Lissy Named MAC Softball Player of the Week

CLEVELAND, Ohio - - After going a perfect 7-for-7 on the base paths, including a swipe of home, and batting .588 (10-for-17) last week, Ball State freshman shortstop Kayla Lissy has been named the Mid-American Conference Softball Player of the Week.

"Kayla has been a steady force for us," head coach Lacy Wood said. "She came in, got an opportunity and has never looked back. Her play this past week has been the spark we have needed. Watching her put pressure on other defenses with her speed on the base paths is a joy to watch. Then there is her ability to rob base hits at short, that is priceless."

Lissy, a native of Valrico, Florida, opened the week by tallying two hits, scoring a pair of runs and stealing one base in last Tuesday's (April 20) doubleheader split at Miami.

In Ball State's weekend series versus Ohio, Lissy led all players with eight hits and a .667 (8-for-12) batting average. She also led all players with six stolen bases on the weekend, while tying for weekend-high honors with four runs scored.

She reached base safely in each of the final three games of the series and sparked a huge seven-run inning in Ball State's come-from-behind victory in Sunday's series finale.

With two on and no outs, Lissy missed her first out-of-the-park home run by a fraction of an inch, bouncing an RBI double off the top of the fence back into play. Moments later, she was able to steal home to account for two of the seven runs in the frame as Ball State rallied from down 6-1 to win 11-7.

Overall, Lissy finished the six games with 10 hits and six runs scored. For the year, Lissy is a perfect 13-for-13 in stolen base attempts and owns a .341 batting average. She is tied for team-high honors with 25 runs scored and leads the MAC with six triples.

"Kayla has steadily improved over the course of the season and is still growing," Wood added. "Her greatest attribute is her tireless work ethic. I can't wait to watch her the rest of this year and the next three."

The Ball State softball team returns to action later this afternoon, when it battles Miami in a 2 p.m. doubleheader for the top spot in the MAC standings. The Cardinals enter the games with a 19-2 MAC record, while Miami is leading the conference at 21-1.

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, today's games will be broadcast on ESPN+ and live stats will be available on the softball schedule page of BallStateSports.com.

Players Mentioned

Kayla Lissy

Related Videos