Tuesday, March 6
Orlando, Fla.
10:00 AM
Ball State University
12-5
4
vs
3
Virginia Tech
10-9
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Virginia Tech
0
0
2
1
0
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3
6
1
Ball State
2
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0
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0
0
2
4
6
0
Heads-Up Baserunning Leads Softball Past Virginia Tech
March 06, 2018 | Softball
ORLANDO, Fla. - - After opening the day with a 4-3 walk-off win over Virginia Tech, the Ball State softball team closed its stay in the Orlando area with a 2-1 loss to UCF Tuesday afternoon at the UCF Softball Complex.
Next up, the Cardinals (12-6) travel to Boca Raton for the FAU Parents' Weekend Tournament which begins Thursday with games versus Pitt (1 p.m.) and the host Owls (3:30 p.m.).
GAME ONE RECAP: Ball State 4 - Virginia Tech 3
Thanks to some heads-up baserunning in the seventh, the Ball State softball team rallied for a 4-3 victory over Virginia Tech Tuesday morning at the UCF Softball Complex.
Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh, the Cardinals (12-5) were able to get their first two batters on base courtesy of back-to-back singles from freshman pinch hitter Kendall Fields and sophomore left fielder Haley Dominique.
Looking to advance the pair into scoring position, freshman shortstop Hailey Demnianiuk laid down a sacrifice bunt. It turned out better than expected, however, as freshman right fielder Katie Janiga, who reentered for Fields, was able to score from second on the slow roller and throw to first.
Dominique also kept running, advancing to third on the play. That proved to be a game-winning decision, as after a Hokies (10-9) battery change, a first-pitch wild pitch allowed Dominique to come home for the winning run.
Ball State took control of the game early, as Dominique walked and Demnianiuk singled to open the bottom of the first. Two batters later, senior second baseman Maddy Labrador tripled to right-center field, giving the Cardinals a 2-0 advantage.
Senior pitcher Carolyn Wilmes started the game strong, limiting the Hokies to three base runners over the first two innings, one of which was caught stealing by junior catcher Olivia Huffman for the second out of the first.
Unfortunately, Virginia Tech would rally for two runs in the third and another in the fourth to pull ahead 3-2.
After being limited to two hits between the second and sixth innings, the Cardinals bats found their grove again in the seventh, as Fields and Dominique opened the inning with back-to-back singles to set up the exciting finish.
Speaking of exciting finishes, sophomore Alyssa Rothwell entered the circle for the Cardinals in the fifth and retired the side in order. She left one runner on base and the sixth and stranded the bases loaded in the seventh to keep the Hokies off the board the final three innings.
In her 3.0 innings of work, Rothwell allowed just two hits and a pair of walks, while striking out two batters to earn her first win of the season. Wilmes threw the first 4.0 innings, limiting Virginia Tech to four hits, three runs and five walks. She also struck out one.
Dominique and Demnianiuk led the Ball State offense with two hits apiece, while Fields and Labrador added one apiece. Labrador had a pair of RBI on the day, while Dominique scored two runs, including the game-winner.
GAME TWO RECAP: UCF 2 - Ball State 1
It was another early start for the Cardinals, as a two-out home run from Janae Hogg in the top of the first gave the guests from Muncie an early 1-0 lead.
It could have been a much bigger lead, however, as the UCF left fielder made a diving grab to rob her counterpart Dominique of a leadoff hit in the inning. Following Hogg's homer, Labrador blasted a shot off the wall in right-center field for a double to give Ball State another base runner.
Freshman third baseman Stacy Payton followed with a laser shot to the left, but a spectacular jumping catch from the Knights (13-8) shortstop robber her of an RBI single and kept the score at 1-0.
The score remained 1-0 until the bottom of the fourth when a leadoff single, followed by a two-run blast gave the hosts a 2-1 advantage.
Ball State had a chance to break the game open in the top of the inning, as a double by sophomore right fielder Kennedy Wynn and walks to Huffman and Fields loaded the bases. Unfortunately, a fly to left ended the inning.
The Cardinals, who out-hit the Knights seven to six in the game, had one more chance to even the score in the sixth after a one-out double from Wynn and a two-out single from Huffman put runners on the corners. Unfortunately, a high bouncer up the middle was fielded by the UCF pitcher to end the inning.
Despite another solid performance, junior pitcher Aeshia Miles took the loss in the circle after holding the Knights to six hits and a pair of runs. She also struck out six batters without issuing a walk.
Wynn and Hogg ended the game with a pair of hits each, while five of Ball State's seven hits went for multiple bases.
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State softball, follow the team on Twitter: @BallStateSB, @CoachCBartlett & @BallStateSports / Instagram: ballstatesb / Facebook: BallStateSB.
Next up, the Cardinals (12-6) travel to Boca Raton for the FAU Parents' Weekend Tournament which begins Thursday with games versus Pitt (1 p.m.) and the host Owls (3:30 p.m.).
GAME ONE RECAP: Ball State 4 - Virginia Tech 3
Thanks to some heads-up baserunning in the seventh, the Ball State softball team rallied for a 4-3 victory over Virginia Tech Tuesday morning at the UCF Softball Complex.
Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh, the Cardinals (12-5) were able to get their first two batters on base courtesy of back-to-back singles from freshman pinch hitter Kendall Fields and sophomore left fielder Haley Dominique.
Looking to advance the pair into scoring position, freshman shortstop Hailey Demnianiuk laid down a sacrifice bunt. It turned out better than expected, however, as freshman right fielder Katie Janiga, who reentered for Fields, was able to score from second on the slow roller and throw to first.
Dominique also kept running, advancing to third on the play. That proved to be a game-winning decision, as after a Hokies (10-9) battery change, a first-pitch wild pitch allowed Dominique to come home for the winning run.
Ball State took control of the game early, as Dominique walked and Demnianiuk singled to open the bottom of the first. Two batters later, senior second baseman Maddy Labrador tripled to right-center field, giving the Cardinals a 2-0 advantage.
Senior pitcher Carolyn Wilmes started the game strong, limiting the Hokies to three base runners over the first two innings, one of which was caught stealing by junior catcher Olivia Huffman for the second out of the first.
Unfortunately, Virginia Tech would rally for two runs in the third and another in the fourth to pull ahead 3-2.
After being limited to two hits between the second and sixth innings, the Cardinals bats found their grove again in the seventh, as Fields and Dominique opened the inning with back-to-back singles to set up the exciting finish.
Speaking of exciting finishes, sophomore Alyssa Rothwell entered the circle for the Cardinals in the fifth and retired the side in order. She left one runner on base and the sixth and stranded the bases loaded in the seventh to keep the Hokies off the board the final three innings.
In her 3.0 innings of work, Rothwell allowed just two hits and a pair of walks, while striking out two batters to earn her first win of the season. Wilmes threw the first 4.0 innings, limiting Virginia Tech to four hits, three runs and five walks. She also struck out one.
Dominique and Demnianiuk led the Ball State offense with two hits apiece, while Fields and Labrador added one apiece. Labrador had a pair of RBI on the day, while Dominique scored two runs, including the game-winner.
GAME TWO RECAP: UCF 2 - Ball State 1
It was another early start for the Cardinals, as a two-out home run from Janae Hogg in the top of the first gave the guests from Muncie an early 1-0 lead.
It could have been a much bigger lead, however, as the UCF left fielder made a diving grab to rob her counterpart Dominique of a leadoff hit in the inning. Following Hogg's homer, Labrador blasted a shot off the wall in right-center field for a double to give Ball State another base runner.
Freshman third baseman Stacy Payton followed with a laser shot to the left, but a spectacular jumping catch from the Knights (13-8) shortstop robber her of an RBI single and kept the score at 1-0.
The score remained 1-0 until the bottom of the fourth when a leadoff single, followed by a two-run blast gave the hosts a 2-1 advantage.
Ball State had a chance to break the game open in the top of the inning, as a double by sophomore right fielder Kennedy Wynn and walks to Huffman and Fields loaded the bases. Unfortunately, a fly to left ended the inning.
The Cardinals, who out-hit the Knights seven to six in the game, had one more chance to even the score in the sixth after a one-out double from Wynn and a two-out single from Huffman put runners on the corners. Unfortunately, a high bouncer up the middle was fielded by the UCF pitcher to end the inning.
Despite another solid performance, junior pitcher Aeshia Miles took the loss in the circle after holding the Knights to six hits and a pair of runs. She also struck out six batters without issuing a walk.
Wynn and Hogg ended the game with a pair of hits each, while five of Ball State's seven hits went for multiple bases.
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State softball, follow the team on Twitter: @BallStateSB, @CoachCBartlett & @BallStateSports / Instagram: ballstatesb / Facebook: BallStateSB.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Rothwell, Alyssa (1-1)
L: Keely Rochard (3-2)
Batting:
2B: Caroline Schoenewald 1
RBI: Sammi Miller 1 ; Casey Barrett 1 ; Emma Strouth 1
SH: Hannah Jones 1
SF: Emma Strouth 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sammi Miller 1 ; Caroline Schoenewald 1 ; Darby Trull 1
SB: Casey Barrett 1
CS: Casey Barrett 1
HBP: Sammi Miller 1
Batting:
3B: Labrador, Maddy 1
RBI: Demnianiuk, Hailey 1 ; Labrador, Maddy 2
SH: Demnianiuk, Hailey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Dominique, Haley 2 ; Demnianiuk, Hailey 1 ; Janiga, Katie 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
2
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF/OF
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