest with no errors. Sophomore left fielder Amanda Carpenter (Santee, Calif./Santana) scored for Ball State in the top of the fourth inning, after Villanova's junior pitcher Caitlyn Delahaba loaded the bases and walked senior Kate Wilczynski (Tucson, Ariz./Canyon del Oro).

Ball State returned in the top of the fifth inning as Carpenter's RBI-single up the middle sent senior shortstop Alicia Barkley (Oklahoma City, Okla./Putnam City) around to score. In the top of the fifth inning, freshman Jennifer Gilbert's (McKinney, Texas/McKinney) base-hit to right center scored Barkley to ignite a 3-run spark for Ball State and close the contest. A Carpenter RBI ground-out scored senior right fielder Alyssa Collins (Fortville, Ind./Mt. Vernon) and freshman third baseman Audrey Bickel (Munster, Ind./Andrean) doubled down the left field line to bring home Gilbert.

Carpenter had a standout day, going 1-for-2 and driving in two runs, Barkley tallied three hits in four appearances, while sophomore pitcher Audra Sanders (Lynnville, Ind./Tecumseh) dished up seven innings of two-hit pitching. The pre-medicine major also allowed only three walks and tallied one strikeout on the way to registering a 4-3 record on the season.

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.