Ball State University
23-21, 9-3
Northern Illinois (GM 1)
23-18, 7-4
Softball Celebrates Senior Day With Saturday Split
April 19, 2015 | Softball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State softball team celebrated senior day with a doubleheader split versus Northern Illinois on a beautiful Saturday afternoon at the Softball Field at First Merchants Ballpark Complex.
After suffering a 4-2 (9 inning) loss to the Huskies in the opener, the Cardinals rallied behind the strong play of its seniors in the nightcap to pull out a thrilling 7-6 come-from-behind victory. With the spilt, Ball State maintains its lead in the overall Mid-American Conference standings with a 24-21 (10-3 MAC) record. Northern Illinois moves to 23-19 (7-5 MAC) with the split.
“Our seniors are three of the hardest-workers I have coached both on the field and in the classroom,” Ball State head coach Tyra Perry said. “They provide leadership every single day. I have had quite a few senior days over my career, and these three exhibit everything you would want in a senior class.”
Including today's games, Ball State's senior class of Loren Cihlar (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North), Jessica Craft (LaPorte, Ind./LaPorte) and Hanne Stuedemann (Mattawan, Mich./Mattawan) have led the Cardinals to a 134-72 overall record over their careers, including a 57-13 record in MAC play. Only of only two classes in league history to win three straight MAC regular season titles, joining the 2014 Ball State senior class, this year's seniors are trying to become the only class in league history to graduate as four-time MAC Champions.
In Saturday's second game victory, it was a pair of key sixth inning plays by Ball State's seniors which pushed the Cardinals over the top. Cihlar opened the inning with a double off the third base bag, and after advancing to third on a bunt single from junior second baseman Emily Dabkowski (Plainfield, Ind./South Putnam), scored what proved to be the game-winning run on a sacrifice fly from Stuedemann.
One inning earlier with the Cardinals trailing 6-4, Craft singled up the middle to open the frame and scored the first of two runs as Ball State tied the game on a RBI single from sophomore pinch hitter Amanda Arnett (Monroe, Mich./Monroe) and a NIU error on the throw to first.
Overall, Cihlar finished the second game a home run shy of the cycle with a second inning single, a fourth inning RBI triple and her key double to open the sixth. She scored two runs and also had an RBI. Stuedemann added a two-run double in the second inning of the nightcap to go along with her game-winning sac fly. Craft finished the second game with two hits, a walk and two runs scored.
In the circle for the nightcap, junior Kelsey Schifferdecker (Belton, Mo./Belton) picked up her second win of the weekend by holding the Huskies to six hits and one earned run over 5.2 innings of work, her longest appearance since coming back from injury.
In the opener, Cihlar and Stuedemann combined for three of Ball Sate's five hits in the game, with two coming from Cihlar who finished the day a combined 5-for-8. Unfortunately, in a game which was played to a 2-2 tie through eight innings, it was a Ball State error which helped the Huskies score a pair of unearned runs in the ninth to pull out a victory.
Not to be lost in the opening game setback was another strong pitching performance from junior Nicole Steinbach (Merrillville, Ind./Andrean) who limited Northern Illinois to eight hits and a pair of earned runs, while striking out seven batters over 9.0 innings.
The Ball State softball team closes the home portion of its 2015 schedule Tuesday, when it hosts Indiana in the final non-conference game of the regular season. First pitch in the game is set for 4 p.m.
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: THACKER, Tara (2-1)
L: Steinbach, Nicole (12-11)
Batting:
2B: NAEGELE, Emily 2 ; WARREN, Caitlyn 1
RBI: NAEGELE, Emily 3
SH: KOSSAKOWSKI, Kali 1
Base Running:
RUNS: PHELAN, Bryanna 2 ; KOSSAKOWSKI, Kali 1 ; WARREN, Caitlyn 1
HBP: KOSSAKOWSKI, Kali 1
Batting:
RBI: Scamihorn, Shelbie 1 ; Cruthers, Hayley 1
SH: Cowger, Sammi 1 ; Bailey, Julia 1
SF: Scamihorn, Shelbie 1 ; Cruthers, Hayley 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Stuedemann, Hanne 1 ; O'Conner, Kirsten 1
SB: Craft, Jessica 1
HBP: Stuedemann, Hanne 2 ; Scamihorn, Shelbie 1
