Ball State University Athletics
Softball Announces Captains For 2021 Season
February 05, 2021 | Softball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - As selected by a vote from their teammates, we are very excited to introduce the captains of the 2021 Ball State softball team: Jazmyne Armendariz, Haley Dominique, Stacy Payton and Kennedy Wynn.
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"Being selected as captains by their peers says a lot about what this group of young women mean to this team," first-year head coach Lacy Wood said about the group. "Their leadership on the field is only a small part of what they bring to the table. How they led this team through the fall semester given the circumstances surrounding COVID is nothing short of astounding. They helped cultivate a team chemistry that is really going to be the backbone of what will be necessary as we navigate this season."
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A redshirt sophomore for the Cardinals, Armendariz played in 12 games and made eight starts last season. After suffering a season-ending injury early in the 2019 campaign, Armendariz returned to action in 2020 and collected her first three career hits, to go along with two RBI and four runs scored.
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Payton enters her traditional senior year as one of the top power hitters in program history. She started all 27 games for Ball State last season and led the Mid-American Conference in nearly every offensive statistical category, including hits (36), doubles (13), home runs (8), RBI (35), total bases (75) and slugging percentage (.833). As a sophomore in 2019, she was named both First Team All-Mid-American Conference and NFCA All-Great Lakes Region Third Team.
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Dominique is one of five seniors from the 2020 season who elected to come back after being granted an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Last season, she played in 26 games, earning 25 starts. She boasted a .309 batting average, collecting five doubles and one home run. She also scored 21 runs and drove in 16 RBI. As a sophomore in 2018, she was named First Team All-MAC after leading the league and ranking 80th nationally with 68 hits.
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Wynn, another 2020 senior who elected to return this year, played in 24 games, earning 23 starts for the Cardinals last season. She finished the year with a .297 batting average, collecting one double and four home runs. Her biggest hit provided one of the most exhilarating moments for Ball State during the 2020 season. With two outs and a 2-1 count, Wynn capped a six-run seventh inning with a three-run, walk-off bomb to give Ball State a 7-5 win over Indiana State in the championship game of the Hilltopper Classic.
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In just 21 days, the Ball State softball team opens the 2021 season with games versus DePaul (11 a.m. ET / 10 a.m. CT) and St. Louis (1:15 p.m. ET / 12:15 p.m. CT) at the Southern Illinois Tournament.
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"Being selected as captains by their peers says a lot about what this group of young women mean to this team," first-year head coach Lacy Wood said about the group. "Their leadership on the field is only a small part of what they bring to the table. How they led this team through the fall semester given the circumstances surrounding COVID is nothing short of astounding. They helped cultivate a team chemistry that is really going to be the backbone of what will be necessary as we navigate this season."
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A redshirt sophomore for the Cardinals, Armendariz played in 12 games and made eight starts last season. After suffering a season-ending injury early in the 2019 campaign, Armendariz returned to action in 2020 and collected her first three career hits, to go along with two RBI and four runs scored.
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Payton enters her traditional senior year as one of the top power hitters in program history. She started all 27 games for Ball State last season and led the Mid-American Conference in nearly every offensive statistical category, including hits (36), doubles (13), home runs (8), RBI (35), total bases (75) and slugging percentage (.833). As a sophomore in 2019, she was named both First Team All-Mid-American Conference and NFCA All-Great Lakes Region Third Team.
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Dominique is one of five seniors from the 2020 season who elected to come back after being granted an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Last season, she played in 26 games, earning 25 starts. She boasted a .309 batting average, collecting five doubles and one home run. She also scored 21 runs and drove in 16 RBI. As a sophomore in 2018, she was named First Team All-MAC after leading the league and ranking 80th nationally with 68 hits.
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Wynn, another 2020 senior who elected to return this year, played in 24 games, earning 23 starts for the Cardinals last season. She finished the year with a .297 batting average, collecting one double and four home runs. Her biggest hit provided one of the most exhilarating moments for Ball State during the 2020 season. With two outs and a 2-1 count, Wynn capped a six-run seventh inning with a three-run, walk-off bomb to give Ball State a 7-5 win over Indiana State in the championship game of the Hilltopper Classic.
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In just 21 days, the Ball State softball team opens the 2021 season with games versus DePaul (11 a.m. ET / 10 a.m. CT) and St. Louis (1:15 p.m. ET / 12:15 p.m. CT) at the Southern Illinois Tournament.
Players Mentioned
C/Uti
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/ SoftballThursday, February 26
Wednesday, February 25
Thursday, February 19
Wednesday, February 04