Softball Sweeps MAC West Division Weekly Awards

CLEVELAND, Ohio - - The awards keep rolling in for the Ball State softball program, which swept the Mid-American Conference weekly awards after a strong showing at last weekend's Citrus Classic II played at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

Junior pitcher Aeshia Miles has been named the MAC West Division Pitcher of the Week for the second time this season, while sophomore left fielder Haley Dominique has been named the MAC West Division Player of the Week for the second consecutive week.

The Cardinals have had at least one player honored by the MAC in all four weeks of the season.

Miles put together one of the best weekends in program history, throwing her first career no-hitter in Ball State's 8-0 (6) victory over Robert Morris, while striking out a career-high 14 batters in a one-hit, 1-0 shutout of Niagara. In three appearances, she limited opposing batters to a .150 batting average, while striking out 23 total batters, or 1.28 strikeouts per inning of work.

Miles, who went 2-0 on the week, retired the first 17 batters she faced versus Robert Morris (March 2) before issuing a walk for the Colonials only base runner of the game. She responded by inducing a groundout to herself for the final out to lock up her first career complete game shutout. She struck out five batters over her 6.0 innings of work versus the Colonials, and also had a solid game on defense, logging one putout and four assists.

Miles followed the no-hitter versus Robert Morris with perhaps an even more dominating performance against the Niagara Sunday, striking out a career-high 14 batters and retiring the side in order in five of the seven innings. Niagara's lone baserunners; a leadoff walk in the second inning to ruin the perfect game and a fifth-inning two-out single to spoil the no-hitter.

Prior to striking out 14 in Sunday's win to help the Cardinals improve to 11-5 on the year, Miles' previous career-high was six strikeouts in three different games.

Dominique continued her hot start to the season, leading the Ball State offense with a .571 batting average, seven RBI and four runs scored at the Citrus Classic II at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. She had at least one hit in all four games, while reaching base safely at least twice in all four contests.

Ball State's first triple of the season, Dominique checked that off in a 2-for-4 effort versus Fordham.

Ball State's first grand slam of the season, Dominique provided that blast in the Cardinals' 8-0 (6) victory over Robert Morris. She finished that game 2-for-4 from the plate after driving in the final run of the run rule with a blooper over the shortstop's head in the sixth inning.

A three-hit game, Dominique marked that one off the list too, compiling three hits and a walk versus Delaware. She had a RBI single and later scored in the fourth inning. She followed with a RBI double in the fifth, while also scoring a run in the third to factor in four of Ball State's five runs in the game.

Finally, Dominique capped the weekend by stealing home in the Ball State's 1-0 shutout win over Niagara, reaching base on an infield single, moving to second on an error and advancing to third on a wild pitch. The Cardinals then pulled off a successful double steal for the game's only run.

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

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Players Mentioned

Haley Dominique

Aeshia Miles

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