Softball’s League Leaders Split Tuesday Doubleheader

Tuesday, March 28

Muncie, IN

1 p.m.

Ball State University

15-12, 5-1

Northern Illinois (Game 1)

13-13, 4-2

Northern Illinois

Ball State

Photo by: Bobby Ellis (Ball State Creative Services)

Softball’s League Leaders Split Tuesday Doubleheader

March 28, 2023 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Game 1: Ball State 2 - NIU 1 Game 2: Ball State 10 - NIU 14 Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

MUNCIE, Ind. - - In a battle between the Mid-American Conference's top two teams, the Ball State softball team opened Tuesday's doubleheader versus Northern Illinois with a 2-1 victory, only to suffer a 14-10 setback in the nightcap.

In the opener, the Cardinals (15-13, 5-2 MAC) used a squeeze bunt by junior center fielder Remington Ross with runners at first and third to score the game's first run in the bottom of the second. Moments later, a wild pitch allowed redshirt junior first baseman Samantha-Jo Mata to cross the plate for what proved to be the game-winning run.

On the flip side, it was another brilliant outing for sophomore pitcher Angelina Russo who limited the Huskies (14-13, 5-2 MAC) to just three hits and one earned run to improve to 6-4 on the year. She also struck out six batters in the contest.

Both teams traded blows early in the second game, with NIU jumping out to a five-run lead after the top of the first. However, BSU countered with five runs of its own in the bottom of the inning, including a three-run double by redshirt freshman designated player Aislinn Morris.

The score was tied 7-7 after four innings, but a seven-run fifth gave NIU a 14-7 edge and the momentum. Ball State would get three of the runs back in the bottom of the frame but fell short of the come-from-behind win.

HIGHLIGHTS

Junior left fielder Kaitlyn Mathews led off the second inning of the opener with her first career triple, eventually coming around to score.
Senior shortstop Amaia Daniel was walked twice and hit by a pitch in the opener, while adding a single and a walk in the nightcap to extend her streak of reaching base safely to 14 games, the second longest on the team so far this season.
Seven Cardinals combined for 11 hits in the nightcap, led by three from redshirt sophomore catcher McKayla Timmons. It is the third three-hit game of Timmons' career.
Friday's win over NIU marked the 10th career MAC win for Russo … She went 8-6 in league play last season and is currently 2-1 this season.

SCORING SUMMARY - GAME 1: Ball State 2 – Northern Illinois 1

B2 | With runners at first and third, Ross dropped a bunt single to the pitcher to bring home Mathews and move Mata to third. (1-0)
B2 | A wild pitch moments later allowed Mata to cross the plate for what proved to be the game-winning run. (2-0)
T3 | NIU scored its first run of the game on a BSU throwing error on a double steal of second and third following a strikeout. (2-1)

SCORING SUMMARY - GAME 2: Ball State 10 – Northern Illinois 14

T1 | Northern Illinois used a double steal to swipe second and home, with the trail runner advancing to third. (1-0)
T1 | An RBI single up the middle by Kelly Walinski gave the guests a two-run edge. (2-0)
T1 | Sam Mallinder followed with the first of back-to-back RBI doubles. (3-0)
T1 | Ally Rodriguez added the second straight RBI double. (4-0)
T1 | Another double steal of second and home extended NIU's lead to five. (5-0)
B1 | Ball State started to chip away at the Huskies' lead with a bases loaded sac fly from Timmons. (5-1)
B1 | A bases loaded walk to McKenna Mulholland brough home redshirt senior second baseman Jazmyne Armendariz. (5-2)
B1 | Morris cleared the bases with a three-run double to left field. (5-5)
T3 | A two-run double from Caitlyn Shumaker helps Northern Illinois retake the lead. (7-5)
B3 | A two-out triple by senior third baseman Haley Wynn plated Ross who reached on a fielder's choice one batter earlier. (7-6)
B4 | A sac bunt by Mathews moved freshman pinch runner Ashlee Lovett to second, setting up an RBI single up the middle from Mata. (7-7)
T5 | A wild pitch allowed pinch runner Brianna Pechman to score from third. (8-7)
T5 | Danielle Stewart reached on a fielder's choice which also allowed Rodriguez to score from third. (9-7)
T5 | Fiona Crane sliced an RBI single into left field. (10-7)
T5 | A two-run double from Walinksi pushed the guests ahead by five. (12-7)
T5 | A two-run home run by Kiley Connor gave the Huskies a seven-run edge. (14-7)
B5 | Wynn opened the inning with a single and scored two batters later on a double from Armendariz. (14-8)
B5 | After a single from Timmons, Mathews blasted an RBI double to center field. (14-9)
B5 | An NIU error with bases loaded allowed Timmons to cross the plate, cutting the lead to four. (14-10)

UP NEXT
The Cardinals and Huskies will play the rubber game of their three-game series Wednesday at 1 p.m. back at the Softball Field at First Merchants Ballpark Complex. The contest will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and produced by Ball State Sports Link.