Sunday, February 24
San Jose, Calif.
12 p.m. (ET) / 9 a.m. (PT)
Ball State University
11-5
9
vs
1
Montana
3-12
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Ball State
0
5
0
0
1
1
2
9
10
1
Montana
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
7
1
Ciolli Bartlett Earns 100th Victory as Softball Tops Montana 9-1
February 24, 2019 | Softball
SAN JOSE, Calif.- - Ball State softball's offense exploded for five runs in the second inning and freshman pitcher Sarah Venker shut down Montana's hitters to help the Cardinals (11-5) close play in the Silicon Valley Classic I with a 9-1 victory Sunday morning at the San Jose State Softball Complex.
Â
The win was the 100th in the four-year career of Ball State head coach Megan Ciolli Bartlett, who becomes the fifth coach in program history to reach the mark.
Â
After a scoreless first inning, the Cardinals bats came alive in the second inning as the guests on the scoreboard struck for five runs on four hits and a walk. Senior catcher Olivia Huffman started a one-out rally with a walk and moved to third on a pair of wild pitches.
Â
Sophomore shortstop Hailey Demnianiuk took advantage of the runner in scoring position with an RBI single to left field, giving Ball State a 1-0 lead. After a bunt single from freshman center fielder Kim Manuel gave BSU a pair of base runners, junior left fielder Haley Dominique extended the lead to 3-0 with a two-run double off the fence in center field.
Â
Sophomore second baseman Stacy Payton drove in the fourth run with her second career triple in the next at bat, while an RBI groundout from junior first baseman Janae Hogg pushed the score to 5-0.
Â
That proved to be all the run support Venker needed, as she limited the Grizzlies (3-12) to seven hits and one run over her seven innings of work to improve to 5-0 on the season. She also struck out four batters and made a tremendous diving catch in the victory.
Â
The Cardinals extended their lead to 6-0 courtesy of a one-out RBI single from freshman third baseman Trinity Eckerty in the fifth, while Payton picked up her second RBI of the game with a two-out single to center field in the sixth to push the score to 7-0.
Â
Sophomore pinch runner Katie Janiga scored on Eckerty's hit, while Demnianiuk crossed the plate on Payton's hit.
Â
Ball State's final two runs came in the top of the seventh which started with a double from Hogg. Two batters later, freshman pinch hitter Amaia Daniel came up with her first collegiate hit, an RBI double to right field. Sophomore right fielder Kennedy Wynn followed with an RBI double of her own to move the score to 9-0.
Â
The only blemish on the day for Venker came with two-outs in the bottom of the seventh, when a solo home run gave Montana it's lone run of the game.
Â
The Ball State softball team opens its 10-day, 11-game spring break trip next Friday when it battles No. 14/15 South Carolina (11:30 a.m.) and USF ( 4:30 p.m.) in the USF-Clearwater Parks and Recreational Invitational Tournament. Both games will be played at the USF Softball Stadium.
Ball State's other three games in the event will be played at the Eddie C. Moore Complex. More information on the tournament can be found at:Â https://www.usfseries.com/2019-tournaments/usf-clearwater-parks-and-recreation-invitational/
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
The win was the 100th in the four-year career of Ball State head coach Megan Ciolli Bartlett, who becomes the fifth coach in program history to reach the mark.
ÂThis is family ?? I love these girls #wefly #chirpchirp #ontothenext100 https://t.co/X559SbBHVF
— Megan C Bartlett (@coachcbartlett) February 24, 2019
Â
After a scoreless first inning, the Cardinals bats came alive in the second inning as the guests on the scoreboard struck for five runs on four hits and a walk. Senior catcher Olivia Huffman started a one-out rally with a walk and moved to third on a pair of wild pitches.
Â
Sophomore shortstop Hailey Demnianiuk took advantage of the runner in scoring position with an RBI single to left field, giving Ball State a 1-0 lead. After a bunt single from freshman center fielder Kim Manuel gave BSU a pair of base runners, junior left fielder Haley Dominique extended the lead to 3-0 with a two-run double off the fence in center field.
Â
Sophomore second baseman Stacy Payton drove in the fourth run with her second career triple in the next at bat, while an RBI groundout from junior first baseman Janae Hogg pushed the score to 5-0.
Â
That proved to be all the run support Venker needed, as she limited the Grizzlies (3-12) to seven hits and one run over her seven innings of work to improve to 5-0 on the season. She also struck out four batters and made a tremendous diving catch in the victory.
Â... well ... Now you can see it ... #GreatPlay @sarahvenker7 #ChirpChirp | #WeFly | #ncaasoftball pic.twitter.com/wQ7j9WpCqS
— Ball State Softball (@BallStateSB) February 24, 2019
Â
The Cardinals extended their lead to 6-0 courtesy of a one-out RBI single from freshman third baseman Trinity Eckerty in the fifth, while Payton picked up her second RBI of the game with a two-out single to center field in the sixth to push the score to 7-0.
Â
Sophomore pinch runner Katie Janiga scored on Eckerty's hit, while Demnianiuk crossed the plate on Payton's hit.
Â
Ball State's final two runs came in the top of the seventh which started with a double from Hogg. Two batters later, freshman pinch hitter Amaia Daniel came up with her first collegiate hit, an RBI double to right field. Sophomore right fielder Kennedy Wynn followed with an RBI double of her own to move the score to 9-0.
Â
The only blemish on the day for Venker came with two-outs in the bottom of the seventh, when a solo home run gave Montana it's lone run of the game.
Â
The Ball State softball team opens its 10-day, 11-game spring break trip next Friday when it battles No. 14/15 South Carolina (11:30 a.m.) and USF ( 4:30 p.m.) in the USF-Clearwater Parks and Recreational Invitational Tournament. Both games will be played at the USF Softball Stadium.
Ball State's other three games in the event will be played at the Eddie C. Moore Complex. More information on the tournament can be found at:Â https://www.usfseries.com/2019-tournaments/usf-clearwater-parks-and-recreation-invitational/
Â
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State softball, follow the team on Twitter: @BallStateSB, @CoachCBartlett & @BallStateSports / Instagram: ballstatesb / Facebook: BallStateSoftball.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Venker, Sarah (5-0)
L: Stensby, Maddy (0-4)
Batting:
2B: Dominique, Haley 1 ; Hogg, Janae 1 ; Daniel, Amaia 1 ; Wynn, Kennedy 1
3B: Payton, Stacy 1
RBI: Dominique, Haley 2 ; Payton, Stacy 2 ; Hogg, Janae 1 ; Eckerty, Trinity 1 ; Daniel, Amaia 1 ; Wynn, Kennedy 1 ; Demnianiuk, Hailey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Dominique, Haley 1 ; Payton, Stacy 1 ; Janiga, Katie 1 ; Hogg, Janae 1 ; Daniel, Amaia 1 ; Huffman, Olivia 1 ; Demnianiuk, Hailey 2 ; Manuel, Kim 1
HBP: Payton, Stacy 1 ; Eckerty, Trinity 1
Batting:
HR: McGrath, Maygen 1
RBI: McGrath, Maygen 1
SH: Sellers, Cami 1
Base Running:
RUNS: McGrath, Maygen 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
2b/3b
AB
2
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
Uti
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF/OF
/ SoftballSoftball // Workouts
Wednesday, September 17
Ball State Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell discusses the NCAA vs. House Settlement
Tuesday, July 01
Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell discusses NCAA vs. House Settlement & Bill Richards Thank You
Friday, June 27
Sports Link: Katie Van Der Mark (Softball)
Wednesday, May 21