Ball State University
17-18
Eastern Illinois (GM 1)
12-19
Softball Earns Tuesday Sweep Over Eastern Illinois
April 08, 2015 | Softball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - On a day in which the Ball State softball team swept Eastern Illinois, the main highlight of Tuesday's doubleheader at the Softball Field at First Merchant Ballpark Complex was the return of junior Kelsey Schifferdecker (Belton, Mo./Belton) to the Cardinals' pitching circle.
Schifferdecker, who was injured in the season-opening win versus South Dakota by a line drive back to the mound, entered the opening game of Tuesday's twinbill in relief and promptly struck out the first batter she faced. After walking the next batter, she forced a fly-out to left field before a pickoff of the runner at first ended the game 7-2 in favor of the Cardinals (18-18). Ball State went on to top the Panthers (12-20) by a score of 4-3 in the nightcap on an eighth inning bases loaded hit-by-pitch.
“It was important for us to play well and pick up two wins today,” Ball State head coach Tyra Perry said. “It was also a wonderful feeling to see Kelsey not only return to the circle, but to strikeout the first batter she faced and end the first game strong. In the second game, I thought our defense stepped up and made some strong plays to help guide us to the win. Overall, I feel like our offense, defense and pitching are starting to come together.”
Overall, Ball State's entire pitching staff turned in a solid performance, starting with a six-inning win for junior Nicole Steinbach (Merrillville, Ind./Andrean) in the opener. Steinbach held EIU to just four hits and two unearned runs to pick up her ninth victory of the season. She also struck out three batters before handing over the game to Schifferdecker in relief.
In the second contest, sophomore Jocelyn Rivera (Brooklyn, Ohio/Brooklyn) earned the victory in relief by holding the Eastern Illinois offense to just three hits and one unearned run over the final four innings. Like Steinbach earlier in the day, Rivera also logged three strikeouts. Freshman Carolyn Wilmes (Evansville, Ind./Mater Dei) started the game, allowing seven hits and two runs, only one of which was earned, over 4.0 innings of work.
Overall, Ball State's pitching staff combined to hold Eastern Illinois to 14 hits and one earned run over 15.0 innings of work. The Cardinals' pitchers also tallied eight strikeouts while issuing just four walks.
On offense, junior shortstop Selena Reyna (Houston, Texas/South Houston) had the hottest bat, leading off the second game with a solo home run, while driving in five of Ball State's 11 total runs. She finished the day with a .625 (5-for-8) average, two doubles, a home run, three runs scored and five RBI.
Senior Hanne Stuedemann (Mattawan, Mich./Mattawan) hit .600 (3-for-5) on the day, while also drawing a pair of walks and stealing a base. Junior first baseman Sammi Cowger (Fenton, Mich./Fenton) led the Cardinals with a .833 on-base percentage, drawing four walks and being hit by a pitch over six plate appearances.
The Ball State softball team returns to league play Friday, when it travels to Toledo for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
GAME ONE RECAP: Ball State 7 – Eastern Illinois 2
Errors proved costly for Ball State in the early going in the opener versus Eastern Illinois, as a pair of defensive miscues allowed the Panthers to pull out to a 2-0 lead after the top of the first inning.
After being retired in order in the first inning, the Ball State offense came to life in the second with a five-run, four-hit effort. Stuedemann led off the inning with an infield single and advanced to third on a single up the middle by senior catcher Jessica Craft (LaPorte, Ind./LaPorte). The duo then pulled off a successful double steal as Craft drew a throw to second, while Stuedemann ran home.
Sophomore designated player Hayley Cruthers (Swartz Creek, Mich./Swartz Creek) then reached base on a fielder's choice, while Craft was thrown out at home on the play. With one out, freshman third baseman Julia Bailey (Lafayette, La./Teurlings Catholic) singled and Cowger drew her first of three walks in the game to load the bases. Sophomore center fielder Taylor Cooley (Chelsea, Mich./Chelsea) then reached base on a fielder's choice while an error on the throw home to get the force out led to another Ball State run to even the score at 2-2. Reyna followed with a bases-clearing double to give Ball State a 5-2 edge.
From there, the Ball State pitching staff went to work, holding the EIU offense off the scoreboard the remainder of the game.
The Cardinals scored their final two runs in the bottom of the sixth starting with another RBI double from Reyna which drove in sophomore pinch runner India Steward (Matteson, Ill./Rich South/Western Kentucky). Reyna then came around to score on a single from senior left fielder Loren Cihlar (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North) when the throw to first went wide of the bag.
GAME TWO RECAP: Ball State 4 – Eastern Illinois 3
Reyna gave the Cardinals the first run of the nightcap, leading off the bottom of the first with her fifth home run of the season over the left field wall. Cihlar followed with a walk and would eventually come around to score on another Eastern Illinois error, giving the hosts a 2-0 edge.
Eastern Illinois managed to score its first run in the bottom of the fifth on back-to-back doubles to open the inning. The Panther's second run crossed the plate later in the inning on a double steal and error by the Ball State defense.
The score remained tied until the top of the eight, when EIU took advantage of the tiebreaker rule which places a runner at second to open the inning. Eastern Illinois opened the frame with back-to-back singles to bring the runner in and pull ahead 3-2.
The lead was short-lived however, as the Cardinals countered with two runs in the bottom of the frame to win the game. With Reyna placed on second, Cihlar reached on a fielder's choice back to the pitcher. Junior second baseman Emily Dabkowski (Plainfield, Ind./South Putnam) followed with a single to right-center field to load the bases.
A RBI fielder' choice from Stuedemann tied the score at 3-3, while not yielding an out. Two batters later, sophomore catcher Shelbie Scamihorn (Terre Haute, Ind./South Vigo) was hit by a pitch with bases loaded to drive in the game-winnning run.
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 (9-10)
L: ROGERS, Michelle (6-9)
Batting:
2B: COLE, Hannah 1
RBI: COLE, Hannah 1
SH: ROGERS, Michelle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: ISAAC, Jennette 1 ; COLE, Hannah 1
PO: WIREMAN, Jessica 1
Batting:
2B: Reyna, Selena 2 ; Craft, Jessica 1
RBI: Reyna, Selena 4
Base Running:
RUNS: Reyna, Selena 1 ; Stuedemann, Hanne 1 ; Cruthers, Hayley 1 ; Bailey, Julia 1 ; Cowger, Sammi 1 ; Steward, India 1 ; Cooley, Taylor 1
SB: Stuedemann, Hanne 1 ; Craft, Jessica 1
