Five-Run Fourth Propels Softball Past Dayton

Saturday, February 25

Chattanooga, Tenn.

3:30 p.m.

Ball State University

5-3

Dayton

2-6

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

February 26, 2012 | Softball

Box Score

By: Ball State Athletics

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - - Freshman designated player Hanne Stuedemann (Mattawan, Mich./Mattawan) recorded her first career hit to spark a five-run fourth inning as Ball State softball defeated Dayton, 6-3, in its second game of the day Saturday at the Frost Classic Inspired by Memorial hosted by UT-Chattanooga.

With a pair of wins Saturday, the Cardinals improve to 5-3 on the year and 3-1 in the Frost Classic. Dayton falls to 2-6 overall with the loss.

With bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the fourth, Stuedemann dropped a RBI single into short center field to open the scoring in the game. Sophomore pinch hitter Lauren Schroeder (Greenfield, Ind./New Palestine) and freshman right fielder Loren Cihlar (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) each followed with two-run doubles to give BSU a 5-0 lead.

Stuedemann finished the day 1-for-2 with a RBI, run scored and a walk. Cihlar went 2-for-3 on the day with a pair of RBI, while Schroeder was 1-for-1 with two RBI.

Sophomore third baseman Audrey Bickel (Munster, Ind./Andrean) was 1-for-1 in the game, but also drew a pair of walks and scored a run. In BSU's four games at the Frost Classic, Bickel is hitting .700 (7-for-10) with three doubles, a home run and four walks. She also has six RBI and three runs scored in the tournament.

Senior pitcher Kim Mazzapica (Palm Harbor, Fla./East Lake) improved to 3-0 on the year in picking up the win for the Cardinals. She threw all seven innings and allowed just five hits and three runs (one earned). She also struck out a career-high six batters, including the final out of the game.

After three and a half scoreless innings, junior center fielder Amanda Carpenter (Santee, Calif./Santana) led off the fourth inning with a single and advanced to third on a hit from senior catcher Amanda Montalto (Las Vegas, Nev./Palo Verde). Two batters later, Bickel drew a walk to load the bases for Stuedemann. Hits from Stuedemannn, Schroeder and Cihlar then gave BSU a 5-0 advantage.

Dayton broke onto the scoreboard in the top of the fifth, scoring its first run on a solo home run from Kathleen Maloof. After the blast, Kasi Vazquez drew a walk and was replaced by pinch runner Leah Sitter who promptly stole second. A BSU error on a Brandy Brown ground ball allowed Sitter to score UD's second run.

Ball State would reclaim a four-run lead in the bottom of the sixth, at 6-2, when Bickel drew a walk to open the inning and eventually scored on a bases-loaded, one-out error Dayton error.

Dayton looked poised to rally in the top of the seventh, when another one-out blast from Maloof left the park. Vazquez would re-enter the game to bat and deposit a double deep into right-center field, putting the tying run on deck. However, Mazzapica was able to force a groundout and end the contest with her career-best sixth strikeout of the game.

The Ball State softball team concludes play in the Frost Classic Sunday with a scheduled 1:15 p.m. first pitch versus Tennessee Tech.