Ball State University
9-11
Detroit
1-10
Softball Picks Up Pair Of Tuesday Wins
March 04, 2015 | Softball
HAMMOND, La. - - The Ball State softball team ended its stay in the state of Louisiana in winning fashion Tuesday, posting big wins over Detroit (12-1 in 6 inning) and Southeastern Louisiana (8-1) at North Oak Park in Hammond, La.
With the pair of wins, the Cardinals improve to 10-11 on the season and will try to continue its spring break trip Friday at the Louisville Classic in Louisville, Ky. Wednesday's game at Memphis has already been canceled due to expected winter weather in the area.
In Tuesday's two games, the Cardinals offense pounded out 20 total runs on 19 hits while the defense limited the opposition to just two runs and four hits. Overall, every Ball State player who recorded an at bat Tuesday recorded at least one hit.
Junior shortstop Selena Reyna (Houston, Texas/South Houston) continued her hot play in the batter's box, going 4-for-7 on the day with two more doubles and four RBI. With the addition of her solid play at last weekend's Purple & Gold Challenge, Reyna has raised her batting average to a team-high .391 mark over the last five days.
Sophomore center fielder India Steward (Matteson, Ill./Rich South/Western Kentucky) provided a big at bat for the Cardinals in the win over Detroit (1-10), smashing her first career home run with a grand slam over the right field wall in the top of the third inning.
Sophomore pinch hitter Rachel Houck (Greenfield, Ind./Mt. Vernon/Louisville) also went deep for Ball State in the nightcap versus Southeastern Louisiana (4-12), depositing a three-run blast over the left field wall in the top of the third.
In the circle, reigning MAC West Division Pitcher of the Week freshman Carolyn Wilmes (Evansville, Ind./Mater Dei) shutdown the Detroit offense, holding the Titans to just one run and two hits over 6.0 innings of work. She also struck out a pair of batters in the contest to improve to 2-3 on the year.
Junior Nicole Steinbach (Merrillville, Ind./Andrean) echoed the performance in the nightcap, limiting Southeastern to just one run and two hits over 7.0 innings of work. She also struck out four batters and improved to 5-5 on the year.
GAME ONE RECAP: Ball State 12 – Detroit 1 (6 innings)
After a scoreless first inning, the Ball State offense came to life in the second staring with a single down the left field line by sophomore catcher Shelbie Scamihorn (Terre Haute, Ind./South Vigo). Freshman third baseman Julia Bailey (Lafayette, La./Teurlings Catholic) followed with a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt which allowed sophomore pinch runner Taylor Cooley (Chelsea, Mich./Chelsea) to advance all the way to third.
After junior first baseman Sammi Cowger (Fenton, Mich./Fenton) and Steward followed with back-to-back walks to load the bases, Reyna smashed a bases-clearing double to right-center field to drive in the first three runs of the game.
Ball State extended its lead to 7-0 in the top of the fourth, when Steward's first collegiate home run soared over the right field wall and cleared the loaded bases. Senior designated player Jessica Craft (LaPorte, Ind./LaPorte) walked with one out, and advanced to second on Scamihorn's second single of the game. Bailey followed with a single to right to load the bases setting up Steward's grand slam two batters later.
Ball State added an eighth run in the top of the fourth when Cihlar led off the inning with a walk, advanced to second on a single by junior second baseman and reigning MAC West Division Player of the Week Emily Dabkowski (Plainfield, Ind./South Putnam) and scored on a single from senior right fielder Hanne Stuedemann (Mattawan, Mich./Mattawan).
Detroit posted its only run in the bottom of the fourth, cutting the Ball State lead to 8-1. Following a scoreless fifth, the Cardinals tacked on five more runs in the top of the sixth to setup the run rule.
Reyna reached on an error to open the inning, and advanced to second on a single up the middle from Cihlar. After a bunt single from Dabkowski loaded the bases, Stuedemann cleared them with a three-run triple off the left-center field wall. Craft followed with a sacrifice fly to end the scoring.
After walking the first batter in the bottom of the sixth, Wilmes responded with a strikeout and Scamihorn gunned down the runner trying to steal second for a double play. Wilmes then forced the final batter to fly out to center field.
GAME TWO RECAP: Ball State 8 – Southeastern Louisiana 1
Much like the first game, the teams battled through a scoreless first inning only to have Ball State post three runs in the top of the second inning. Bailey started the rally with a one-out single through the left side and moved to second as Cowger reached on a Southeastern error. Cooley loaded the bases with an infield single, while a RBI groundout from Steward drove in the game's first run. Reyna followed with a RBI single up the middle which drove in Cowger from third, while another error from the Lions' defense helped Cooley score from second.
Southeastern pushed its lone run of the game across the scoreboard in the bottom of the second, courtesy of a solo home run from Megan Moore.
Ball State's offense countered the Lions' run with five of their own in the top of the third, with three coming on Houck's second long ball with the Cardinals. With one out, Stuedemann reached on another Lions error and Craft singled to give Ball State a pair of base runners. Bailey was then hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Cowger drove in the first two runs of the inning with a hard shot off the glove of the Southeastern shortstop. Houck followed with a three-run shot over the left field wall to cap the scoring.
In the circle, Steinbach retired the Lions in order in five of the seven innings, while logging two of her four strikeouts in the final frame, including one to end the game.
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State softball, follow the team on Twitter: @BallStateSB and @TyraPerry13 / Instagram: ballstatesb / Facebook: BallStateSoftball
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wilmes, Carolyn (2-3)
L: LEPPEK, Hannah (1-3)
Batting:
2B: Reyna, Selena 1
3B: Stuedemann, Hanne 1
HR: Steward, India 1
RBI: Reyna, Selena 3 ; Stuedemann, Hanne 4 ; Craft, Jessica 1 ; Steward, India 4
SH: Bailey, Julia 1
SF: Craft, Jessica 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Reyna, Selena 1 ; Cihlar, Loren 2 ; Dabkowski, Emily 1 ; Stuedemann, Hanne 1 ; Craft, Jessica 1 ; Scamihorn, Shelbie 1 ; Cooley, Taylor 1 ; Bailey, Julia 1 ; Cowger, Sammi 1 ; Steward, India 2
SB: Reyna, Selena 1 ; Cowger, Sammi 1
CS: Dabkowski, Emily 1 ; Stuedemann, Hanne 1
HBP: Stuedemann, Hanne 1
Batting:
SH: ACUNA, Arriana 1
Base Running:
RUNS: WOLSCHLEGER, Samanth 1
SB: WOLSCHLEGER, Samanth 2
CS: ASTORGA, Alex 1 ; SCHMEISER, Grace 1
