Monday, April 11
Muncie, Ind.
10 a.m.
Ball State University
13-21, 6-5
5
vs
4
Ohio
15-18, 9-5
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Ohio
3
0
1
0
0
0
0
4
9
0
Ball State
0
0
2
2
0
0
1
5
10
1
Photo by: Elijah Houser
Softball Closes Ohio Series with Dramatic Win
April 11, 2022 | Softball
MUNCIE, Ind. – Sophomore shortstop Kayla Lissy's walk-off home run capped a dramatic seventh inning for the Ball State softball team Monday afternoon, giving the hosts a 5-4 win over Ohio in the series finale at the Softball Field at First Merchants Ballpark Complex.
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The game-winning blast, Lissy's third of the season, was set up by some clutch pitching from Cardinals (13-21; 6-5 Mid-American Conference) junior reliever Deborah Jones in the top of the inning. The Bobcats (15-18; 9-5 MAC) looked poised to break a 4-4 stalemate after loading the bases with no outs. However, Jones battled back to induce a fly out to left before striking out back-to-back batters to strand the bases loaded.
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It was another solid effort for Jones, who after missing nearly a month of action, did not allow a single earned run over four appearances on the week. She finished Monday with her third win of the season after going three innings and striking out five batters. Over 13.1 innings of work for the week, Jones tallied a 0.00 ERA, a 2-0 record, 16 strikeouts, and a .196 opponents' batting average.
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Ohio, which won the first two games of the series, came out ready to earn the sweep by scoring three runs in the top of the first. However, freshman pitcher Angelina Russo would settle in and retire the side in order in the second with two of her three strikeouts.
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After the Bobcats extended their lead to 4-0 with a run in the top of the third, the Cardinals broke through in the bottom of the frame. Senior left fielder Faith Hensley opened the inning with a walk and moved to second on a single by senior second baseman Amaia Daniel. Two batters later, and following a double steal, Lissy came up with her first clutch hit of the day, blasting what turned out to be a two-run double off the Ohio first baseman, cutting the Bobcats lead to 4-2.
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After another scoreless frame by Russo in the top of the fourth, Hensley came through with perhaps the second-biggest moment of the contest in the bottom of the inning. With the rain moving in, Hensley took advantage of a leadoff double by senior catcher Delaine Johnson with a two-out, two-run bomb to even the score.Â
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What was even more impressive about Hensley's 15th bomb of the season, which ranks fifth on BSU's single-season charts, was the fact it came on a full count. Hensley's 15 home runs trail only Olympic medalist Jen Gilbert and Emily Dabkowski on the all-time list.
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With the score tied at 4-4 and a full count on the first batter in the top of the fifth, lightning in the area, followed by heavy rain, forced a 2:10 delay.
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When play started back up, Jones took control in the circle. Sealing the deal was Lissy, who sent the first pitch she saw in the bottom of the seventh screaming over the fence in center for a walk-off home run.
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The shortstop finished 4-for-4 at the plate, leading the Cardinals with three RBI. She has hit a homerun in each series played at home this season.Â
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Also turning in a solid performance was freshman right fielder Emma Richards who doubled her hit total coming into the contest with a second inning double and a sixth inning single.
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The Ball State softball team returns to action Tuesday when it heads to Indianapolis for a 2 p.m. first pitch at IUPUI.
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The game-winning blast, Lissy's third of the season, was set up by some clutch pitching from Cardinals (13-21; 6-5 Mid-American Conference) junior reliever Deborah Jones in the top of the inning. The Bobcats (15-18; 9-5 MAC) looked poised to break a 4-4 stalemate after loading the bases with no outs. However, Jones battled back to induce a fly out to left before striking out back-to-back batters to strand the bases loaded.
Â
It was another solid effort for Jones, who after missing nearly a month of action, did not allow a single earned run over four appearances on the week. She finished Monday with her third win of the season after going three innings and striking out five batters. Over 13.1 innings of work for the week, Jones tallied a 0.00 ERA, a 2-0 record, 16 strikeouts, and a .196 opponents' batting average.
Â
Ohio, which won the first two games of the series, came out ready to earn the sweep by scoring three runs in the top of the first. However, freshman pitcher Angelina Russo would settle in and retire the side in order in the second with two of her three strikeouts.
Â
After the Bobcats extended their lead to 4-0 with a run in the top of the third, the Cardinals broke through in the bottom of the frame. Senior left fielder Faith Hensley opened the inning with a walk and moved to second on a single by senior second baseman Amaia Daniel. Two batters later, and following a double steal, Lissy came up with her first clutch hit of the day, blasting what turned out to be a two-run double off the Ohio first baseman, cutting the Bobcats lead to 4-2.
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After another scoreless frame by Russo in the top of the fourth, Hensley came through with perhaps the second-biggest moment of the contest in the bottom of the inning. With the rain moving in, Hensley took advantage of a leadoff double by senior catcher Delaine Johnson with a two-out, two-run bomb to even the score.Â
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What was even more impressive about Hensley's 15th bomb of the season, which ranks fifth on BSU's single-season charts, was the fact it came on a full count. Hensley's 15 home runs trail only Olympic medalist Jen Gilbert and Emily Dabkowski on the all-time list.
Â
With the score tied at 4-4 and a full count on the first batter in the top of the fifth, lightning in the area, followed by heavy rain, forced a 2:10 delay.
Â
When play started back up, Jones took control in the circle. Sealing the deal was Lissy, who sent the first pitch she saw in the bottom of the seventh screaming over the fence in center for a walk-off home run.
Â
The shortstop finished 4-for-4 at the plate, leading the Cardinals with three RBI. She has hit a homerun in each series played at home this season.Â
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Also turning in a solid performance was freshman right fielder Emma Richards who doubled her hit total coming into the contest with a second inning double and a sixth inning single.
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The Ball State softball team returns to action Tuesday when it heads to Indianapolis for a 2 p.m. first pitch at IUPUI.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jones, Deborah (3-4)
L: Coffelt, Kylie (5-8)
Batting:
2B: Spacek, Caroline 1
RBI: Paoli, Annalia 1 ; Spacek, Caroline 2 ; Bernard, Sophia 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Englant, Allie 1 ; Logan, Yasmine 1 ; Paoli, Annalia 1 ; Spacek, Caroline 1
SB: Englant, Allie 1
Batting:
2B: Hensley, Faith 1 ; Lissy, Kayla 1 ; Johnson, Delanie 1 ; Richards, Emma 1
HR: Hensley, Faith 1 ; Lissy, Kayla 1
RBI: Hensley, Faith 2 ; Lissy, Kayla 3
SH: Armendariz, Jazmyne 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hensley, Faith 2 ; Daniel, Amaia 1 ; Lissy, Kayla 1 ; Gibson, Kaitlyn 1
SB: Hensley, Faith 1 ; Daniel, Amaia 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
4
RBI
3
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
Uti
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
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