Ball State University
11-9, 0
Central Michigan
4-15, 0
Softball Cruises In Series Opener at Central Michigan
April 02, 2021 | Softball
Â
With the win, the Cardinals improve to 5-0 in Mid-American Conference action and are now 11-9 on the year. The Chippewas fall to 4-15 overall and to 2-7 in league play with the loss.
Â
Much like last weekend's series sweep of Bowling Green, it was another solid all-around team effort which led to today's victory. In all, 12 different players pounded out hits to help the Cardinals produce season-highs of 14 runs and 17 hits.
Â
Senior catcher Stacy Payton led the way with a 4-for-4 day at the plate, while also scoring three runs, driving in three RBI and drawing a walk. Junior outfielder Faith Hensley led all players with four RBI, while eight different Ball State players drove in at least one run.
Â
On the rubber, junior Tieghan Morio picked up her third win in MAC play, limiting Central Michigan to seven hits and five runs, only three of which were earned, over the first 5.0 innings. She also struck out four batters, as did senior reliever Alyssa Rothwell who held CMU to just one hit and one run over the final 2.0 innings.
Â
The Cardinals opened the scoring with three two-out runs in the top of the first courtesy of a two-run double from Payton followed by an RBI double from Hensley.
Â
The two-out barrage continued in the second, as Ball State added six more two-out runs, starting with a RBI single up the middle from senior outfielder Haley Dominique. Following a CMU pitching change, a walk to BSU's all-time leader in walks, senior first baseman Janae Hogg, loaded the bases.
Â
Payton followed with a walk of her own to extend the lead to 5-0, while Hensley added three more RBI with a bases-clearing double to left center. Senior designated player Delanie Johnson pushed across the final run of the inning with a single up the middle.
Â
While CMU would score four in the bottom of the third and another in the fourth, to cut the lead to 9-5, they would get no closer.
Â
Senior outfielder Kendall Fields would get into the action in the top of the fifth, countering CMU's run an inning earlier with her first RBI of the season on a single to left.
Â
Ball State closed out its scoring with four more runs in the top of the seventh. The first two came on back-to-back RBI doubles from senior infielder Gabby Magnifico and Fields. Three batters later, freshman outfielder Hannah Dukeman added an RBI single for the third run of the inning.
Redshirt sophomore outfielder Jazmyne Armendariz gave Ball State its final run with a sac fly to left field.
Â
CMU would tally one more run in the bottom of the inning, on a solo home run, to cap the scoring at 14-6.
Â
The two teams will meet again Saturday for a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Margo Jonker Stadium.
Â
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Morio, Tieghan (5-2)
L: LEHTO, Grace (3-8)
Batting:
2B: Magnifico, Gabby 1 ; Fields, Kendall 1 ; Payton, Stacy 2 ; Hensley, Faith 2 ; Daniel, Amaia 1
RBI: Magnifico, Gabby 1 ; Dominique, Haley 1 ; Fields, Kendall 2 ; Payton, Stacy 3 ; Hensley, Faith 4 ; Dukeman, Hannah 1 ; Johnson, Delanie 1 ; Armendariz, Jazmyne 1
SF: Armendariz, Jazmyne 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wynn, Haley 1 ; Eckerty, Trinity 2 ; Lissy, Kayla 1 ; Magnifico, Gabby 1 ; Dominique, Haley 2 ; Fields, Kendall 1 ; Hogg, Janae 1 ; Payton, Stacy 3 ; Hensley, Faith 1 ; Daniel, Amaia 1
HBP: Eckerty, Trinity 1 ; Magnifico, Gabby 1
Batting:
3B: ALEXANDER, Kelsey 1
HR: STEIN, Shannon 1
RBI: GARDNER, Morgan 1 ; STEIN, Shannon 1 ; ALEXANDER, Kelsey 2
SF: GARDNER, Morgan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: KNAPP, Shaidan 1 ; TOLMIE, Abbey 1 ; STEIN, Shannon 1 ; ANDERSON, Stephanie 1 ; ACUNA, Gisele 1 ; NIEHAUS, Abigail 1
CS: TOLMIE, Abbey 1
HBP: KNAPP, Shaidan 1
