Friday, April 1
Muncie, Ind.
1 p.m.
Ball State University
vs
Kent State
Photo by: Brad Caudill - Ball State Athletics
Home Sweet Home; Softball Hosts Kent State This Weekend
March 31, 2022 | Softball
| Ball State (7-18; 0-2 MAC) hosts Kent State (9-14; 1-4 MAC) | |
| Game 26 hosts Kent State | Friday, April 1 at 1 p.m. Live Stats  |  ESPN3 |
| Game 27 hosts Kent State | Friday, April 1 at 3:30 p.m. Live Stats  |  ESPN3 |
| Game 28 hosts Kent State | Saturday, April 2 at 1 p.m. Live Stats  |  ESPN3 |
| Tickets Info | Free Admission |
| Social Media | Twitter  |  Instagram |
MUNCIE, Ind. - - After playing its first 25 games of the year on the road, the Ball State softball team will finally get to play at home, as it hosts Kent State for a three-game weekend series at the Softball Field at First Merchants Ballpark Complex.
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With yet more wet weather in the forecast for the weekend, the Cardinals (7-18; 0-2 Mid-American Conference) and Golden Flashes (9-14; 1-4 MAC) will be playing a doubleheader Friday at 1 p.m. and a single game Saturday at 1 p.m.
Ball State is coming off a bit of bad luck, after suffering a pair of walk off losses last Friday at Central Michigan. BSU rallied to tie the opening game with a two-out, three-run home run in the top of the seventh, only to have CMU answer with a run in the bottom of the frame to win the game 4-3.
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In the nightcap, the Cardinals once again tied the score with two outs in the top of the seventh, and eventually took an 8-7 lead in the top of the ninth. The Chippewas answered again, however, scoring two in the bottom of the ninth to escape with the 9-8 (9) win.
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A truly battle tested Ball State squad entered the CMU doubleheader coming of an impressive 4-3 victory at then-No. 18 Missouri to close its pre-conference slate, which is just the seventh win over a ranked opponent in program history.
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The Cardinals nearly made it two ranked wins on the day, as the squad brought the tying run to the plate in the top of the seventh in its 5-2 loss to No. 14 Northwestern.
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So far this season, Ball State has played 10 of its 25 games versus teams inside the top 100 in the latest NCAA RPI Rankings, including five against top 25 squads.
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SEASON SO FAR:
- The Cardinals enter Friday's doubleheader at Central Michigan with a 7-18 (0-2 MAC) record after dropping both ends of last Friday's league doubleheader at Central Michigan … BSU rallied to tie the score with two outs in the top of the seventh in each contest, only to see its comeback bid fall short in each.
- Despite facing some of the nation's top pitching staffs, the Cardinals enter the weekend as one of the league's top offenses with a .261 team batting average … Leading the way is senior left fielder Faith Hensley who is third in the MAC and 101st nationally with her .403 average.
- Ball State's power has still been there this season too, with the squad ranking 54th nationally with a 0.96 home runs per game average … BSU's sluggers have belted 24 home runs so far this season, with nine different players going yard.
- Ball State's ability to double teams up has been a bright spot for the defense so far this season, as the Cardinals rank 10th nationally with 15 double plays so far this season … In addition, BSU's 0.60 double plays per game average is third nationally.
- The Cardinals have also been making moves on the base paths, tying for second among Mid-American Conference programs with 30 stolen bases … Leading the way is sophomore transfer Remington Ross, who is a perfect 12-for-12 so far this season, with her 12 stolen bases being third among all league players.
SCOUTING KENT STATE
The Golden Flashes enter Friday's doubleheader with a 9-14 (1-4 MAC) record … It's been a busy week for Kent State, which is currently on spring break … Kent State started off by sweeping a Tuesday doubleheader at Purdue Fort Wayne, earning 11-1 (5) and 8-0 (6) victories … On Wednesday, the Golden Flashes suffered an 11-14 (9) setback at Indiana, tying the score at 8-8 with a five-run seventh to force extra innings … Then, KSU took an 11-8 lead with a three-run ninth, only to have the Hoosiers hit a pair of two-out, three run home runs to win the game the bottom of the inning.
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Madison Hershberger leads the squad with a .306 batting average and is tied for second on the squad with 10 runs scored … Chloe Cruz has a team-high 10 RBI, to go along with two doubles, two triples, a home run, and a .244 average … In the circle, Jessica LeBeau as a team-high 55.1 innings of work, yielding a 3.16 ERA and a .224 opponents' batting average … She has struck out a team-leading 72 batters and has a 3-7 record … Andrea Scali is not far behind with a 3.25 ERA and a .226 average against over 47.1 innings of work … Scali also has 59 strikeouts and a 1-6 record.
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As a team, the Golden Flashes enter the weekend ranked last in the league with a .211 team batting average … In the circle, Kent State is fourth in the MAC with a 3.47 team ERA.
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THE ALL-TIME SERIES:
- While the Golden Flashes own a 51-35 advantage in the all-time series, the Cardinals have won five of the last seven meetings.
- Last season, the Cardinals swept a three-game home series versus KSU in the first regular season series played between the two programs since the 2018 season … Ball State won both games of an April 9 doubleheader by scores of 1-0 and 7-2, while earning a 5-3 victory on April 10 … Unfortunately, the fourth game of the series was rained out.
- During last season's three-game sweep catcher Delanie Johnson led the offense with a .667 average, tallying six hits in nine at bats, including a pair of home runs … She also tied for the team lead with four RBI.
- Also tallying four RBI in the series was third baseman Haley Wynn, who capped the weekend with a three-run, walk-off home run in the series finale … She came up to bat with the Cardinals trailing by one and two outs in the bottom of the seventh and lasered a 3-2 pitch over the fence in center field … In addition, Wynn's other RBI dove in the only run in BSU's 1-0 victory to open the series.
- Deborah Jones earned two of the wins in the circle last season, including the complete game shutout victory in the opener … Over 14 innings of work, she did not yield a single earned run … Her stat line for the weekend was a 0.00 ERA, a 2-0 record, 14.0 innings pitched, 14 hits allowed, three runs allowed, no earned runs allowed and four strikeouts … In fact, she only gave up one multiple base hit on the weekend, a double in the series finale.
BALL STATE NOTES:
- Senior outfielder Faith Hensley has picked up right where she left off last season, leading the Ball State offense with a .403 batting average this season … She has reached base safely in 23 of BSU's 25 games, including via a hit in 19 contests … She also leads the team with 19 RBI, including five in the Feb. 19 come-from-behind win over Western Carolina, and runs scored with 18.
- A 2021 NFCA All-Great Lakes Region First Team selection last season, Faith Hensley enters the weekend ranked second in program history (minimum 150 at bats) with a .383 career batting average … She is also currently third in career slugging percentage (.681), based on the strength of her 19 career doubles, 17 career home runs and two career triples.
- Sophomore shortstop Kayla Lissy registered BSU's first triple of the season in the 3-2 (8) victory over Towson (Feb. 18) … Last season, Lissy tied for the NCAA Division I lead with nine triples and added an inside-the-park home run for good measure.
- Kayla Lissy is also off to a strong start on the base paths, ranking second on the squad with five stolen bases … As a freshman, Lissy ranked fifth in the MAC with 18 stolen bases … Her 23 career stolen bases are already just three shy of breaking into the top 20 in program history, while her .852 (23-for-27) stolen base percentage is 10th on BSU's career charts.
- Ball State's sluggers have blasted 24 total home runs so far this season, with nine different players getting into the action … Faith Henley leads the way with nine, while redshirt freshman first baseman / catcher McKayla Timmons, junior third baseman Haley Wynn and redshirt junior catcher Jazmyne Armendariz are tied for second with three apiece … Overall, 10 different players on the active roster have at least one career home run for the Cardinals.
- Junior third baseman Haley Wynn enters the week ranked second on the squad with a .313 batting average … She has reached base safely in 21 of BSU's 25 games this season, including a team-high 15 straight contests earlier in the year … Wynn has had at least one hit in 18 games, including a perfect 4-for-4 effort versus Albany (Feb. 19) for her first career four-hit game … She is also tied for the team lead with five doubles this season.
- Sophomore outfielder Remington Ross enters the Kent State series ranked third in the league with 12 stolen bases this season … In fact, she is a perfect 12-for-12 on the year … Only four players in program history have finished a season with a perfect stolen base percentage, with Kim Manuel (16-for-16) being the last in 2019 … The Ball State record for most consecutive stolen bases without being thrown out is 32 set by Lisa Rozanski spanning the 2008 and 2009 seasons.
- Overall, Ball State has stolen 30 total bases this season in 42 attempts … Last season, the Cardinals registered 62 stolen bases which was the 13th-highest single-season total in program history.
- Junior pitcher Deborah Jones enters the weekend with 175 career strikeouts to rank 18th in program history … She needs 25 more strikeouts to become just the 15th pitcher in program history to reach 200 career Ks … Jones has a team-leading 41 strikeouts over 36.0 innings of work this season.
- Deborah Jones earned her 20th career victory versus Northern Kentucky on March 5, allowing just one run and four hits, while striking out a career-high 12 batters in the 2-1 victory … It was her first win of the 2022 season, to go along with her seven wins as a freshman in 2020 and 12 last season … Jones is also two wins shy of breaking into the top 20 in program history.
- Freshman pitcher Angelina Russo has been BSU's go-to pitcher so far this season, entering the Kent State series with a team-high 62.2 innings of work … She has started 12 of BSU's 25 games and owns a 4-6 record and a 5.59 ERA against some tough competition … In fact, she earned the win at No. 18 Missouri (March 20), holding the Tigers to just seven this and three runs (two earned) over 5.1 innings of work in the 4-3 victory.
- Angelina Russo also earned the complete game victory at Grand Canyon (March 12), while turning in solid pitching performances at No. 23 Arizona State (March 13), vs. Stanford (March 19), and vs. No. 14 Northwestern (March 20).
- Freshman pitcher Emma Eubank has been virtually flawless in her last four appearances, owning a 0.62 ERA and a .143 opponents' batting average over 11.1 innings of work … She picked up the save in BSU's win over No. 18 Missouri (March 20) after holding the Tigers hitless over 1.2 innings of work … She also threw 3.0 innings of hitless softball earlier in the day versus the No. 14 Northwestern (March 20).
Players Mentioned
C/Uti
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LHP
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OF
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C/Uti
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RHP
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INF
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OF
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RHP
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UT
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INF/OF
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