Friday, April 12
Kalamazoo, Mich.
3 p.m.
Ball State University
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Western Michigan
11-18, 5-5
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Ball State
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Western Michigan
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Photo by: Don Rogers, Ball State University
Fields’ Grand Slam, Morio’s Strong Pitching Leads Softball Past WMU
April 12, 2019 | Softball
KALAMAZOO, Mich. - - Sophomore designated player Kendall Fields opened the scoring with a two-out, first-inning grand slam and freshman Tieghan Morio threw six solid innings of relief to help lead the Ball State softball team to a 7-5 victory at Western Michigan's Ebert Field Friday afternoon.
Of the 12 runs scored in the Mid-American Conference three-game series opener, 11 came in the first inning. Thankfully, seven of those were with two outs in the top of the first as the Cardinals (28-14; 6-4 MAC) pulled ahead 7-0.
The Broncos (11-18; 5-5 MAC) actually looked poised to get out of the inning without any damage after freshman speedster Kim Manual drew a seven-pitch walk and was doubled up on a hard liner to short.
However, freshman second baseman Amaia Daniel drew a walk of her own and the floodgates opened for the Ball State offense. In all, the Cardinals scored seven runs on six two-out hits and one WMU error.
Sophomore third baseman Stacy Payton followed Daniel's walk with the first hit of the game, then freshman right fielder Trinity Eckerty blasted a hard single up the middle and off the WMU pitcher's leg to load the bases.
The next pitch, Fields' first career grand slam to put the Cardinals ahead 4-0. Ball State was not done there, as senior first baseman Annie Robinson followed with a single to left to force a Broncos pitching change.
Sophomore shortstop Hailey Demnianiuk was hit by the WMU reliever's third pitch, while an error on a grounder to short by senior catcher Olivia Huffman loaded the bases.
With the top of the lineup back up, the Cardinals turned to junior pinch hitter Janae Hogg, who came up with a two-run single to third as the wind and sun interfered with the high popup. Junior left fielder Haley Dominique closed the scoring in the top of the first with an RBI double to left in the next at bat.
Leading 7-0, the Cardinals saw the Broncos score four runs in the bottom of the inning and eventually load the bases with one out. However, BSU reliever Morio was able to get force at home and a grounder to second to end the threat.
Morio would then retire 15 of the next 17 batters to help keep the score 7-4 entering the seventh inning. In fact, Morio retired 13 straight batters beginning with the final out of the second and retiring the side in each of the next four innings.
WMU would not go quietly, however, as it opened the bottom of the seventh with a double and cut the Ball State lead to 7-5 after back-to-back one-out singles.
With runners at first and second and one out, enter junior closer Alyssa Rothwell who was able to get a force out at third and end the game with a strikeout for her 10th save of the season.
Overall, the Cardinals pounded out nine hits, with two each from Dominique and Payton. Morio and Rothwell each tallied a strikeout in the circle.
The Ball State softball team closes its three-game series at Western Michigan Saturday with a scheduled 1 p.m. doubleheader at Ebert Field.
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State softball, follow the team on Twitter: @BallStateSB, @CoachCBartlett & @BallStateSports / Instagram: ballstatesb / Facebook: BallStateSB.
Of the 12 runs scored in the Mid-American Conference three-game series opener, 11 came in the first inning. Thankfully, seven of those were with two outs in the top of the first as the Cardinals (28-14; 6-4 MAC) pulled ahead 7-0.
The Broncos (11-18; 5-5 MAC) actually looked poised to get out of the inning without any damage after freshman speedster Kim Manual drew a seven-pitch walk and was doubled up on a hard liner to short.
However, freshman second baseman Amaia Daniel drew a walk of her own and the floodgates opened for the Ball State offense. In all, the Cardinals scored seven runs on six two-out hits and one WMU error.
Sophomore third baseman Stacy Payton followed Daniel's walk with the first hit of the game, then freshman right fielder Trinity Eckerty blasted a hard single up the middle and off the WMU pitcher's leg to load the bases.
The next pitch, Fields' first career grand slam to put the Cardinals ahead 4-0. Ball State was not done there, as senior first baseman Annie Robinson followed with a single to left to force a Broncos pitching change.
Sophomore shortstop Hailey Demnianiuk was hit by the WMU reliever's third pitch, while an error on a grounder to short by senior catcher Olivia Huffman loaded the bases.
With the top of the lineup back up, the Cardinals turned to junior pinch hitter Janae Hogg, who came up with a two-run single to third as the wind and sun interfered with the high popup. Junior left fielder Haley Dominique closed the scoring in the top of the first with an RBI double to left in the next at bat.
Leading 7-0, the Cardinals saw the Broncos score four runs in the bottom of the inning and eventually load the bases with one out. However, BSU reliever Morio was able to get force at home and a grounder to second to end the threat.
Morio would then retire 15 of the next 17 batters to help keep the score 7-4 entering the seventh inning. In fact, Morio retired 13 straight batters beginning with the final out of the second and retiring the side in each of the next four innings.
WMU would not go quietly, however, as it opened the bottom of the seventh with a double and cut the Ball State lead to 7-5 after back-to-back one-out singles.
With runners at first and second and one out, enter junior closer Alyssa Rothwell who was able to get a force out at third and end the game with a strikeout for her 10th save of the season.
Overall, the Cardinals pounded out nine hits, with two each from Dominique and Payton. Morio and Rothwell each tallied a strikeout in the circle.
The Ball State softball team closes its three-game series at Western Michigan Saturday with a scheduled 1 p.m. doubleheader at Ebert Field.
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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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Morio, Tieghan (4-2)
L: GALLOWAY,Reily (4-7)
S: Rothwell, Alyssa (10)
Batting:
2B: Dominique, Haley 1
HR: Fields, Kendall 1
RBI: Hogg, Janae 2 ; Dominique, Haley 1 ; Fields, Kendall 4
Base Running:
RUNS: Daniel, Amaia 1 ; Payton, Stacy 1 ; Eckerty, Trinity 1 ; Fields, Kendall 1 ; Robinson, Annie 1 ; Demnianiuk, Hailey 1 ; Huffman, Olivia 1
CS: Dominique, Haley 1
HBP: Demnianiuk, Hailey 1
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Batting:
2B: SWINEHART, Mackenzie 1 ; BARG, Erin 1
RBI: STEFANICK, Sydney 2 ; BARG, Erin 2 ; CARTER, Logan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: SWINEHART, Mackenzie 2 ; FAULTERSACK, Jenna 1 ; STEFANICK, Sydney 1 ; BARG, Erin 1
HBP: FAULTERSACK, Jenna 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
Uti
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballOF
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/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballINF
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INF
/ Softball
RHP
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