Troy Battles Past Softball In Nine Innings

Sunday, February 19

Troy, Alabama

8:30 a.m. (CT)

Ball State University

2-2

Troy

6-1

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

February 19, 2012 | Softball

Box Score

By: Ball State Athletics

TROY, Ala. - - The Ball State softball team concluded play in the 2012 Quality Inn Classic with a 7-4, nine-inning setback to tournament host Troy Sunday afternoon at the Troy Softball Complex.

BSU was also schedule to play Eastern Kentucky on the final day of the tournament, but a late start to the day, an extra-inning contest and an EKU vs. Troy game yet to be played has forced the cancellation of the contest.

Ball State finished the tournament with a 2-2 record, including wins over East Tennessee State and Nicholls State. BSU suffered a 3-2 setback to No. 5/6 Missouri, as well as today's loss to Troy.

In the top of the third inning, Ball State senior catcher Amanda Montalto (Las Vegas, Nev./Palo Verde) took over sole possession of the top spot on BSU's career doubles list by smashing her 40th career double down the left field line. Montalto, who is also Ball State's all-time home runs leader with 24 counting her first-inning solo blast, finished the game going 2-for-3 with a walk, RBI and run scored.

Sophomore first baseman Taylor Rager (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) also went yard in the first inning, blasting her second two-run homer in as many games. Rager finished the game going 3-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored.

The Cardinals (2-2) came out of the gate hot, scoring three runs in the top of the first thanks to a two-out, two-run blast over the center field wall from Rager, followed by a solo shot to left center from Montalto.

The Trojans (6-1) got two of the runs back in the bottom of the inning, thanks to solo shots from leadoff hitter Hannah Renn and three-hole hitter Nikki Hollett.

Ball State responded in the top of the second, with a two-out RBI single up the middle from junior center fielder Amanda Carpenter (Santee, Calif./Santana), pushing the score to 4-2. Freshman designated player Hanne Stuedemann (Mattawan, Mich./Mattawan) scored on the play after reaching base on an error.

The top of the third saw Montalto collect her record-breaking double with one out, followed by another double from sophomore third baseman Audrey Bickel (Munster, Ind./Andrean). Two batters later, freshman shortstop Jessica Craft (LaPorte, Ind./LaPorte) drew a walk to load the bases, but a inning-ending strikeout kept the Cardinals off the board.

Troy cut the Ball State lead in half, to 4-3, in the bottom of the fifth thanks to a one-out RBI double to right center from cleanup hitter Hayden Gann. Michelle Hewett scored on the play after an infield single to lead off the inning.

The hosts would go on to force extra innings by pushing a fourth run across in the bottom of the seventh, when Hewett, who singled to lead off the inning, came around to score on a BSU throwing error on a sacrifice bunt attempt from Gann.

After holding BSU scoreless in the eighth and ninth, a two-out, three-run home run from Troy's Ashley Rainey ended the game.

BSU senior pitcher Audrey Workman (Wickenburg, Ariz./Wickenburg) suffered the loss, falling to 1-2 on the year, after pitching the final 3.2 innings. She allowed four runs (two earned) and two hits over the span, while striking out two batters.

Senior Kim Mazzapica (Palm Harbor, Fla./East Lake) started the game for Ball State, pitching the first five innings and allowing three runs on five hits.

Sarah Thomas (2-0) picked up the win for Troy by holding BSU scoreless and to just two hits over the final 5.2 innings. She also logged six strikeouts.