Wednesday, April 6
DeKalb, Ill.
2 p.m.
Ball State University
12-18, 5-2
11
at
0
Northern Illinois
8-17, 2-8
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
Ball State
3
4
2
1
1
11
7
0
Northern Illinois
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
Softball Takes Midweek Series at Northern Illinois
April 06, 2022 | Softball
DEKALB, Ill. - - The Ball State softball team opened a Wednesday afternoon doubleheader at Northern Illinois with an 11-0 (5) victory to secure the series win at Mary M. Bell Field.
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Unfortunately, after an eight-run second inning, the Cardinals (12-19; 5-3 MAC) could not hold on in the second game as the Huskies (9-17, 3-9 MAC) rallied for a 13-9 victory to salvage one win in the three-game set.
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The hero of the day for Ball State was junior pitcher Deborah Jones, who earned her fifth career complete game shutout victory. Over her 5.0 innings of work, Jones limited NIU to just three hits and four total baserunners.
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On the offensive end, the Cardinals blasted four total home runs on the day, including a pair from sophomore Samantha-Jo Mata. Mata blasted a pinch-hit leadoff home run in the fifth inning of the opener to cap the scoring. She also added Ball State's first grand slam of the season to give BSU an 8-0 edge in the second contest.
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Senior left fielder Faith Hensley added her 13th home run of the season in the first game, a two-run shot in the third, while senior catcher Delanie Johnson added a leadoff blast in the fourth. Johnson finished the opening game with four RBI.
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Senior second baseman Amaia Daniel also continued to heat up, going 4-for-6 from the plate with two RBI in each game. She also scored a run in each contest.
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The Ball State softball team is scheduled to return to action Saturday to open a three-game home series versus Ohio. The teams are currently scheduled to play a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday and a Noon single game Sunday.
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GAME 1 RECAP: Ball State 11 – Northern Illinois 0 (5)
Wednesday's opener was the Jones show, as she appeared in the circle for the first time in over a month and turned in a dominating performance. She limited the Huskies to just three hits and struck out three batters to earn her 21st career victory.
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It was Jones' second win of the season, and the three strikeouts raised her career total to 178, leaving her 22 shy of breaking into the top 20 in program history.
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Ball State's offense would give Jones all the run support she needed in the top of the first, as the first six batters reached base in a three-run opening inning. The first run crossed the plate on a bases loaded walk to Daniel. An RBI single from sophomore shortstop Kayla Lissy and another bases loaded walk to sophomore right fielder Kaitlyn Mathews pushed the other two runs across the plate.
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BSU extended its lead to 7-0 in the top of the second with four two-out runs. After redshirt freshman McKayla Timmons was hit by a pitch to start the rally, Daniel drove her home with a double to left center. Following two more walks to load the bases, Johnson cleared them with a three-run double to left.
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The top of the third saw a leadoff walk to sophomore center fielder Remington Ross, followed by Hensley's 13th home run of the season to make it a 9-0 game.
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Leadoff home runs from Johnson in the fourth and Mata in the fifth gave the game its final score of 11-0.
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GAME 2 RECAP: Ball State 9 – Northern Illinois 13
After being held off the scoreboard for the first time in the series in the top of the first inning of the nightcap, the Cardinals struck with vengeance in the second with an eight-run outburst.
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With bases loaded and one out, Timmons pushed across the first run with an RBI walk. Daniel followed with a two-run single to center, giving BSU the 3-0 edge. Another walk to Lissy loaded the bases once again, while Mathews drew the second RBI walk of the inning.
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Mata would follow with BSU's first grand slam of the season, pushing the score to 8-0. It was Mata's third home run in her last five at bats, including two pinch hit bombs.
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NIU would chip away at the lead, however, starting with four runs of its own in the bottom of the second.Â
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The Huskies looked poised to get even closer in the bottom of the third, with its first two batters reaching base. However, enter freshman pitcher Angelina Russo to retire the next three batters to end the threat.
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Unfortunately, that only slowed Northern Illinois who continued to hold onto the momentum with a single run in the fourth, seven more in the fifth, and one in the sixth to pull ahead 13-8.
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Ball State would get one more run on a two-out, bases loaded RBI single from Timmons in the top of the seventh, but a base running miscue at third on the hit would end the game at 13-9.Â
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Unfortunately, after an eight-run second inning, the Cardinals (12-19; 5-3 MAC) could not hold on in the second game as the Huskies (9-17, 3-9 MAC) rallied for a 13-9 victory to salvage one win in the three-game set.
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The hero of the day for Ball State was junior pitcher Deborah Jones, who earned her fifth career complete game shutout victory. Over her 5.0 innings of work, Jones limited NIU to just three hits and four total baserunners.
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On the offensive end, the Cardinals blasted four total home runs on the day, including a pair from sophomore Samantha-Jo Mata. Mata blasted a pinch-hit leadoff home run in the fifth inning of the opener to cap the scoring. She also added Ball State's first grand slam of the season to give BSU an 8-0 edge in the second contest.
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Senior left fielder Faith Hensley added her 13th home run of the season in the first game, a two-run shot in the third, while senior catcher Delanie Johnson added a leadoff blast in the fourth. Johnson finished the opening game with four RBI.
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Senior second baseman Amaia Daniel also continued to heat up, going 4-for-6 from the plate with two RBI in each game. She also scored a run in each contest.
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The Ball State softball team is scheduled to return to action Saturday to open a three-game home series versus Ohio. The teams are currently scheduled to play a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday and a Noon single game Sunday.
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GAME 1 RECAP: Ball State 11 – Northern Illinois 0 (5)
Wednesday's opener was the Jones show, as she appeared in the circle for the first time in over a month and turned in a dominating performance. She limited the Huskies to just three hits and struck out three batters to earn her 21st career victory.
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It was Jones' second win of the season, and the three strikeouts raised her career total to 178, leaving her 22 shy of breaking into the top 20 in program history.
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Ball State's offense would give Jones all the run support she needed in the top of the first, as the first six batters reached base in a three-run opening inning. The first run crossed the plate on a bases loaded walk to Daniel. An RBI single from sophomore shortstop Kayla Lissy and another bases loaded walk to sophomore right fielder Kaitlyn Mathews pushed the other two runs across the plate.
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BSU extended its lead to 7-0 in the top of the second with four two-out runs. After redshirt freshman McKayla Timmons was hit by a pitch to start the rally, Daniel drove her home with a double to left center. Following two more walks to load the bases, Johnson cleared them with a three-run double to left.
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The top of the third saw a leadoff walk to sophomore center fielder Remington Ross, followed by Hensley's 13th home run of the season to make it a 9-0 game.
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Leadoff home runs from Johnson in the fourth and Mata in the fifth gave the game its final score of 11-0.
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GAME 2 RECAP: Ball State 9 – Northern Illinois 13
After being held off the scoreboard for the first time in the series in the top of the first inning of the nightcap, the Cardinals struck with vengeance in the second with an eight-run outburst.
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With bases loaded and one out, Timmons pushed across the first run with an RBI walk. Daniel followed with a two-run single to center, giving BSU the 3-0 edge. Another walk to Lissy loaded the bases once again, while Mathews drew the second RBI walk of the inning.
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Mata would follow with BSU's first grand slam of the season, pushing the score to 8-0. It was Mata's third home run in her last five at bats, including two pinch hit bombs.
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NIU would chip away at the lead, however, starting with four runs of its own in the bottom of the second.Â
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The Huskies looked poised to get even closer in the bottom of the third, with its first two batters reaching base. However, enter freshman pitcher Angelina Russo to retire the next three batters to end the threat.
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Unfortunately, that only slowed Northern Illinois who continued to hold onto the momentum with a single run in the fourth, seven more in the fifth, and one in the sixth to pull ahead 13-8.
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Ball State would get one more run on a two-out, bases loaded RBI single from Timmons in the top of the seventh, but a base running miscue at third on the hit would end the game at 13-9.Â
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jones, Deborah (2-4)
L: OSTROWSKI, Delaney (1-5)
Batting:
2B: Daniel, Amaia 1 ; Johnson, Delanie 1
HR: Hensley, Faith 1 ; Mata, Samantha-Jo 1 ; Johnson, Delanie 1
RBI: Hensley, Faith 2 ; Mata, Samantha-Jo 1 ; Daniel, Amaia 2 ; Lissy, Kayla 1 ; Mathews, Kaitlyn 1 ; Johnson, Delanie 4
Base Running:
RUNS: Hensley, Faith 2 ; Wynn, Haley 1 ; Mata, Samantha-Jo 1 ; Timmons, McKayla 2 ; Daniel, Amaia 1 ; Lissy, Kayla 1 ; Mathews, Kaitlyn 1 ; Johnson, Delanie 1 ; Ross, Remington 1
SB: Daniel, Amaia 1
HBP: Timmons, McKayla 1
Batting:
2B: JAMES, Courtney 1
Base Running:
CS: JAMES, Courtney 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
4
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
2
ph/3b
AB
1
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
2
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
Uti
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C/Uti
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
UT
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