Softball Drops Series Finale at Buffalo 7-4

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Despite a 3-for-4 day at the plate from junior second baseman Maddy Labrador (Lexington, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist), the Ball State softball team closed the first weekend of Mid-American Conference play with a 7-4 loss to Buffalo Sunday morning at D'Youville College's Dobson Field.

Aided by her three-hit game Sunday, Labrador finished her first weekend of MAC play with a team-leading .667 batting average and a team-high 1.167 slugging percentage. She accumulated eight total hits in the series, including a leadoff home run in the opener and three doubles.

Labrador started Sunday's contest with a double and advanced to second on a groundout before scoring the game's first run on a passed ball.

After Cardinals (17-17 / 2-1 MAC) junior starting pitcher Carolyn Wilmes (Evansville, Ind./Matre Dei) retired the side in order in the bottom of the first to run her shutout streak to 22.2 innings, the Bulls (5-24 / 1-2 MAC) battled back to even the score in the bottom of the second on a RBI fielder's choice by their pitcher Ally Power.

Sophomore catcher Olivia Huffman (Woodbury, Minn./South Dakota) helped the Cardinals get the run back in the top of the third, reaching base on her 21st walk of the season and then stealing second with two outs. Senior center fielder Rachel Houck (Greenfield, Ind./Louisville) followed with a RBI single to left-center field to drive Huffman home and give Ball State a 2-1 lead.

Unfortunately, the lead was short-lived, as Buffalo countered with four runs in the bottom of the inning to pull ahead 5-2.

Junior first baseman Danae King (Glendale, Ariz./Phoneix College) got one of the runs back in the top of the fourth with a two-out solo home run.

The Cardinals drew within one in the top of the fifth, courtesy of another run by Huffman who reached on an error, stole her second base of the game and scored on a Labrador single to center field. Houck followed with a blooper into shallow left field, giving Ball State a pair of runners on base with no outs. Unfortunately, the Cardinals could not capitalize as a lineout and double play ended the threat.

From there, Buffalo added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth to give the game its final score of 7-4. Labrador gave the Cardinals late life in the seventh with a two-out single, but the Bulls center fielder was able to track down a deep fly ball from Houck to end the game.

In scoring a pair of runs Sunday, Huffman finished her first weekend of MAC play with a team-high five runs scored. She also tied Labrador for team-high honors with a .667 on base percentage by recording a pair of RBI hits and four walks in the series.

The Ball State softball team returns to action Wednesday, when it closes non-conference play with a scheduled 5 p.m. first pitch at Indiana State. The Cardinals will then host Miami in its first home MAC series of the season with a single game Friday (3 p.m.) and a doubleheader Saturday (1 p.m.).

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 –

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Team Stats

Maddy Labrador

Rachel Houck

Haley Dominique

Danae King

Players Mentioned

Rachel Houck

Olivia Huffman

Danae King

Maddy Labrador

Carolyn Wilmes

Players Mentioned

Rachel Houck

Olivia Huffman

Danae King

Maddy Labrador

Carolyn Wilmes