Tuesday, April 20
Oxford, OH
2 p.m.
Ball State University
22-10, 16-0
4
at
2
Miami
26-7, 16-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Ball State
0
0
0
0
4
0
0
4
4
2
Miami
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
2
4
0
Softball Splits Tuesday’s Twinbill at Miami
April 20, 2021 | Softball
OXFORD, Ohio - - When the day started, there were two undefeated teams in Mid-American Conference play.
After an exciting day of softball at the Miami Softball Stadium, there were none.
Ball State started the day with a thrilling 4-2, come-from-behind victory over Miami to snap the RedHawks' (27-7; 17-1 MAC) 20-game winning streak. Unfortunately, the reverse happened in the nightcap, as the Cardinals (22-11; 16-1 MAC) held a 7-2 edge going into the bottom of the seventh, only to see the RedHawks walk off with the 8-7 win.
The league's top two team will battle again next Wednesday, this time at the Softball Field at First Merchants Ballpark Complex. First pitch of that twinbill is set for 2 p.m.
GAME 1 RECAP: Ball State 4 - Miami 2
Ball State opened a key MAC doubleheader at league rival Miami with a 4-2, come-from-behind victory fueled by a brilliant pitching performance from sophomore Deborah Jones.
Battling a RedHawks team which had won 20 straight games and led the league in batting average (.337) and runs per game (7.62), Jones never backed down. She struck out four of the first seven batters she faced and yielded just four hits and two runs. She ended the game with five strikeouts, while improving to 7-0 in MAC play.
On the other side, the Cardinals were facing one of the league's top pitchers in Courtney Viersta who was perfect through four innings. However, with Ball State trailing 2-0 after Miami recorded single runs in the third and fourth, senior catcher Stacy Payton opened the floodgates in the top of the fifth with a single to center field.
Ball State scored four runs in the inning, with the first coming on a double steal. Following the single, Payton was replaced by freshman pitch runner Brooke Ligacki. Senior first baseman Janae Hogg followed with a single off the fence in left field to put runners at the corners.
Then, with senior pinch runner Katie Janiga at first, the Cardinals pulled off a double steal on a strikeout with Janiga drawing the throw to second, allowing the speedy Ligacki to score from third. Then, following a walk to senior designated player Delanie Johnson, senior center fielder Kennedy Wynn put up some fireworks with a three-run blast to left-center field.
The four runs provided all the run support Jones needed, as she shut Miami down over the final three.
GAME 2 RECAP: Miami 8 - Ball State 7
In the second game, the Cardinals offense stayed hot early as sophomore third baseman Haley Wynn opened with an infield single. Then, after moving to second on a groundout, she scored on an RBI single through the left side from Hogg.
After senior starting pitcher Darcie Huber struck out the side in the bottom of the first, the Cardinals exploded for four more runs in the top of the second.
With bases loaded and one out following a walk to Johnson, a single from K. Wynn, and a bunt single from sophomore shortstop Kayla Lissy, H. Wynn drove in the first run of the inning with a single to left. Senior right fielder Haley Dominique followed with a two-run single through the right side, while a Payton double to left center brought home the fourth run.
Miami would counter with single runs in the third and fifth, cutting the lead to 5-2. However, Ball State's offense came to life again in the sixth thanks to a two-out infield single from Lissy. H. Wynn followed with an RBI double to right center, while Dominique added an RBI single to left in the next at bat to cap Ball State's scoring in the game.
Unfortunately, the doubleheader sweep was not meant to be, as Miami rallied for six one-out runs in the bottom of the seventh to split the day.
Highlighting Ball State's effort in the circle in the second game was Huber who allowed just two hits and one unearned run over her 3.0 innings of work, striking out five.
The Ball State softball team returns to action Friday, when it opens a four-game series versus Ohio at the Softball Field at First Merchants Ballpark Complex. First pitch is currently set for 3 p.m.
Unfortunately, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and resulting department of health guidance, there will be no general public attendance at Ball State softball home games this season. However, free live video and live stats can be found on the schedule page of BallStateSports.com.
After an exciting day of softball at the Miami Softball Stadium, there were none.
Ball State started the day with a thrilling 4-2, come-from-behind victory over Miami to snap the RedHawks' (27-7; 17-1 MAC) 20-game winning streak. Unfortunately, the reverse happened in the nightcap, as the Cardinals (22-11; 16-1 MAC) held a 7-2 edge going into the bottom of the seventh, only to see the RedHawks walk off with the 8-7 win.
The league's top two team will battle again next Wednesday, this time at the Softball Field at First Merchants Ballpark Complex. First pitch of that twinbill is set for 2 p.m.
GAME 1 RECAP: Ball State 4 - Miami 2
Ball State opened a key MAC doubleheader at league rival Miami with a 4-2, come-from-behind victory fueled by a brilliant pitching performance from sophomore Deborah Jones.
Battling a RedHawks team which had won 20 straight games and led the league in batting average (.337) and runs per game (7.62), Jones never backed down. She struck out four of the first seven batters she faced and yielded just four hits and two runs. She ended the game with five strikeouts, while improving to 7-0 in MAC play.
On the other side, the Cardinals were facing one of the league's top pitchers in Courtney Viersta who was perfect through four innings. However, with Ball State trailing 2-0 after Miami recorded single runs in the third and fourth, senior catcher Stacy Payton opened the floodgates in the top of the fifth with a single to center field.
Ball State scored four runs in the inning, with the first coming on a double steal. Following the single, Payton was replaced by freshman pitch runner Brooke Ligacki. Senior first baseman Janae Hogg followed with a single off the fence in left field to put runners at the corners.
Then, with senior pinch runner Katie Janiga at first, the Cardinals pulled off a double steal on a strikeout with Janiga drawing the throw to second, allowing the speedy Ligacki to score from third. Then, following a walk to senior designated player Delanie Johnson, senior center fielder Kennedy Wynn put up some fireworks with a three-run blast to left-center field.
The four runs provided all the run support Jones needed, as she shut Miami down over the final three.
GAME 2 RECAP: Miami 8 - Ball State 7
In the second game, the Cardinals offense stayed hot early as sophomore third baseman Haley Wynn opened with an infield single. Then, after moving to second on a groundout, she scored on an RBI single through the left side from Hogg.
After senior starting pitcher Darcie Huber struck out the side in the bottom of the first, the Cardinals exploded for four more runs in the top of the second.
With bases loaded and one out following a walk to Johnson, a single from K. Wynn, and a bunt single from sophomore shortstop Kayla Lissy, H. Wynn drove in the first run of the inning with a single to left. Senior right fielder Haley Dominique followed with a two-run single through the right side, while a Payton double to left center brought home the fourth run.
Miami would counter with single runs in the third and fifth, cutting the lead to 5-2. However, Ball State's offense came to life again in the sixth thanks to a two-out infield single from Lissy. H. Wynn followed with an RBI double to right center, while Dominique added an RBI single to left in the next at bat to cap Ball State's scoring in the game.
Unfortunately, the doubleheader sweep was not meant to be, as Miami rallied for six one-out runs in the bottom of the seventh to split the day.
Highlighting Ball State's effort in the circle in the second game was Huber who allowed just two hits and one unearned run over her 3.0 innings of work, striking out five.
The Ball State softball team returns to action Friday, when it opens a four-game series versus Ohio at the Softball Field at First Merchants Ballpark Complex. First pitch is currently set for 3 p.m.
Unfortunately, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and resulting department of health guidance, there will be no general public attendance at Ball State softball home games this season. However, free live video and live stats can be found on the schedule page of BallStateSports.com.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jones, Deborah (9-2)
L: Courtney Vierstra (14-3)
Batting:
2B: Hensley, Faith 1
HR: Wynn, Kennedy 1
RBI: Wynn, Kennedy 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Ligacki, Brooke 1 ; Janiga, Katie 1 ; Johnson, Delanie 1 ; Wynn, Kennedy 1
SB: Ligacki, Brooke 1 ; Janiga, Katie 1
Batting:
RBI: Karli Spaid 1 ; Holly Blaska 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Mackenzie Moore 1 ; Holly Blaska 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
OF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C/Uti
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballC/INF
/ Softball
INF/OF
/ SoftballOF
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