Saturday, March 2
Clearwater, Fla.
10 a.m.
Ball State University
11-8
3
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5
Penn
1-2
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7
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H
E
Penn
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1
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5
9
0
Ball State
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0
1
1
3
5
1
Fields Helps Guide Softball To Saturday Win Over Furman
March 02, 2019 | Softball
CLEARWATER, Fla.- - It was a good day for Ball State softball outfielder Kendall Fields, who logged three hits and four RBIs to help the Cardinals (12-8) earn a Saturday split on the second day of the USF-Clearwater Parks and Recreational Invitational.
Fields went 1-for-3 with an RBI in the 5-3 loss to Penn to open the day, before going 2-for-3 with a sac fly and three RBIs in a dominating 8-2 victory over Furman in the nightcap at the Eddie C. Moore Complex.
In the win over the Paladins (4-11), the Cardinals turned in their best offensive performance so far in the tournament, pounding out nine hits. Two of those hits came off the bat of Fields who opened the scoring with a two-out RBI single in the top of the first.
After Furman took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third, the Cardinals responded with a six-spot in the home half of the inning to take control of the game.
Sophomore second baseman Stacy Payton and junior designated player Janae Hogg opened the bottom of the third with back-to-back four pitch walks and then advanced another base on a sacrifice bunt from senior first baseman Annie Robinson.
Junior outfielder Kennedy Wynn followed with a double to left-center field to drive in the pair, which included what proved to be the game-winning run. Fields followed with her second RBI single of the game. While freshman shortstop Amaia Daniel, who tallied three hits and a pair of runs scored over the two games, gave Ball State two base runners by beating out an infield single.
The Cardinals' biggest hit of the game followed, as freshman Mackenzie McCarty blasted her first career home run over the temporary fence in right field pushing the score to 7-2.
Ball State's final run came in the bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice fly from Fields.
In addition to the big game on offense, the Cardinals received strong pitching from redshirt sophomore Darcie Huber, who picked up her second win of the season by limiting the Paladins to five hits and a pair of runs over 4.2 innings of work. She also struck out five batters.
Senior Aeshia Miles pitched the final 2.1 innings, allowing just one hit while also striking out a pair.
In Saturday's opener against Penn, Fields gave Ball State an early 1-0 lead with her first RBI hit of the day in the bottom of the first inning.
Unfortunately, the Quakers (1-2) would rally for one run in the fifth and four in the sixth to pull ahead 5-1.
The Cardinals tried to mount a two-out comeback in the sixth, starting with a single from Daniel. Robinson followed with a pinch hit bloop double to bring Daniel home. Unfortunately, a strikeout ended the rally attempt.
Ball State tried for one more two-out rally in the seventh, courtesy of Payton's first home run of the season, but it was not enough as the Cardinals suffered the 5-3 setback.
Despite a strong 5.0 innings of work, freshman pitcher Sarah Venker suffered the loss as she surrendered five hits and three runs, only two of which were earned. She also struck out one batter. Junior Alyssa Rothwell threw the final 2.0 innings, giving up four hits and a pair of runs.
The Ball State softball team closes play in the USF-Clearwater Parks and Recreational Invitational on Sunday with a scheduled 9 a.m. first pitch versus Iowa.
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State softball, follow the team on Twitter: @BallStateSB, @CoachCBartlett & @BallStateSports / Instagram: ballstatesb / Facebook: BallStateSB.
Fields went 1-for-3 with an RBI in the 5-3 loss to Penn to open the day, before going 2-for-3 with a sac fly and three RBIs in a dominating 8-2 victory over Furman in the nightcap at the Eddie C. Moore Complex.
In the win over the Paladins (4-11), the Cardinals turned in their best offensive performance so far in the tournament, pounding out nine hits. Two of those hits came off the bat of Fields who opened the scoring with a two-out RBI single in the top of the first.
After Furman took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third, the Cardinals responded with a six-spot in the home half of the inning to take control of the game.
Sophomore second baseman Stacy Payton and junior designated player Janae Hogg opened the bottom of the third with back-to-back four pitch walks and then advanced another base on a sacrifice bunt from senior first baseman Annie Robinson.
Junior outfielder Kennedy Wynn followed with a double to left-center field to drive in the pair, which included what proved to be the game-winning run. Fields followed with her second RBI single of the game. While freshman shortstop Amaia Daniel, who tallied three hits and a pair of runs scored over the two games, gave Ball State two base runners by beating out an infield single.
The Cardinals' biggest hit of the game followed, as freshman Mackenzie McCarty blasted her first career home run over the temporary fence in right field pushing the score to 7-2.
Ball State's final run came in the bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice fly from Fields.
In addition to the big game on offense, the Cardinals received strong pitching from redshirt sophomore Darcie Huber, who picked up her second win of the season by limiting the Paladins to five hits and a pair of runs over 4.2 innings of work. She also struck out five batters.
Senior Aeshia Miles pitched the final 2.1 innings, allowing just one hit while also striking out a pair.
In Saturday's opener against Penn, Fields gave Ball State an early 1-0 lead with her first RBI hit of the day in the bottom of the first inning.
Unfortunately, the Quakers (1-2) would rally for one run in the fifth and four in the sixth to pull ahead 5-1.
The Cardinals tried to mount a two-out comeback in the sixth, starting with a single from Daniel. Robinson followed with a pinch hit bloop double to bring Daniel home. Unfortunately, a strikeout ended the rally attempt.
Ball State tried for one more two-out rally in the seventh, courtesy of Payton's first home run of the season, but it was not enough as the Cardinals suffered the 5-3 setback.
Despite a strong 5.0 innings of work, freshman pitcher Sarah Venker suffered the loss as she surrendered five hits and three runs, only two of which were earned. She also struck out one batter. Junior Alyssa Rothwell threw the final 2.0 innings, giving up four hits and a pair of runs.
The Ball State softball team closes play in the USF-Clearwater Parks and Recreational Invitational on Sunday with a scheduled 9 a.m. first pitch versus Iowa.
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: Brann, Jennifer (1-1)
L: Venker, Sarah (5-2)
Batting:
HR: Yang, Lucy 1 ; Batterton, Berit 1
RBI: Yang, Lucy 3 ; Batterton, Berit 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Waco, Ashley 1 ; Nedley, Emma 1 ; Yang, Lucy 1 ; Batterton, Berit 1 ; Ketring, Kayla 1
SB: England, Jessica 1
Batting:
2B: Robinson, Annie 1
HR: Payton, Stacy 1
RBI: Payton, Stacy 1 ; Fields, Kendall 1 ; Robinson, Annie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Payton, Stacy 1 ; Hogg, Janae 1 ; Daniel, Amaia 1
SB: Huffman, Olivia 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
Uti
/ SoftballINF
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INF
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RHP
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C/Uti
/ Softball
RHP
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INF
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RHP
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RHP
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INF/OF
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