Ball State University
Louisiana Lafayette
Softball Ends Opening Day with 6-1 Win Over La Tech
February 13, 2016 | Softball
GULF SHORES, Ala. - - The Ball State softball team rebounded from a season-opening loss to No. 11 Louisiana Lafayette with a 6-1 win over Louisiana Tech Friday evening on the first day of the Sand Dollar Classic played at The Fieldhouse in Gulf Shores, Ala.
"I thought our team did a great job," first-year head coach Megan Ciolli Bartlett said. "They kept their heads about them all day. They competed, made adjustments and came up with some big hits when they needed to in the second game for a really important win. All-in-all, I think the day was a success."
Trailing 1-0 after three innings in the nightcap, the Cardinals (1-1) were able to capitalize on a pair of hit batters and a two-out single from senior first baseman Sammi Cowger (Fenton, Mich./Fenton) to tie the score in the top of the fourth.
One inning later, the Cardinals broke open what had been a close game with the Lady Techsters (1-1) thanks to a two-out, three run rally in the fifth. Junior center fielder India Steward (Matteson, Ill./Rich South) started the rally with a one-out single, and advanced to second on another single from junior designated player Amanda Arnett (Monroe, Mich./Monroe). Following a fielders' choice to get the lead runner, junior right fielder Rachel Houck (Greenfield, Ind./Mt. Vernon) came through with a two-out single to center field to drive in what proved to be the game-winning run.
Senior shortstop Emily Dabkowski (Plainfield, Ind./South Putnam) then sliced a two-run single through the right side to cap the scoring in the inning. Dabkowski would add two more two-out RBI in the top of the seventh, with a triple to the right-center field wall. Overall, eight of Ball State's 10 runs on opening day came with two outs.
"We had a little chat as we were coming through the lineup a second time versus La Tech," Bartlett said about the team's clutch hitting late in the second game. "We talked about hitting line drives, taking the pressure off ourselves and not trying to be the hero. Instead of trying to park the ball, we talked about seeing a good pitch and hitting it on the nose. I think that resonated."
In the circle versus Louisiana Tech, senior Nicole Steinbach (Merrillville, Ind./Andrean) moved into a tie for fourth in program history by earning her 49th career victory. Steinbach would strikeout four of the first six batters she faced, and finished the game with seven strikeouts to raise her career total to 377. She allowed just one run and five hits over 7.0 innings of work.
"Nicole is our ace and she is going to be a dominating force on the mound," Bartlett said. "For the first day out, she did a great job. She is a very talented pitcher."
While the Cardinals suffered a 22-4 setback to the 11th-ranked Ragin' Cajuns (2-0) in the season-opener Friday, there were still some bright spots along the way, including a pair of double plays by the Ball State defense.
"I was proud of the way the team played on defense, especially starting the first game with a pair of double plays," Bartlett said. "The infielders have worked so hard on that particular skill for the last five months. Emily and Becca have a good chemistry and they anticipate each other well. They both have good arm strength and get rid of the ball quickly, so I think we can hope for a lot more of that as the season goes along."
In the circle, sophomore Carolyn Wilmes (Evansville, Ind./Mater Dei) did a solid job the first time through the potent Ragin' Cajuns offense, inducing a pair of double plays and striking out the final batter in the second. She also added a strikeout in the third inning to finish the game with a pair of Ks.
"When Carolyn was attacking the zone with her pitches, she was getting a ton of swings-and-misses," Bartlett said. "She was also forcing Louisiana Lafayette to groundout and they are an excellent offensive team. When she started to get behind in the count and walk batters, that's when she got into trouble. Overall, I think today was a bright spot for her, because she knows if she gets ahead in the count and trusts her wrist, she is going to be able to attack some really good hitters."
On offense, Arnett accounted for two of Ball State's five hits against Louisiana Lafayette, including a single to open the game and a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth. It was her fourth career home run and helped her finish the day with a team-best .571 (4-for-7) average.
Ball State's other two runs in the game came in the bottom of the third courtesy of Houck who drove in the first with a two-out RBI single and later came around to score the second on a Louisiana fielding error on a Dabkowski single to right-center field.
The Cardinals continue play in the Sand Dollar Classic Saturday afternoon with games versus Southern Miss (1 p.m. ET / Noon CT) and No. 25 South Alabama (4 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. CT).
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State softball, follow the team on Twitter: @BallStateSB, @CoachCBartlett & @BallStateSports / Instagram: ballstatesb / Facebook: BallStateSoftball.
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