Ball State University
19-18, 5-1
Toledo (GM 1)
13-23, 0-7
Steinbach Shines As Softball Splits At Toledo
April 10, 2015 | Softball
TOLEDO, Ohio - - A strong pitching effort from for junior Nicole Steinbach (Merrillville, Ind./Andrean) helped the Ball State softball team earn a doubleheader split with Toledo Friday afternoon at the Scott Park Softball Complex.
The Cardinals picked up a hard-fought 1-0 win in the opener, thanks to the pitching of Steinbach and a fifth-inning sacrifice fly from junior shortstop Selena Reyna (Houston, Texas/South Houston). Trailing 8-4 entering the seventh inning of the nightcap, the Cardinals rallied for three runs, but could not push across the game-tying run in an 8-7 setback.
“Nicole turned in a strong performance in the first game, hitting some key pitches a big times to help push us across the line,” Ball State head coach Tyra Perry said. “While we fell short in the second game, we made a good push at the end to draw within one. Unfortunately, we missed a few key plays throughout the game which could have pushed us over the top. Overall, we are a team that is still trying to figure out our identity. We are starting to see moments where we are playing solid ball on both offense and defense, we just need to put it all together on a more consistent basis.”
In earning her second complete game shutout win of the season, Steinbach limited the Toledo offense to just four hits and one walk over seven innings of work. She also struck out four batters on the day, while improving to 10-10 on the season.
Freshman catcher Leigh McAnally (Trussville, Ala./Hewitt-Trussville) helped carry the Ball State offense, going a perfect 3-for-3 on the day with all three hits being doubles. McAnally's second double was responsible for the game-winning run in the opener, as she was replaced by sophomore pinch runner India Steward (Matteson, Ill./Rich South/Western Kentucky) who scored on Reyna's sacrifice fly.
In the nightcap, McAnally came through with a clutch pinch hit double in the seventh inning, driving in the first two runs and advancing to third on the throw. Senior designated player Jessica Craft (LaPorte, Ind./LaPorte) then reentered the game to run at third and later scored the third run of the inning.
Sophomore pitcher Jocelyn Rivera (Brooklyn, Ohio/Brooklyn) also played a big role in the second game, entering to pitch with bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the fifth with Ball State trailing 8-3. Rivera proceeded to strike out the first two batters she faced, before forcing a fly out to end the inning and keep the Cardinals alive in the game. Rivera finished the game with four strikeouts over two innings of work.
The Ball State softball team returns to action Saturday, when it travels to Bowling Green, Ohio, to face the Falcons in a 2 p.m. single game. The teams will close out their two-game series Sunday with a 1 p.m. first pitch.
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State softball, follow the team on Twitter: @BallStateSB and @TyraPerry13 / Instagram: ballstatesb / Facebook: BallStateSoftball.
- BallStateSports.com –
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Steinbach, Nicole (10-10)
L: ANDERSON, Emily (6-10)
Batting:
2B: Dabkowski, Emily 1 ; McAnally, Leigh 2
RBI: Reyna, Selena 1
SF: Reyna, Selena 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Steward, India 1
SB: Cooley, Taylor 1
Base Running:
SB: RICE, Chandler 1
HBP: FIDGE, Celeste 1
