Softball Suffers Pair of Friday Loss at Houston Invite

Friday, February 19

Houston, Texas

12:30 PM

Ball State University

2-4

Texas

7-0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Ball State	0	1	1	0	0	2	6	1
Texas	1	4	4	4	X	13	13	2

Softball Suffers Pair of Friday Loss at Houston Invite

February 20, 2016 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 No. 24 Texas Box Iowa State Box

By: Ball State Athletics

HOUSTON, Texas. - - Despite three hits from junior leadoff batter Amanda Arnett (Monroe, Mich./Monroe) and home runs from three different players, the Ball State softball team suffered a pair of losses on the opening day of the Houston Hilton Plaza Invitational hosted by the University of Houston at Cougar Softball Stadium.

Arnett earned two of the Cardinals' (2-5) six hits in the 13-2 (5) setback to 24th-ranked Texas, while adding one of Ball State's six hits in the nightcap, an 8-5 loss to Iowa State. Arnett ended the day as Ball State's top batter on the season, with a .381 average, to go along with a team-best .458 on base percentage.

The opener versus the 24th-ranked Longhorns (7-0) also saw freshman designated player Madison Lee (Cerritos, Calif./Cerritos) club her first home run of the season in the top of the second, which tied the score at 1-1 at the time.

“Texas is a very good team,” first-year head coach Megan Ciolli Bartlett said. “The difference in the game was timely hitting. The heart of our lineup had a lot of chances. We just failed to come up with big hits when it mattered. One of the bright spots of the game was the performance of our pitchers. Both Carolyn and Kelsey looked much better on the mound today.”

Texas responded to Lee's home run with a four-run bottom of the second to reclaim the lead at 5-1. Ball State put together a two-out rally in the top of the third, as junior right fielder Rachel Houck (Greenfield, Ind./Mt. Vernon) reached on an error, advanced to third on a double from senior shortstop Emily Dabkowski (Plainfield, Ind./South Putnam) and scored on a single up the middle from junior center fielder India Steward (Matteson, Ill./Rich South). Unfortunately, the Cardinals failed to pull off a double steal for the final out of the inning.

The Longhorns followed with four runs in both the third and fourth innings to give the game its final score of 13-2. Ball State had a chance for more runs in the top of the fourth, loading the bases with two outs, but a fielders' choice on a grounder to second ended the Cardinals' rally attempt.

In the nightcap versus Iowa State (6-1), the Cyclones scored the game's first run with a leadoff homer in the top of the third inning. Dabkowski responded to open the bottom of the fourth by posting her first long ball of the season, and the 23rd of her career, to tie the score at 1-1. Four batters later, sophomore designated player Elise Sandberg (Mariette, Ga./Lassiter) launched her first career home run, a two-run shot which also drove in freshman Madeline Porter (Birmingham, Ala./Oak Mountain) who walked, to give Ball State a brief 3-1 advantage.

Unfortunately, Iowa State was able to push across five runs in the top of the fifth to pull ahead 6-3.

Playing in front of her hometown crowd, senior Selena Reyna (Houston, Texas/South Houston) opened the bottom of the fifth with a walk and scored when Houck tripled in the next at bat. Two batters later, Steward collected her second RBI of the day with a double to right-center field to cut the ISU edge to 6-5.

Unfortunately, the rally ended there and the Cyclones kept the Cardinals off the board the rest of the game, while scoring two more runs in the top of the seventh to give the game its final score of 8-5. Ball State would have two runners on with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, only to have a fielder's choice on a grounder to the shortstop end the game.

“The Iowa State game was a heartbreaker,” Bartlett said. “We made better adjustments at the plate, but came up short at the end. Nicole didn't have her best stuff today, but she's a competitor and will get back at it tomorrow.”

The Ball State softball team continues play in the Houston Hilton Plaza Invitational Saturday with a 10:30 a.m. CT rematch versus No. 24 Texas and a scheduled 3:30 p.m. first pitch versus tournament host Houston.

For the most up-to-date news on Ball State softball, follow the team on Twitter: @BallStateSB, @CoachCBartlett & @BallStateSports / Instagram: ballstatesb / Facebook: BallStateSoftball.

- BallStateSports.com –