Ball State University Athletics
Friday, February 21
Bowling Green, KY
11 a.m. ET
Ball State University
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Photo by: Ball State University Creative Services
Softball Wins Big on Opening Day of Hilltopper Classic
February 21, 2020 | Softball
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - - Ball State softball's offense continued to roll Friday, as the Cardinals (7-5) opened play in the Hilltopper Classic hosted by Western Kentucky with a pair of run-rule victories.
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BSU started with an 8-0 (5) victory over Green Bay, and after falling behind 2-0 in the nightcap, rallied for eight fourth-inning runs in a 10-2 (5) win over in-state rival Indiana State.
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Overall, the Cardinals smashed 17 hits over the two games, with eight coming in the morning win over the Phoenix (3-8) and nine in the afternoon victory over the Sycamores (3-10).
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Senior outfielder Haley Dominique led the way versus Green Bay, going 3-for-4 from the plate with a pair of RBI and a run scored. The nightcap was dominated by junior catcher Stacy Payton who blasted a pair of home runs, including her second career grand slam.
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GAME 1 SCORING NOTES - Ball State 8 - Green Bay 0 (5):
- Playing third base for the opener, Stacy Payton was the first Ball State player to reach base Friday, drawing a one-out walk in the bottom of the first … Payton would then steal second, before moving to third on a single up the middle from Haley Dominique … She then crossed the plate on an RBI groundout from senior right fielder Gabby Magnifico for the game's first run.
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- After a scoreless second inning, the Cardinals struck for four runs in the third … Sophomore shortstop Amaia Daniel drew a one-out walk to start the rally, while Dominique drove her home with a two-out double … Magnifico followed with an RBI double of her own to extend her hitting streak to six games and push the Cardinals ahead 3-0 … Then, after surviving a dropped foul ball, senior first baseman Janae Hogg made Green Bay pay for the miscue with a two-run blast into the third level of the WKU parking garage in left field.
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- Ball State's catcher for the opener, junior Delanie Johnson continued her hot hitting with a single through the left side to open the fourth … Junior pinch runner Katie Janiga then moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on a single by senior center fielder Kennedy Wynn … Janiga scored the first of two runs in the frame on a sac fly from freshman second baseman Haley Wynn, while K. Wynn came around to score three batters later on a bases-loaded single by Dominique.
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- The Cardinals then capped the scoring in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out, walk-off, bases-loaded single up the middle from H. Wynn … Junior designated player Kendall Fields opened the inning with a walk and was replaced by freshman pinch runner Shelby Westbrook … After Johnson was hit by a pitch and K. Wynn walked to load the bases, the freshman from Greenfield, Wisconsin, slashed the ball up the middle to end the game.
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- In the circle, senior Alyssa Rothwell picked up her third win of the season by scattering three hits over her 5.0 innings of work … She also struck out six batters while issuing a pair of walks.
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GAME 2 SCORING NOTES - Ball State 10 - Indiana State 2 (5):
- Indiana State jumped out to an early lead, scoring single runs in both the first and third innings to pull ahead 2-0
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- The Cardinals bats got going in a big way, however, as the visitors on the scoreboard struck for eight runs in the top of the fourth … Magnifico and Hogg opened the inning with back-to-back walks, while Johnson drove in the first run with an RBI double to left field, cutting the ISU lead to 2-1 … Fields followed with her third home run of the season, a three-run blast to center to give the Cardinals the lead at 4-2.
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- Following Fields' home run, sophomore pinch hitter Mackenzie McCarty and H. Wynn tallied back-to-back singles, while Daniel walked to load the bases … Payton then deposited her fourth home run of the season, and second career grand slam, over the fence in center field to push Ball State head 8-2.
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-  The Cardinals added the final two runs of the game in the top of the fifth, courtesy of Payton's second home run of the day and fifth of the season … H. Wynn doubled to left with one out, and after a Daniel groundout pushed her to third, Payton cleared the bases to give Ball State a 10-2 edge.
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- Freshman pitcher Deborah Jones picked up the win in the circle, scattering seven hits and two runs over her 4.0 innings of work to improve to 3-1 on the year … She also struck out three batters while issuing just one walk.
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- Sophomore pitcher Tieghan Morio threw the final inning, striking out two of the six batters she faced to lock up the game … Her final strikeout came with bases loaded and ISU threatening to extend the game.
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FRIDAY NOTES:
- Ball State's eight runs in the fourth inning versus Indiana State are the most runs in an inning for the Cardinals since an 11-run explosion in the first inning of a 13-1 (5) victory at Akron on March 23, 2019.
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- Delanie Johnson recorded a hit in each game for the Cardinals and reached base in five of her six plate appearances … She finished the day 2-for-3, was hit by a pitch twice and also drew a walk … With the effort, she raised her team-leading batting average to .526 (10-for-19) and her team-high on base percentage to .655 on the year.
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- 12 different players scored at least one run for the Cardinals Friday … In fact, all 12 players that could score a run on the day did … Stacy Payton led the Cardinals with three runs scored, while four players scored a pair of runs.
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UP NEXT:
The Ball State softball team returns to action Saturday, when it takes on tournament host Western Kentucky in a 1:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. CT first pitch. The Cardinals will also play a second game later in the day with the time and opponent to be determined.
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FOR MORE INFO:
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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BSU started with an 8-0 (5) victory over Green Bay, and after falling behind 2-0 in the nightcap, rallied for eight fourth-inning runs in a 10-2 (5) win over in-state rival Indiana State.
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Overall, the Cardinals smashed 17 hits over the two games, with eight coming in the morning win over the Phoenix (3-8) and nine in the afternoon victory over the Sycamores (3-10).
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Senior outfielder Haley Dominique led the way versus Green Bay, going 3-for-4 from the plate with a pair of RBI and a run scored. The nightcap was dominated by junior catcher Stacy Payton who blasted a pair of home runs, including her second career grand slam.
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GAME 1 SCORING NOTES - Ball State 8 - Green Bay 0 (5):
- Playing third base for the opener, Stacy Payton was the first Ball State player to reach base Friday, drawing a one-out walk in the bottom of the first … Payton would then steal second, before moving to third on a single up the middle from Haley Dominique … She then crossed the plate on an RBI groundout from senior right fielder Gabby Magnifico for the game's first run.
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- After a scoreless second inning, the Cardinals struck for four runs in the third … Sophomore shortstop Amaia Daniel drew a one-out walk to start the rally, while Dominique drove her home with a two-out double … Magnifico followed with an RBI double of her own to extend her hitting streak to six games and push the Cardinals ahead 3-0 … Then, after surviving a dropped foul ball, senior first baseman Janae Hogg made Green Bay pay for the miscue with a two-run blast into the third level of the WKU parking garage in left field.
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- Ball State's catcher for the opener, junior Delanie Johnson continued her hot hitting with a single through the left side to open the fourth … Junior pinch runner Katie Janiga then moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on a single by senior center fielder Kennedy Wynn … Janiga scored the first of two runs in the frame on a sac fly from freshman second baseman Haley Wynn, while K. Wynn came around to score three batters later on a bases-loaded single by Dominique.
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- The Cardinals then capped the scoring in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out, walk-off, bases-loaded single up the middle from H. Wynn … Junior designated player Kendall Fields opened the inning with a walk and was replaced by freshman pinch runner Shelby Westbrook … After Johnson was hit by a pitch and K. Wynn walked to load the bases, the freshman from Greenfield, Wisconsin, slashed the ball up the middle to end the game.
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- In the circle, senior Alyssa Rothwell picked up her third win of the season by scattering three hits over her 5.0 innings of work … She also struck out six batters while issuing a pair of walks.
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GAME 2 SCORING NOTES - Ball State 10 - Indiana State 2 (5):
- Indiana State jumped out to an early lead, scoring single runs in both the first and third innings to pull ahead 2-0
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- The Cardinals bats got going in a big way, however, as the visitors on the scoreboard struck for eight runs in the top of the fourth … Magnifico and Hogg opened the inning with back-to-back walks, while Johnson drove in the first run with an RBI double to left field, cutting the ISU lead to 2-1 … Fields followed with her third home run of the season, a three-run blast to center to give the Cardinals the lead at 4-2.
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- Following Fields' home run, sophomore pinch hitter Mackenzie McCarty and H. Wynn tallied back-to-back singles, while Daniel walked to load the bases … Payton then deposited her fourth home run of the season, and second career grand slam, over the fence in center field to push Ball State head 8-2.
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-  The Cardinals added the final two runs of the game in the top of the fifth, courtesy of Payton's second home run of the day and fifth of the season … H. Wynn doubled to left with one out, and after a Daniel groundout pushed her to third, Payton cleared the bases to give Ball State a 10-2 edge.
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- Freshman pitcher Deborah Jones picked up the win in the circle, scattering seven hits and two runs over her 4.0 innings of work to improve to 3-1 on the year … She also struck out three batters while issuing just one walk.
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- Sophomore pitcher Tieghan Morio threw the final inning, striking out two of the six batters she faced to lock up the game … Her final strikeout came with bases loaded and ISU threatening to extend the game.
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FRIDAY NOTES:
- Ball State's eight runs in the fourth inning versus Indiana State are the most runs in an inning for the Cardinals since an 11-run explosion in the first inning of a 13-1 (5) victory at Akron on March 23, 2019.
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- Delanie Johnson recorded a hit in each game for the Cardinals and reached base in five of her six plate appearances … She finished the day 2-for-3, was hit by a pitch twice and also drew a walk … With the effort, she raised her team-leading batting average to .526 (10-for-19) and her team-high on base percentage to .655 on the year.
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- 12 different players scored at least one run for the Cardinals Friday … In fact, all 12 players that could score a run on the day did … Stacy Payton led the Cardinals with three runs scored, while four players scored a pair of runs.
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UP NEXT:
The Ball State softball team returns to action Saturday, when it takes on tournament host Western Kentucky in a 1:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. CT first pitch. The Cardinals will also play a second game later in the day with the time and opponent to be determined.
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FOR MORE INFO:
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 (3-3)
L: Kayla Schwebke (2-3)
Batting:
SH: Tiffany Giese 1 ; Aubrey Drohner 1
Base Running:
SB: Tiffany Giese 1
Batting:
2B: Dominique, Haley 1 ; Magnifico, Gabby 1
HR: Hogg, Janae 1
RBI: Dominique, Haley 2 ; Magnifico, Gabby 2 ; Hogg, Janae 2 ; Wynn, Haley 2
SF: Wynn, Haley 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Daniel, Amaia 1 ; Payton, Stacy 1 ; Dominique, Haley 1 ; Magnifico, Gabby 1 ; Hogg, Janae 1 ; Westbrook, Shelby 1 ; Janiga, Katie 1 ; Wynn, Kennedy 1
SB: Daniel, Amaia 1 ; Payton, Stacy 1 ; Westbrook, Shelby 1
HBP: Payton, Stacy 1 ; Johnson, Delanie 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
3
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
Uti
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballC/Uti
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballINF/OF
/ Softball
C/Uti
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
C/INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
LHP/OF
/ Softball
INF/OF
/ Softball
INF/OF
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