Ball State University Athletics
Saturday, April 29
Mount Pleasant, MI
1pm
Ball State University
29-23, 13-7
3
at
11
Central Michigan University (GM 1)
33-13, 15-5
1
2
3
4
5
6
R
H
E
Ball State
0
0
0
0
0
3
3
5
2
Central Michigan
0
0
0
0
1
10
11
6
1
Photo by: Ball State University Creative Services
Softball Drops Both Ends of Saturday Doubleheader at CMU
April 29, 2017 | Softball
MT. PLEASANT, Mich. – Junior first baseman Danae King (Glendale, Ariz./Phoenix College) blasted a three-run home run in the sixth inning to give Ball State softball a 3-1 lead in the opener, but Central Michigan countered with 10 runs in the bottom of the inning and went on to sweep the Cardinals by scores of 11-3 (6 inn.) and 3-1 Saturday afternoon at Margo Jonker Stadium.
Â
With the pair of losses, the Cardinals drop to 29-24 (13-8 Mid-American Conference) on the year and move three games behind the Chippewas (34-13; 16-5 MAC) in the league standings with one weekend of play left in the regular season.
Â
In Saturday's opener, senior shortstop Rachel Houck (Greenfield, Ind./Louisville) recorded the first two hits of the game with singles in both the first and third innings.
Â
In the circle, Ball State freshman pitcher Alyssa Rothwell (Ashville, Ohio/Teays Valley) held the Chippewas without a hit over the first 4.1 innings, until a one-out RBI single in the bottom of the fifth helped CMU capitalize on a pair of walks earlier in the inning for the game's first run.
Â
Ball State countered in the top of the sixth, however, as junior second baseman Maddy Labrador (Lexington, S.C. / Spartanburg Methodist) opened the inning with a single. Houck would trade places with Labrador via a fielder's choice in the next at bat, while a single to left field from freshman third baseman Janae Hogg (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral) gave the visitors a pair of base runners. Two batters later King provided the Cardinals' biggest hit of the day with a three-run blast off the foul pole in left field to give the guests from Muncie a 3-1 lead.
Â
Unfortunately, the lead was short-lived as Central Michigan countered with a 10-run sixth inning to win the game 11-3 on a walk-off, bases loaded RBI single. All 10 runs scored with two outs in the inning.
Â
Ball State looked to put the opening game setback behind them, jumping out to a 1-0 lead in the nightcap as freshman left fielder Haley Dominique (Oregon, Ohio/Clay) and Labrador opened the game with back-to-back singles. Dominic would eventually come around to score the game's first run on a throwing error by CMU.
Â
Unfortunately, those were two of the only three hits the Cardinals would get as Central Michigan controlled play from there. The Chippewas tied the score with an unearned run in the third and added a run in the fourth and another unearned run in the fifth to pull ahead 3-1.
Â
After being held hitless for 5.2 innings, Labrador added her second hit of the game with a two-out single in the top of the sixth. Unfortunately, Ball State left her stranded and could not capitalize on a two-out error in the seventh to lose the game by a final score of 3-1.
Â
The Ball State softball returns to action next weekend, when it closes the 2017 regular season with a three-game series at Western Michigan. The Cardinals and Broncos are scheduled to play a 3 p.m. game Friday and a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday at WMU's Ebert Field.
Â
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State softball, follow the team on Twitter: @BallStateSB, @CoachCBartlett & @BallStateSports / Instagram: ballstatesb / Facebook: BallStateSoftball.
Â
- BallStateSports.com –
Â
Â
With the pair of losses, the Cardinals drop to 29-24 (13-8 Mid-American Conference) on the year and move three games behind the Chippewas (34-13; 16-5 MAC) in the league standings with one weekend of play left in the regular season.
Â
In Saturday's opener, senior shortstop Rachel Houck (Greenfield, Ind./Louisville) recorded the first two hits of the game with singles in both the first and third innings.
Â
In the circle, Ball State freshman pitcher Alyssa Rothwell (Ashville, Ohio/Teays Valley) held the Chippewas without a hit over the first 4.1 innings, until a one-out RBI single in the bottom of the fifth helped CMU capitalize on a pair of walks earlier in the inning for the game's first run.
Â
Ball State countered in the top of the sixth, however, as junior second baseman Maddy Labrador (Lexington, S.C. / Spartanburg Methodist) opened the inning with a single. Houck would trade places with Labrador via a fielder's choice in the next at bat, while a single to left field from freshman third baseman Janae Hogg (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral) gave the visitors a pair of base runners. Two batters later King provided the Cardinals' biggest hit of the day with a three-run blast off the foul pole in left field to give the guests from Muncie a 3-1 lead.
Â
Unfortunately, the lead was short-lived as Central Michigan countered with a 10-run sixth inning to win the game 11-3 on a walk-off, bases loaded RBI single. All 10 runs scored with two outs in the inning.
Â
Ball State looked to put the opening game setback behind them, jumping out to a 1-0 lead in the nightcap as freshman left fielder Haley Dominique (Oregon, Ohio/Clay) and Labrador opened the game with back-to-back singles. Dominic would eventually come around to score the game's first run on a throwing error by CMU.
Â
Unfortunately, those were two of the only three hits the Cardinals would get as Central Michigan controlled play from there. The Chippewas tied the score with an unearned run in the third and added a run in the fourth and another unearned run in the fifth to pull ahead 3-1.
Â
After being held hitless for 5.2 innings, Labrador added her second hit of the game with a two-out single in the top of the sixth. Unfortunately, Ball State left her stranded and could not capitalize on a two-out error in the seventh to lose the game by a final score of 3-1.
Â
The Ball State softball returns to action next weekend, when it closes the 2017 regular season with a three-game series at Western Michigan. The Cardinals and Broncos are scheduled to play a 3 p.m. game Friday and a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday at WMU's Ebert Field.
Â
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State softball, follow the team on Twitter: @BallStateSB, @CoachCBartlett & @BallStateSports / Instagram: ballstatesb / Facebook: BallStateSoftball.
Â
- BallStateSports.com –
Â
.png&width=84&height=84&quality=100&type=webp)
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: WARREN, Hanna (11-5)
L: Rothwell, Alyssa (5-3)
Batting:
HR: King, Danae 1
RBI: King, Danae 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Houck, Rachel 1 ; Morey, Tara 1 ; King, Danae 1
Batting:
RBI: TOLFREE, Lacy 1 ; CURTIS, Allison 2 ; KALINA, Maison 2 ; UNDERWOOD, Erika 1 ; NOCH, Kayla 1 ; LEWALLEN, Taylor 2 ; LORIMER, Evelyn 1 ; MARLINK, Danielle 1
SH: NOCH, Kayla 1
Base Running:
RUNS: TOLFREE, Lacy 1 ; CURTIS, Allison 1 ; KALINA, Maison 1 ; VIEIRA, Rachel 2 ; HEATH, Sydney 2 ; PERLBERG, Andrea 1 ; WATERS, Shanel 1 ; LEWALLEN, Taylor 1 ; LORIMER, Evelyn 1
SB: HEATH, Sydney 1
HBP: UNDERWOOD, Erika 1 ; NOCH, Kayla 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
OF
/ SoftballINF/C
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballCelebrating National Girls and Women in Sports Day // Produced by Ball State Sports Link
Wednesday, February 04
Softball // Maia Pietrzak Ball State
Saturday, November 29
Heart of the Cardinal Podcast // November Show - Bree Salenbien & Maia Pietrzak
Tuesday, November 25
Homecoming // Cardinal Sinners! Presented by Gameday Spirit
Friday, October 17