Softball Splits Friday Doubleheader With Ohio

Friday, April 6

Muncie, Ind.

1 p.m.

Ball State University

22-10, 2-1

Ohio (Game 1)

14-16, 3-2

Ohio

Ball State

April 06, 2012 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Ball State Athletics

MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State softball team opened its 2012 home slate with an 8-5 win over Ohio Friday afternoon, but suffered a 7-6 setback to the Bobcats in the nightcap at the Ball State Softball Complex.

With the split, the Cardinals move to 22-11 overall and to 2-2 in Mid-American Conference. Ohio is now 15-16 (4-2 MAC).

The Cardinals hit three more home runs in the two games, with two coming off the bat of sophomore left fielder Jennifer Gilbert (McKinney, Texas/McKinney) in the first game and one from sophomore first baseman Taylor Rager (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) in the nightcap.

The Ball State softball team returns to action Saturday at 2 p.m, when it hosts Akron in the first game of a two-game series at the Ball State Softball Complex.

GAME ONE RECAP: Ball State 8 - Ohio 5

After falling behind 3-0 in the top of the first inning, the Cardinals used Gilbert's first home run of the game to cut the gap to 3-1 in the bottom of the frame.

The Bobcats regained the three-run advantage in the top of the third thanks to a RBI single from Lauren Gellerman.

The score remained 4-1 until the bottom of the fifth inning, when the Cardinals rallied within one. Senior shortstop Alison Mercado (Perris, Calif./Arizona Western College) opened the inning with a walk, and would advance to third on an Ohio throwing error and a Gilbert groundout. After senior catcher Amanda Montalto (Las Vegas, Nev./Palo Verde) and Rager were each hit by a pitch to load the bases, sophomore third baseman Audrey Bickel (Munster, Ind./Andrean) doubled to right driving in a pair of runs.

After holding Ohio scoreless in the top of the sixth, the Ball State offense exploded for five more runs in the bottom of the frame to pull ahead 8-4. Back-to-back walks from freshman right fielder Loren Cihlar (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) and freshman second baseman Taylor Cox (Garden Grove, Calif./Pacifica) put a pair of runners on base to start the inning. After a pop-up on a sacrifice bunt attempt, freshman designated player Hanne Stuedemann (Mattawan, Mich./Mattawan) sliced a single up the middle to plate the first run of the inning.

With the score tied, Gilbert broke the deadlock with her second homer of the game, blasting a three-run shot over the center field wall to put the Cardinals ahead 7-4. Three straight walks by two different pitchers loaded the bases once again, while a fourth walk to Cihlar pushed in BSU's final run of the game.

Ohio would get one run back in the top of the seventh, on a RBI groundout from Alexis Joseph, but would get no closer as a popup to shortstop ended the game.

After a rough first inning in which she gave up three runs, senior pitcher Kim Mazzapica (Palm Harbor, Fla./East Lake) settled in to earn her 12th (12-3) victory of the season. Over seven innings, she held the Bobcats to five runs and six hits, while striking out a pair of batters.

Lauren McClary would suffer the loss for Ohio, falling to 8-9, after allowing six runs on five hits. She also walked six batters and hit four, while striking out eight.

GAME TWO RECAP: Ohio 7 - Ball State 6

After back-to-back walks to Stuedemann and Gilbert to open the game, Montalto doubled down the left field line to give the Cardinals a quick 2-0 advantage. A Bickel single would put runners at first and third for junior center fielder Amanda Carpenter (Santee, Calif./Santana) who recorded an RBI groundout to first.

The Bobcats struck back with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning, only to see Rager's two-run homer extend the lead back to three at 5-2. Montalto also scored on the blast after singling.

After a pair of scoreless innings, Ohio out-scored the Cardinals 5-1 over the final three frames to escape Muncie with a series split.

The Bobcats posted two of the runs in the fifth on a two-run single from Gellerman. They would tie the game at 5-5 in the top of the sixth thanks to a RBI single from Jillian Van Wagnen.

Ball State responded with a run of its own in the bottom of the sixth to pull ahead 7-6. With one out, Stuedemann was hit by a pitch, while Gilbert followed with a double to left-center field putting runners at second and third. With two outs, back-to-back walks to Rager and Bickel would plate pinch runner Hannah Zimmerman (Indianapolis, Ind./Scecina Memorial) from third.

A pair of one-out walks would end up coming back to hurt the Cardinals in the top of the seventh, as free passes to Joseph and Raven King put runners at first and second. After a sharp lineout to left field for the second out, a double by Alexandria Basquez off the left field wall drove in the game tying and eventual game-winning runs.

Ball State was able to get the tying run on first in the bottom of the frame, thanks to an infield single by Cox, but a pair of strikeouts by OU's McClary ended the game.

After suffering the loss in the first game, McClary threw the final inning and two thirds in the nightcap to pick up the win and even her record to 9-9 on the year. She limited the Cardinals to just one hit, while striking out three.

Senior pitcher Audrey Workman (Wickenburg, Ariz/Yavapai College) suffered the loss in the circle for BSU, falling to 10-8, after allowing seven runs and nine hits over 6.1 innings of work.