Friday, March 25
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
1 p.m.
Ball State University
7-17, 0-1
3
at
4
Central Michigan
12-12, 3-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Ball State
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
3
5
3
Central Michigan
3
0
0
0
0
0
1
4
8
0
Softball Suffers Pair of Tough Losses at Central Michigan
March 25, 2022 | Softball
MOUNT PLEASANT, MICH. - - It was a tough afternoon for the Ball State softball team which rallied to tie both ends of a Mid-American Conference doubleheader at Central Michigan with two outs in the seventh inning, only to suffer a pair of losses.
Â
In the opener, senior left fielder Faith Hensley blasted a two-out, three-run home run to help the Cardinals (7-18; 0-2 MAC) tie the score at 3-3 in the seventh. Unfortunately, the Chippewas (13-12; 4-1 MAC) answered with a sac fly in the bottom of the inning to win the game 4-3.
Â
The nightcap saw CMU pull head 6-0 before Hensley's second home run of the day spoiled a potential perfect game in the top of the fourth and sparked a five-run rally over two innings. BSU would go on to tie the game at 7-7 with two outs in the top of the seventh, before taking the lead in the top of the ninth after Hensley's leadoff walk turned into a run scored.
Â
It was a short-lived lead, however, as CMU countered with a leadoff home run and a pair of two-out hits before winning 9-8 (9) on a walk off wild pitch.
Â
Ball State and Central Michigan are scheduled to close their three-game series Saturday with another 1 p.m. first pitch at Margo Jonker Stadium.Â
Â
GAME 1: Ball State 3 – Central Michigan 4
The opening game saw the Chippewas strike first with three runs in the bottom of the first inning.
Â
The score remained that way until two outs in the top of the seventh, with Hensley blasted a three-run shot to even the score at 3-3. Senior second baseman Amaia Daniel and redshirt senior designated player Delanie Johnson scored on the play after a single and walk, respectively.
Â
Unfortunately, CMU took advantage of a pair of Ball State errors in the bottom of the seventh which gave the hosts runners on first and third with no outs. Two batters later, a sac fly allowed the Chippewas to escape with the 4-3 win.
Â
The loss came despite a solid relief appearance from freshman Emma Eubank in the circle, as she limited CMU to four hits and one unearned run over the final 5.2 innings. She also struck out three batters.
Â
CMU's Grace Lehto earned the win after limiting the Cardinals to five hits and striking out nine in a complete game effort.
Â
GAME 2: Ball State 8 – Central Michigan 9 (9)
Friday's second game did not start any better, as the Chippewas struck for two in the first and four in the second to pull ahead 6-0.
Â
However, Hensley would spark the BSU offense once again as she blasted her ninth home run of the season to open the top of the fourth. The effort spoiled CMU's perfect game bid and sparked a three-hit, three-run barrage in the inning.
Â
Junior third baseman Haley Wynn followed with a single, and after she stole second, redshirt freshman McKayla Timmons drew a walk. Two batters later, with runners on the corners, Johnson smashed a two-run double into right field to cut the CMU lead in half.
Â
The Ball State offense stayed hot in the top of the fifth, adding three more hits and two more runs. Daniel drove in both runs with a two-out, bases-loaded single up the middle. Sophomore center fielder Remington Ross and Wynn scored on the play after singling and reaching on a fielder's choice, respectively.
Â
CMU extended the lead back to two runs in the bottom of the frame, however, using a two-out RBI double to push the score to 7-5.
Â
After a scoreless sixth, the Cardinals rallied to tie the score with two outs in the seventh for a second consecutive game. It started with a bases loaded RBI fly out by Timmons. Unfortunately, the Cardinals were doubled up on the play, leading to a pair of outs and eliminating the sac fly for Timmons.Â
Â
That did not deter Daniel, however, as she followed with her second RBI single of the contest to even the score at 7-7.
Â
The game remained tied until the top of the ninth when Hensley opened the frame with a walk. She would then reach second on a sac bunt from Wynn, move to third on a passed ball, and score on a sac fly from Timmons.
Â
Unfortunately, the Cardinals could not capitalize as CMU opened the bottom of the ninth with a solo home run. Then, following a pair of two-out hits which put runners on the corners, a wild pitch ended the game.
Â
Â
In the opener, senior left fielder Faith Hensley blasted a two-out, three-run home run to help the Cardinals (7-18; 0-2 MAC) tie the score at 3-3 in the seventh. Unfortunately, the Chippewas (13-12; 4-1 MAC) answered with a sac fly in the bottom of the inning to win the game 4-3.
Â
The nightcap saw CMU pull head 6-0 before Hensley's second home run of the day spoiled a potential perfect game in the top of the fourth and sparked a five-run rally over two innings. BSU would go on to tie the game at 7-7 with two outs in the top of the seventh, before taking the lead in the top of the ninth after Hensley's leadoff walk turned into a run scored.
Â
It was a short-lived lead, however, as CMU countered with a leadoff home run and a pair of two-out hits before winning 9-8 (9) on a walk off wild pitch.
Â
Ball State and Central Michigan are scheduled to close their three-game series Saturday with another 1 p.m. first pitch at Margo Jonker Stadium.Â
Â
GAME 1: Ball State 3 – Central Michigan 4
The opening game saw the Chippewas strike first with three runs in the bottom of the first inning.
Â
The score remained that way until two outs in the top of the seventh, with Hensley blasted a three-run shot to even the score at 3-3. Senior second baseman Amaia Daniel and redshirt senior designated player Delanie Johnson scored on the play after a single and walk, respectively.
Â
Unfortunately, CMU took advantage of a pair of Ball State errors in the bottom of the seventh which gave the hosts runners on first and third with no outs. Two batters later, a sac fly allowed the Chippewas to escape with the 4-3 win.
Â
The loss came despite a solid relief appearance from freshman Emma Eubank in the circle, as she limited CMU to four hits and one unearned run over the final 5.2 innings. She also struck out three batters.
Â
CMU's Grace Lehto earned the win after limiting the Cardinals to five hits and striking out nine in a complete game effort.
Â
GAME 2: Ball State 8 – Central Michigan 9 (9)
Friday's second game did not start any better, as the Chippewas struck for two in the first and four in the second to pull ahead 6-0.
Â
However, Hensley would spark the BSU offense once again as she blasted her ninth home run of the season to open the top of the fourth. The effort spoiled CMU's perfect game bid and sparked a three-hit, three-run barrage in the inning.
Â
Junior third baseman Haley Wynn followed with a single, and after she stole second, redshirt freshman McKayla Timmons drew a walk. Two batters later, with runners on the corners, Johnson smashed a two-run double into right field to cut the CMU lead in half.
Â
The Ball State offense stayed hot in the top of the fifth, adding three more hits and two more runs. Daniel drove in both runs with a two-out, bases-loaded single up the middle. Sophomore center fielder Remington Ross and Wynn scored on the play after singling and reaching on a fielder's choice, respectively.
Â
CMU extended the lead back to two runs in the bottom of the frame, however, using a two-out RBI double to push the score to 7-5.
Â
After a scoreless sixth, the Cardinals rallied to tie the score with two outs in the seventh for a second consecutive game. It started with a bases loaded RBI fly out by Timmons. Unfortunately, the Cardinals were doubled up on the play, leading to a pair of outs and eliminating the sac fly for Timmons.Â
Â
That did not deter Daniel, however, as she followed with her second RBI single of the contest to even the score at 7-7.
Â
The game remained tied until the top of the ninth when Hensley opened the frame with a walk. She would then reach second on a sac bunt from Wynn, move to third on a passed ball, and score on a sac fly from Timmons.
Â
Unfortunately, the Cardinals could not capitalize as CMU opened the bottom of the ninth with a solo home run. Then, following a pair of two-out hits which put runners on the corners, a wild pitch ended the game.
Â
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: LEHTO, Grace (6-6)
L: Eubank, Emma (1-3)
Batting:
HR: Hensley, Faith 1
RBI: Hensley, Faith 3
SH: Wynn, Haley 1 ; Ross, Remington 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hensley, Faith 1 ; Daniel, Amaia 1 ; Dukeman, Hannah 1
SB: Ross, Remington 2
Batting:
2B: STEIN, Shannon 1 ; BRITTON, Caitlyn 1
RBI: COBERLEY, Skylar 2 ; BRITTON, Caitlyn 2
SH: SPRINGER, Maddie 1
SF: BRITTON, Caitlyn 1
Base Running:
RUNS: TOLMIE, Abbey 1 ; STEIN, Shannon 1 ; VALLIMONT,Michaleigh 1 ; COBERLEY, Skylar 1
HBP: STEIN, Shannon 1 ; MILLS, Sammi 1
Game Leaders
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
3
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
Uti
/ Softball
LHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C/Uti
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
INF/OF
/ SoftballSoftball // Workouts
Wednesday, September 17
Ball State Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell discusses the NCAA vs. House Settlement
Tuesday, July 01
Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell discusses NCAA vs. House Settlement & Bill Richards Thank You
Friday, June 27
Sports Link: Katie Van Der Mark (Softball)
Wednesday, May 21