Ball State University Athletics
Softball Sweeps MAC West Weekly Awards
April 14, 2015 | Softball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State softball program has swept this week's Mid-American Conference West Division weekly awards with junior Nicole Steinbach (Merrillville, Ind./Andrean) being named Pitcher of the Week and junior shortstop Selena Reyna (Houston, Texas/South Houston) being named Player of the Week.
Steinbach, who earns MAC West Division Pitcher of the Week accolades for the second time this season and the 10th time in her career, picked up three wins last week and held opponents to no earned runs over 20.0 innings of work for a perfect 0.00 earned-run average. She also finished the week with 18 strikeouts compared to just two walks.
In her first appearance, Steinbach helped guide the Cardinals to a 7-2 mid-week victory over Eastern Illinois (April 7). Over 6.0 innings, she struck out three batters and allowed just two hits and a pair of unearned runs. In her first MAC start this week at Toledo (April 10), Steinbach earned her first complete game shutout of the week by limiting the Rockets offense to just four hits and one walk over 7.0 innings of work. She also struck out five batters in the game.
In the Cardinals win over Bowling Green (April 11), the Falcons' first three batters managed to record hits before Steinbach buckled down and held the opposition to just one hit the rest of the game. In 7.0 innings of work, Steinbach also tied a career-high with 10 strikeouts, while not issuing a single walk.
Reyna, who earns MAC West Division Player of the Week honors for the first time in her career, helped guide the Cardinals to a 5-1 record last week by logging a .476 batting average with team-highs of 10 RBI, 10 hits, eight runs scored and a .952 slugging percentage. She accounted to 16 of the Cardinals' 33 runs on the week, with no other Ball State player having more than three RBI or three runs scored. Of Reyna's 10 hits, four were doubles and two were home runs. She also drove in the game-winning run in two of the contests, while scoring the game-winning marker in another.
Reyna drove in what proved to be the game-winning run in the opener versus Eastern Illinois with a three-run double in the bottom of the second inning. In the opener versus Toledo, Reyna drove in the game-winning run for the second time with a sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth inning for the game's only run. Reyna scored what proved to be the game-winning run in the opener versus Bowling Green, leading off the game with a double and eventually coming around to score on a Falcons' error.
The Ball State softball team returns to action this afternoon, when it hosts Butler for a 3 p.m. first pitch at the Softball Field at the First Merchants Ballpark Complex.
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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