Saturday, February 25
Orlando, FL
11am
Ball State University
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Georgia Southern University
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Georgia Southern
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Ball State
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Photo by: Buddy Delahoussaye
Softball’s Pitching Continues to Shine in Saturday Losses
February 25, 2017 | Softball
KISSIMMEE, Fla. - - Despite another day of strong pitching performances, the Ball State softball team closed play in the Citrus Classic I with losses to Georgia Southern (4-3) and Liberty (2-1, 5 inn.) Saturday afternoon in the Citrus Classic I at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
The Saturday's opener, junior pitcher Carolyn Wilmes (Evansville, Ind./Mater Dei) held the Eagles (6-6) offense to eight hits and a pair of earned runs over 7.0 innings of work. She struck out five batters in the contest and retired the side in order in both the first and fourth innings.
The day's second game, which started an hour and 15 minutes late after Liberty's first game versus No. 3 Florida went 10 innings, was shortened to just five innings due to travel restrictions on the Ball State softball team. In the contest, freshman pitcher Darcie Huber (Greenfield, Ind./Greenfield Central) turned in another strong performance by limiting the Flames (8-5) to just five hits while striking out five over 5.0 innings of work. She allowed just two earned runs and retired Liberty in order in the second inning.
Freshman designated player Janae Hogg (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral) led the Ball State offense on the day, going 3-for-5 over the two games. Her biggest hit came in the seventh inning versus Georgia Southern when she deposited a 2-1 pitch over the fence in left field for her first collegiate home run.
With the pair of losses, the Ball State softball team falls to 3-11 on the year. The Cardinals return to the road next weekend, when it opens its 13-game spring break trip at the USF Under Armour Invitational with games versus Hartford (11:30 a.m.) and Penn (2 p.m.) in Clearwater, Fla.
GAME 1 RECAP: Georgia Southern 4 – Ball State 3
After Wilmes retired the Eagles in order in the top of the first inning, the Cardinals jumped on the board early in the home half of the inning, scoring on a bases-loaded walk from junior first baseman Danae King (Glendale, Ariz./Phoenix College).
Senior center fielder Rachel Houck (Greenfield, Ind./Louisville) drew a leadoff walk to open the frame and moved to third on a one-out double down the left field line by Hogg. Two batters later, freshman left fielder Kennedy Wynn (New Albany, Ind./New Albany) drew a two-out walk to load the bases to set up the King's RBI walk.
The Cardinals continued to hold the 1-0 lead until the top of the third, when Georgia Southern capitalized on a two-out error and RBI single from Emily Snider to even the score.
The Eagles took the lead at 2-1 in the top of the fifth, courtesy of a two-out RBI single from Hannah Farrell. However, Houck answered for the Cardinals in the bottom of the frame with a leadoff home run to dead-center field.
Unfortunately, Georgia Southern added an unearned run in the sixth and another run in the seventh to pull ahead 4-2.
Hogg gave the Cardinals life with a leadoff home run in the bottom of seventh, while a two-out Eagles error on a King grounder to second and an infield single from senior third baseman Amanda Arnett (Monroe, Mich./Monroe) gave BSU runners on the corners. Ball State could not get even, however, as a hard liner to short ended the game.
GAME 2 RECAP: Liberty 2 – Ball State 1
After starting late due to the morning's first round of games, the Cardinals bounced out to a quick 1-0 lead versus Liberty courtesy of a leadoff walk to junior right fielder Cadie O'Donnell (Salina, Kan./ Barton CC) and a RBI double to center from Houck.
The Flames answered with a run of its own in the bottom of the inning, tying the score at 1-1 courtesy of a two-out RBI double from Emily Sweat.
After a pair of scoreless innings, the Flames tallied what proved to be the deciding run in the bottom of the fourth on a one-out RBI single from Deidra See.
Sophomore catcher Olivia Huffman (Woodbury Minn./South Dakota) would provide the Cardinals only other hit in the game with a leadoff single in the top of the fourth. Huffman also stole second after the hit and managed to throw out a runner trying to steal in the third inning.
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 –
The Saturday's opener, junior pitcher Carolyn Wilmes (Evansville, Ind./Mater Dei) held the Eagles (6-6) offense to eight hits and a pair of earned runs over 7.0 innings of work. She struck out five batters in the contest and retired the side in order in both the first and fourth innings.
The day's second game, which started an hour and 15 minutes late after Liberty's first game versus No. 3 Florida went 10 innings, was shortened to just five innings due to travel restrictions on the Ball State softball team. In the contest, freshman pitcher Darcie Huber (Greenfield, Ind./Greenfield Central) turned in another strong performance by limiting the Flames (8-5) to just five hits while striking out five over 5.0 innings of work. She allowed just two earned runs and retired Liberty in order in the second inning.
Freshman designated player Janae Hogg (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral) led the Ball State offense on the day, going 3-for-5 over the two games. Her biggest hit came in the seventh inning versus Georgia Southern when she deposited a 2-1 pitch over the fence in left field for her first collegiate home run.
With the pair of losses, the Ball State softball team falls to 3-11 on the year. The Cardinals return to the road next weekend, when it opens its 13-game spring break trip at the USF Under Armour Invitational with games versus Hartford (11:30 a.m.) and Penn (2 p.m.) in Clearwater, Fla.
GAME 1 RECAP: Georgia Southern 4 – Ball State 3
After Wilmes retired the Eagles in order in the top of the first inning, the Cardinals jumped on the board early in the home half of the inning, scoring on a bases-loaded walk from junior first baseman Danae King (Glendale, Ariz./Phoenix College).
Senior center fielder Rachel Houck (Greenfield, Ind./Louisville) drew a leadoff walk to open the frame and moved to third on a one-out double down the left field line by Hogg. Two batters later, freshman left fielder Kennedy Wynn (New Albany, Ind./New Albany) drew a two-out walk to load the bases to set up the King's RBI walk.
The Cardinals continued to hold the 1-0 lead until the top of the third, when Georgia Southern capitalized on a two-out error and RBI single from Emily Snider to even the score.
The Eagles took the lead at 2-1 in the top of the fifth, courtesy of a two-out RBI single from Hannah Farrell. However, Houck answered for the Cardinals in the bottom of the frame with a leadoff home run to dead-center field.
Unfortunately, Georgia Southern added an unearned run in the sixth and another run in the seventh to pull ahead 4-2.
Hogg gave the Cardinals life with a leadoff home run in the bottom of seventh, while a two-out Eagles error on a King grounder to second and an infield single from senior third baseman Amanda Arnett (Monroe, Mich./Monroe) gave BSU runners on the corners. Ball State could not get even, however, as a hard liner to short ended the game.
GAME 2 RECAP: Liberty 2 – Ball State 1
After starting late due to the morning's first round of games, the Cardinals bounced out to a quick 1-0 lead versus Liberty courtesy of a leadoff walk to junior right fielder Cadie O'Donnell (Salina, Kan./ Barton CC) and a RBI double to center from Houck.
The Flames answered with a run of its own in the bottom of the inning, tying the score at 1-1 courtesy of a two-out RBI double from Emily Sweat.
After a pair of scoreless innings, the Flames tallied what proved to be the deciding run in the bottom of the fourth on a one-out RBI single from Deidra See.
Sophomore catcher Olivia Huffman (Woodbury Minn./South Dakota) would provide the Cardinals only other hit in the game with a leadoff single in the top of the fourth. Huffman also stole second after the hit and managed to throw out a runner trying to steal in the third inning.
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 –
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Raley, Dixie (4-4)
L: Wilmes, Carolyn (0-6)
S: Camp, Kierra (1)
Batting:
2B: Freeman, Mekhia 1
3B: Snider, Emily 1
RBI: Witkowski, Lydia 1 ; Snider, Emily 1 ; Farrell, Hannah 2
SF: Farrell, Hannah 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Freeman, Mekhia 2 ; Snider, Emily 1 ; Mann, Alesha 1
SB: Witkowski, Lydia 1 ; Mann, Alesha 1
HBP: Robinson, Morgan 1
Batting:
2B: Hogg, Janae 1
HR: Houck, Rachel 1 ; Hogg, Janae 1
RBI: Houck, Rachel 1 ; Hogg, Janae 1 ; King, Danae 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Houck, Rachel 2 ; Hogg, Janae 1
SB: Hopper, Brittany 1 ; Huffman, Olivia 1
HBP: Huffman, Olivia 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
UTIL
/ SoftballINF/C
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF/OF
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