Ball State University
13-6
Northern Colorado
9-9
Nicholson Earns 900th Win As Softball Tops UNC 9-5
March 11, 2012 | Softball
DELAND, Fla. - - With a predetermined drop-dead time of 12:30 p.m., the Ball State softball team picked up a 9-5, six-inning victory over Northern Colorado Sunday morning in the final game of the Stetson Classic played at Stetson University's Patricia Wilson Field.
After a six-run sixth inning gave Ball State a 9-5 edge heading into the seventh inning at approximately 12:10 p.m., the Bears rallied to score five runs in the top of the seventh only to pass the 12:30 p.m. drop-dead time which reverted the game back to the last completed inning.
The victory improved BSU's winning streak to a seven games, while boosting the team's overall record to 13-6. It also gave sixth-year head coach Craig Nicholson his 900th career collegiate coaching victory, as he improves to 900-226 (.799) with a 177-136 (.565) record at Ball State and a 723-90 (.889) mark in 11 seasons at Central Arizona.
Senior catcher Amanda Montalto (Vegas, Nev./Palo Verde) provided what turned out to be the biggest hit of the game, torching a three-run triple to right field to drive in the eventual game-winning run. Montalto also doubled in the first inning and finished the day 2-for-3 at the plate with three RBI, two runs scored and a walk. With the effort, Montalto extended her career-long hitting streak to 12 games and has now reached base safely in her last 23 games played.
Freshman designated player Hanne Stuedemann (Mattawan, Mich./Mattawan) continued her stellar Florida swing, going 1-for-3 at the plate with a walk and an RBI. Her one hit was a solo home run in the bottom of the first which extended her career-long hitting streak to 10 games.
Sophomore first baseman Taylor Rager (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) added her fifth home run of the season in the bottom of the fifth, while sophomore third baseman Audrey Bickel (Munster, Ind./Andrean) tallied her third long ball of the season in the bottom of the sixth. Rager finished the day 2-for-2 with two walks, two RBI and two runs scored. Bickel went 1-for-4 with three RBI and one run scored.
Stuedemann gave the Cardinals a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first with her third career home run, a solo shot to center field.
Northern Colorado (9-9) battled back to tie the score in the top of the third as Mikavia Duffy reached base on a fielder's choice and came around to score on three straight two-out walks.
UNC took its first lead of the contest in the top of the fifth as Erin Gaddis opened the inning with a single and advanced to third on a Duffy single up the middle. After pinch runner Moroan Yuhas stole second, a Lindsay Smith sacrifice fly and an RBI groundout from Alex Neely plated a pair of runs for the Bears.
Trailing 3-1, the Cardinals used the bat of Rager to even the score in the bottom of the fifth inning, as she belted her team-leading fifth homer of the year. The blast over the center field wall also drove in Montalto who walked one batter earlier.
Northern Colorado broke the 3-3 tie in the top of the sixth, adding what turned out to be their final two runs on a two-run blast from Nicole Hudson to left-center field.
Trailing 5-3, the Cardinals tallied six runs in the bottom of the frame, with the first three coming on Montalto's triple. Freshman right fielder Loren Cihlar (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) opened the inning with a single, while freshman second baseman Taylor Cox (Garden Grove, Calif./Pacifica) drew a walk to put runners at first and second. Sophomore left fielder Jennifer Gilbert (McKinney, Texas/McKinney) followed with a single to load the bases.
After a strikeout gave BSU its second out of the inning, Montalto came through with her clutch triple to clear the base runners. After an intentional walk to Rager, Bickel deposited her third career three-run home run, and fourth overall career long ball, over the center field wall giving Ball State a 9-5 victory.
Senior pitcher Kim Mazzapica (Palm Harbor, Fla./East Lake) picked up the win for the Cardinals, improving to 7-1 this season after throwing the final inning in relief and allowing one hit and one earned run, while striking out a batter.
Audrey Workman (Wickenburg, Ariz./Wickenburg) started the game for BSU and surrendered four runs on four hits, while striking out five Bears.
Duffy (3-5) suffered the loss on the hill for Northern Colorado, allowing six runs and seven hits over 5.1 innings of work. She would strikeout four Cardinals.
The Ball State softball team returns to action Saturday, March 17, when it opens play at the Miami Invitational in Oxford, Ohio, with a 3 p.m. first pitch versus Loyola-Chicago. Ball State will also play Dayton at 5 p.m. on the opening day of the tournament.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Mazzapica, Kim (7-1)
L: DUFFY, M. (3-5)
Batting:
HR: HUDSON, N. 1
RBI: SMITH, L. 1 ; NEELY, A. 1 ; POLLAK, J. 1 ; HUDSON, N. 2
SH: WLKINSON, E. 2
SF: SMITH, L. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: GEDDIS, E. 1 ; DUFFY, M. 1 ; YUHAS, M. 1 ; FA'ASUA, T. 1 ; HUDSON, N. 1
SB: DUFFY, M. 1 ; YUHAS, M. 1
Batting:
2B: Montalto, Amanda 1 ; Rager, Taylor 1 ; Craft, Jessica 1
3B: Montalto, Amanda 1
HR: Stuedemann, Hanne 1 ; Rager, Taylor 1 ; Bickel, Audrey 1
RBI: Stuedemann, Hanne 1 ; Montalto, Amanda 3 ; Rager, Taylor 2 ; Bickel, Audrey 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Gilbert, Jenny 1 ; Stuedemann, Hanne 1 ; Montalto, Amanda 2 ; Rager, Taylor 2 ; Bickel, Audrey 1 ; Cihlar, Loren 1 ; Cox, Taylor 1
