Saturday, May 8
Kalamazoo, MI
1 p.m.
Ball State University
30-17, 24-7
9
at
0
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Western Michigan
11-31, 7-21
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
Ball State
5
0
1
1
2
9
10
0
Western Michigan
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
1
Photo by: Samantha Blankenship (Ball State Creative Services)
Rothwell Ties NCAA Record, Softball Sweeps Saturday DH at WMU
May 08, 2021 | Softball
KALAMAZOO, Mich. - - The Ball State softball team celebrated commencement Saturday in style, turning in a pair of dominating wins over Western Michigan at Ebert Field.
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It all started with a pregame graduation ceremony which saw the Cardinals (31-17; 25-7 Mid-American Conference) honor the 11 members of the program who have earned their Ball State University degrees.
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What followed, was an offensive onslaught, and some solid pitching, leading to a 9-0 (5) win in the opener and a 17-11 victory in the nightcap.
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In all, the Ball State offense scored 26 runs and smashed 28 hits on the day, including seven doubles, a triple and four home runs. In addition, the Cardinals' 17 runs and 18 hits in the nightcap were both season-highs.
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In the opening game, junior designated player Trinity Eckerty and senior right fielder Haley Dominique were the offensive heroes with three RBIs apices. Senior Darcie Huber dominated in the circle, earning her first complete game victory of the season by limiting the Broncos (11-32, 7-22 MAC) to three hits, while striking out six over her 5.0 innings of work.
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The second game was led by junior left fielder Faith Hensley who went 4-for-5, with at least one RBI on each of her hits. She blasted a two-run double in the first, a one-run double in the second, an RBI single in the third and another RBI single in the fifth to drive in five runs.Â
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In the circle, senior closer Alyssa Rothwell pitched the final three innings and was credited with her MAC-leading fourth save of the season. With the save, Rothwell raised her career total to 32 which ties Mississippi State's Kellie Willkerson (1999-2002) for the NCAA Division I career saves record.
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The Ball State softball team will go for the four-game series sweep of Western Michigan Sunday, with a scheduled noon first pitch.
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GAME 1 RECAP: Ball State 9 - WMU 0 (5)
Following a special pregame presentation in which the team celebrated the program's 11 Ball State University graduates, the Cardinals feed off the energy in the opening inning, striking for five runs.
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It started with sophomore third baseman Haley Wynn being hit by a pitch and freshman shortstop Kayla Lissy drawing a walk. Two batters later, Dominique punched a two-run double into left-center, giving the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.
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After a single from senior catcher Stacy Payton and a walk to junior second baseman Amaia Daniel to load the bases, senior first baseman Janae Hogg lifted a sac fly into deep foul territory in right field. Eckerty followed with a RBI single to second, while an error on the play allowed the inning's fifth run to cross the plate.
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It was all the run support Huber would need, as she held the Broncos to three hits in a 5.0 inning complete game shutout. Two of the hits would come in the first, however, and WMU looked poised to score on the second, a single into left field with runners at first and second.Â
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However, Hensley threw a bullseye to the plate, getting the runner out at the home trying to score from second. Huber followed with her first of five consecutive strikeouts, ending WMU's only offensive threat of the game.
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Ball State extended its lead to 7-0 with solo home runs from Dominique in the third and H. Wynn in the fourth.Â
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Then, Eckerty would push across the final two runs of the game with a two-run double in the top of the fifth to help the Cardinals secure the run-rule victory. Payton singled and Hogg walked to set up the two-run double, with freshman pinch runner Brooke Ligacki entering to run for Hogg.
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GAME 2 RECAP: Ball State 17 - WMU 11
The Cardinals picked up right where they left off in the opening game, scoring three quick runs in the top of the first inning. H. Wynn opened the inning with a walk, while Lissy followed with the first of three doubles in the inning, putting a pair of runners in scoring position.
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After being held hitless in the first two games of the series, Hensley made sure it was not three straight, following Lissy with a double of her own to drive in the first two runs of the game. Two batters later, Payton drove in a third Ball State run with the third double of the inning.
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WMU followed with its first run of the day, a leadoff home run in the bottom of the second, cutting the Cardinals lead to 3-1.
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However, Ball State responded with another big inning, putting four more runs on the Ebert Field scoreboard. After senior center fielder Katie Janiga was hit by a pitch to open the inning, she advanced to second on a H Wynn sac bunt.
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Lissy followed with a walk, putting two runners on for Hensley, who blasted her second RBI double in as many innings to bring home Janiga. Dominique then sliced a two-run single up the middle, pushing the score to 6-1. Ball State's final run of the frame came when pinch runner Ligacki scored on a double from junior second baseman Amaia Daniel.
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After holding WMU off the board in the bottom of the second, the Cardinals registered three more runs in the top of the third. Redshirt sophomore catcher Jazmyne Armendariz and Janiga opened the inning with back-to-back walks, while a single from H. Wynn looked to bring in the first run, but Armendariz was called out after a close play at home.
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That did not bother Ball State, however, as Lissy, Hensley and Ligacki followed with three consecutive RBI singles to push the score to 10-1.
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The Broncos would rally within four, however, scoring one run in the bottom of the third and adding a grand slam in the bottom of the fourth to cut the Ball State lead to 10-6.
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After being held scoreless in the top of the fourth, the Cardinals got back on track in the top of the fifth, adding two more runs. H. Wynn started a one-out rally with a single to center field, setting up a RBI triple from Lissy. It was her MAC-leading ninth triple of the season. Hensley then added her fourth RBI hit in five innings with a single up the middle.
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Senior designated player Kendall Fields got into the action in the top of the sixth, blasting her first home run of the season to left field. The two-run blast, which also drove in senior second baseman Gabby Magnifico who walked, was her 14th career bomb, with four of the 14 coming in Kalamazoo.
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WMU was able to keep the game alive, however, scoring two runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth to force a seventh inning.Â
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It was Magnifico's turn to come up with a big hit for the Cardinals in the top of the seventh, as she followed singles by Lissy and Ligacki with a two-out, three-run home run to right field, giving Ball State a season-high 17 runs.
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WMU added three more runs in the bottom of the seventh, giving the game its final score of 17-11. However, Rothwell was able to close out the game with her third strikeout to secure her record-tying save.
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It all started with a pregame graduation ceremony which saw the Cardinals (31-17; 25-7 Mid-American Conference) honor the 11 members of the program who have earned their Ball State University degrees.
Â
What followed, was an offensive onslaught, and some solid pitching, leading to a 9-0 (5) win in the opener and a 17-11 victory in the nightcap.
Â
In all, the Ball State offense scored 26 runs and smashed 28 hits on the day, including seven doubles, a triple and four home runs. In addition, the Cardinals' 17 runs and 18 hits in the nightcap were both season-highs.
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In the opening game, junior designated player Trinity Eckerty and senior right fielder Haley Dominique were the offensive heroes with three RBIs apices. Senior Darcie Huber dominated in the circle, earning her first complete game victory of the season by limiting the Broncos (11-32, 7-22 MAC) to three hits, while striking out six over her 5.0 innings of work.
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The second game was led by junior left fielder Faith Hensley who went 4-for-5, with at least one RBI on each of her hits. She blasted a two-run double in the first, a one-run double in the second, an RBI single in the third and another RBI single in the fifth to drive in five runs.Â
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In the circle, senior closer Alyssa Rothwell pitched the final three innings and was credited with her MAC-leading fourth save of the season. With the save, Rothwell raised her career total to 32 which ties Mississippi State's Kellie Willkerson (1999-2002) for the NCAA Division I career saves record.
?? BREAKING NEWS??
— Ball State Softball (@BallStateSB) May 8, 2021
By pitching the final 3 innings of today's 17-11 win over WMU...
"THE CLOSER" @arothwell23 was credited w/her 32nd career save to tie the @NCAAsoftball Division I career record!
CONGRATS ALYSSA!!! Now let's get No. 33#ChirpChirp | #WeFly | #NCAASoftball pic.twitter.com/vSL3lAOMPe
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The Ball State softball team will go for the four-game series sweep of Western Michigan Sunday, with a scheduled noon first pitch.
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GAME 1 RECAP: Ball State 9 - WMU 0 (5)
Following a special pregame presentation in which the team celebrated the program's 11 Ball State University graduates, the Cardinals feed off the energy in the opening inning, striking for five runs.
While we weren't able to make it to The Scheu today, that didn't stop us from celebrating our @BallState Graduates!!!
— Ball State Softball (@BallStateSB) May 8, 2021
?? ?? Congrats #BSUGrads ????#ChirpChirp | #WeFly pic.twitter.com/cV9n7GT9hx
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It started with sophomore third baseman Haley Wynn being hit by a pitch and freshman shortstop Kayla Lissy drawing a walk. Two batters later, Dominique punched a two-run double into left-center, giving the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.
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After a single from senior catcher Stacy Payton and a walk to junior second baseman Amaia Daniel to load the bases, senior first baseman Janae Hogg lifted a sac fly into deep foul territory in right field. Eckerty followed with a RBI single to second, while an error on the play allowed the inning's fifth run to cross the plate.
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It was all the run support Huber would need, as she held the Broncos to three hits in a 5.0 inning complete game shutout. Two of the hits would come in the first, however, and WMU looked poised to score on the second, a single into left field with runners at first and second.Â
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However, Hensley threw a bullseye to the plate, getting the runner out at the home trying to score from second. Huber followed with her first of five consecutive strikeouts, ending WMU's only offensive threat of the game.
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Ball State extended its lead to 7-0 with solo home runs from Dominique in the third and H. Wynn in the fourth.Â
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Then, Eckerty would push across the final two runs of the game with a two-run double in the top of the fifth to help the Cardinals secure the run-rule victory. Payton singled and Hogg walked to set up the two-run double, with freshman pinch runner Brooke Ligacki entering to run for Hogg.
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GAME 2 RECAP: Ball State 17 - WMU 11
The Cardinals picked up right where they left off in the opening game, scoring three quick runs in the top of the first inning. H. Wynn opened the inning with a walk, while Lissy followed with the first of three doubles in the inning, putting a pair of runners in scoring position.
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After being held hitless in the first two games of the series, Hensley made sure it was not three straight, following Lissy with a double of her own to drive in the first two runs of the game. Two batters later, Payton drove in a third Ball State run with the third double of the inning.
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WMU followed with its first run of the day, a leadoff home run in the bottom of the second, cutting the Cardinals lead to 3-1.
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However, Ball State responded with another big inning, putting four more runs on the Ebert Field scoreboard. After senior center fielder Katie Janiga was hit by a pitch to open the inning, she advanced to second on a H Wynn sac bunt.
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Lissy followed with a walk, putting two runners on for Hensley, who blasted her second RBI double in as many innings to bring home Janiga. Dominique then sliced a two-run single up the middle, pushing the score to 6-1. Ball State's final run of the frame came when pinch runner Ligacki scored on a double from junior second baseman Amaia Daniel.
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After holding WMU off the board in the bottom of the second, the Cardinals registered three more runs in the top of the third. Redshirt sophomore catcher Jazmyne Armendariz and Janiga opened the inning with back-to-back walks, while a single from H. Wynn looked to bring in the first run, but Armendariz was called out after a close play at home.
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That did not bother Ball State, however, as Lissy, Hensley and Ligacki followed with three consecutive RBI singles to push the score to 10-1.
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The Broncos would rally within four, however, scoring one run in the bottom of the third and adding a grand slam in the bottom of the fourth to cut the Ball State lead to 10-6.
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After being held scoreless in the top of the fourth, the Cardinals got back on track in the top of the fifth, adding two more runs. H. Wynn started a one-out rally with a single to center field, setting up a RBI triple from Lissy. It was her MAC-leading ninth triple of the season. Hensley then added her fourth RBI hit in five innings with a single up the middle.
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Senior designated player Kendall Fields got into the action in the top of the sixth, blasting her first home run of the season to left field. The two-run blast, which also drove in senior second baseman Gabby Magnifico who walked, was her 14th career bomb, with four of the 14 coming in Kalamazoo.
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WMU was able to keep the game alive, however, scoring two runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth to force a seventh inning.Â
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It was Magnifico's turn to come up with a big hit for the Cardinals in the top of the seventh, as she followed singles by Lissy and Ligacki with a two-out, three-run home run to right field, giving Ball State a season-high 17 runs.
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WMU added three more runs in the bottom of the seventh, giving the game its final score of 17-11. However, Rothwell was able to close out the game with her third strikeout to secure her record-tying save.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Huber, Darcie (5-3)
L: Reily Galloway (4-11)
Batting:
2B: Dominique, Haley 1 ; Eckerty, Trinity 1
HR: Wynn, Haley 1 ; Dominique, Haley 1
RBI: Wynn, Haley 1 ; Dominique, Haley 3 ; Hogg, Janae 1 ; Eckerty, Trinity 3
SF: Hogg, Janae 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wynn, Haley 2 ; Lissy, Kayla 1 ; Dominique, Haley 2 ; Payton, Stacy 2 ; Daniel, Amaia 1 ; Ligacki, Brooke 1
SB: Lissy, Kayla 1 ; Ligacki, Brooke 1
CS: Lissy, Kayla 1
HBP: Wynn, Haley 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
2
H
3
RBI
3
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
3
AB
2
R
2
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
C/Uti
/ Softball
Uti
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF/OF
/ SoftballC/INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballINF/OF
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