Saturday, April 15
Muncie, IN
1 p.m.
Ball State University
19-21, 9-9
4
vs
1
Buffalo (Game 1)
10-26, 4-8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Buffalo
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
4
0
Ball State
2
0
0
0
1
1
X
4
6
0
Softball Scores Saturday Sweep Over Buffalo
April 15, 2023 | Softball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - On a picturesque Saturday afternoon at the Softball Field at First Merchants Ballpark Complex, the Ball State softball team used some strong pitching to sweep a Mid-American Conference doubleheader versus visiting Buffalo.
In the day's opening game, it was sophomore Angelina Russo and redshirt sophomore Emma Eubank who would combine to carry the Cardinals (20-21; 10-9 MAC) to the 4-1 victory.
Russo earned her eighth win of the season after allowing just two hits and one run over the first 4.2 innings. Eubank would follow with her first save of the year, holding the Bulls (10-27; 4-9 MAC) to just two hits over the final 2.1 innings.
On offense, the Cardinals used situational hitting to jump in front in the bottom of the first. Redshirt senior catcher Jazmyne Armendariz and redshirt sophomore first baseman McKayla Timmons each had an RBI groundout to set the tone.
After a Buffalo run in the top of the fifth, the Cardinals countered with single runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth to give the game its final score.
In the nightcap, it was the pitching of junior transfer Francys King and freshman Bridie Murphy which set the tone. King limited Buffalo to four hits and two runs over the first 4.0 innings, while Murphy retired all nine Bulls she faced over the final three, including five strikeouts. The effort gave King her second win of the season, and Murphy was credited with her first career save.
On the offensive side, the Cardinals were jumpstarted by a three-run second inning which started with a solo shot from Timmons on the first pitch of the frame. Senior third baseman Haley Wynn added a two-out, two-run single later in the frame to give BSU the three-run edge.
While Buffalo countered with a pair of solo home runs in the top of the third, Ball State added single runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth to win the game 6-2.
HIGHLIGHTS
The Ball State softball team will be back in action Sunday afternoon in the series finale versus Buffalo with first pitch scheduled for noon. The contest will also serve as senior day for Amaia Daniel.
In the day's opening game, it was sophomore Angelina Russo and redshirt sophomore Emma Eubank who would combine to carry the Cardinals (20-21; 10-9 MAC) to the 4-1 victory.
Russo earned her eighth win of the season after allowing just two hits and one run over the first 4.2 innings. Eubank would follow with her first save of the year, holding the Bulls (10-27; 4-9 MAC) to just two hits over the final 2.1 innings.
On offense, the Cardinals used situational hitting to jump in front in the bottom of the first. Redshirt senior catcher Jazmyne Armendariz and redshirt sophomore first baseman McKayla Timmons each had an RBI groundout to set the tone.
After a Buffalo run in the top of the fifth, the Cardinals countered with single runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth to give the game its final score.
In the nightcap, it was the pitching of junior transfer Francys King and freshman Bridie Murphy which set the tone. King limited Buffalo to four hits and two runs over the first 4.0 innings, while Murphy retired all nine Bulls she faced over the final three, including five strikeouts. The effort gave King her second win of the season, and Murphy was credited with her first career save.
On the offensive side, the Cardinals were jumpstarted by a three-run second inning which started with a solo shot from Timmons on the first pitch of the frame. Senior third baseman Haley Wynn added a two-out, two-run single later in the frame to give BSU the three-run edge.
While Buffalo countered with a pair of solo home runs in the top of the third, Ball State added single runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth to win the game 6-2.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Russo added to her impressive season, lowering her team-leading ERA to 2.94 after allowing just one run over 4.2 innings of work to earn the win in the opener.
- Timmons provided Ball State's lone longball of the day, giving her a team-leading nine on the season. The solo blast to center in the second inning of the nightcap opened the scoring and was the 13th home run of her career.
- Junior center fielder Remington Ross ended the day with three stolen bases, raising her season tally to 18. In fact, Ross is a perfect 18-for-18 on the year and is now 40-for-41 over her two-year Ball State career.
- Wynn was credited with four RBIs over the two games, driving in one the first game and three in game two.
- Ball State picked up its 19th double play of the season with a strike 'em out, throw 'em out double play to end the second inning of the first game.
- With two hits and the opener and another in the nightcap, fifth-year senior shortstop Amaia Daniel extended her current hitting streak to a team-leading 10 games.
- B1 | An Armendariz ground out to second base allows Wynn to score from third. (1-0)
- B1 | After Daniel stole third, Timmons hits an RBI groundout to shortstop to extend the Cardinals lead to two. (2-0)
- T5 | A double to left center by Madison Fernimen cuts the Ball State lead in half. (2-1)
- B5 | After opening the inning with a leadoff triple, sophomore right fielder Katie Van Der Mark eventually comes home to score on a sacrifice fly by Wynn. (3-1)
- B6 | A pair of wild pitches from Buffalo pitcher Alexis Lucyshyn helps freshman pinch runner Ashlee Lovett come around to score. (4-1)
- B2 | Timmons launches a solo home run to center field to give Ball State the lead. (1-0)
- B2 | A bases loaded single up the middle from Wynn scores junior first baseman Samantha-Jo Mata and Van Der Mark to add two more for Ball State. (3-0)
- T3 | Solo home run by Abbey Nagel cuts into the Ball State lead. (3-1)
- T3 | Mia Mitchell sends a solo home run over the fence in left center to bring Buffalo within one. (3-2)
- B4 | Following a stolen base by Ross and a sacrifice bunt by redshirt freshman McKenna Mulholland, Wynn doubles to center to give BSU a two-run lead. (4-2)
- B5 | A bloop double to right field scores Mulholland from first to add to the Cardinals lead. (5-2)
- B6 | Daniel lines a single up the middle to drive in Ross from third for her second run of the game. (6-2)
The Ball State softball team will be back in action Sunday afternoon in the series finale versus Buffalo with first pitch scheduled for noon. The contest will also serve as senior day for Amaia Daniel.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: King, Francys (2-8)
L: TARANTINO, Julia (1-12)
S: Murphy, Bridie (1)
Batting:
2B: LUCYSHYN, Alexis 1
HR: NAGEL, Abbey 1 ; MITCHELL, Mia 1
RBI: NAGEL, Abbey 1 ; MITCHELL, Mia 1
Base Running:
RUNS: NAGEL, Abbey 1 ; MITCHELL, Mia 1
Batting:
2B: Wynn, Haley 1 ; Van Der Mark, Katie 1
HR: Timmons, McKayla 1
RBI: Wynn, Haley 3 ; Daniel, Amaia 1 ; Timmons, McKayla 1 ; Van Der Mark, Katie 1
SH: Mathews, Kaitlyn 1 ; Mulholland, McKenna 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Timmons, McKayla 1 ; Mathews, Kaitlyn 1 ; Van Der Mark, Katie 1 ; Mata, Samantha-Jo 1 ; Ross, Remington 2
SB: Daniel, Amaia 1 ; Ross, Remington 2
CS: Wynn, Haley 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
3
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C/Uti
/ Softball
Uti
/ Softball
LHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
UT
/ SoftballUT
/ Softball
INF/OF
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Sports Link: Kaitlyn Gibson (Softball)
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