Saturday, March 16
Muncie, IN
1 p.m.
Ball State University
14-13, 1-0
7
vs
5
Ohio (Game 1)
12-13, 0-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Ohio
0
0
3
0
2
0
0
5
7
4
Ball State
1
0
0
1
1
4
X
7
5
0
Photo by: Brayden Goins / Ball State Athletics
Long Balls Help Propel Softball To Doubleheader Sweep of Ohio
March 16, 2024 | Softball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - Trailing 5-3 with two outs in the bottom of the sixth in Saturday's Mid-American Conference opener versus Ohio, the Ball State softball team needed a spark.
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After already launching a solo home run for the Cardinals (15-13; 2-0 MAC) in the bottom of the opening inning, the Bobcats (12-14; 0-2 MAC) were determined not to let one of the nation's top sluggers in BSU redshirt junior McKayla Timmons be the determining factor.
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Instead, they walked Timmons on four straight pitches to send graduate third baseman Haley Wynn to the plate with two runners on. Wynn made them pay, blasting a no-doubter to dead center field to give Ball State the 7-5 opening-game victory. It was her sixth home run of the season, and the 25th of her career, and provided the hosts with all the momentum it would need for the rest of the day.
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In the nightcap, it was sophomore pitcher Bridie Murphy who would dominate in the blustery conditions, limiting the Bobcats to four hits and earning her first complete game shutout of the season. She also struck out four batters in the win and did not yield a single walk.
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On the offensive front, Timmons provided the biggest splash in the second inning of the second game, blasting a 2-2 pitch about 20 feet over the scoreboard at the Softball Field at First Merchants Ballpark in what may have even been a three-run shot over at neighboring Ball Diamond. With two blasts on the day, Timmons raised her season total to 15 which ranks in the top five nationally.
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Add a pair of clutch sacrifice flies in the third from sophomore right fielder Ashlee Lovett and graduate first baseman Samantha-Jo Mata, and the Cardinals went on to win the game 5-0 for its fourth shutout win of the season.
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Not to be loss on the day was the strong baserunning from Ball State which kept the Ohio defense on its toes. The Cardinals, who ranked 24th national in stolen bases entering the game, secured nine more on the day with seven different players getting into the action.
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Going back to Saturday's opener, senior pitcher Francys King picked up her eighth win of the season by limiting the Ohio offense to seven hits and five runs, while striking out four.
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GAME 1 SCORING SUMMARY - Ball State 7 - Ohio 5
B1 | Timmons opens the scoring with a solo home run to right-center (1-0)
T3 | Yasmine Logan gives Ohio the lead with a three-run blast to right (1-3)
B4 | Pinch hitter Maddie Weaver cuts the Bobcats' lead in half with a sac fly to center field (2-3)
T5 | Logan adds a two-run shot to push Ohio ahead by three (2-5)
B5 | A two-out error on a grounder to short with runners at second and third allows graduate second baseman Jazmyne Armendariz to score (3-5)
B6 | Another two-out error allows senior center fielder Remington Ross to cross the plate and extends the inning (4-5)
B6 | After walking Timmons, Wynn makes the Bobcats pay with by driving in what proved to be the game-winning runs with a three-run blast near the top of the flagpole in center field (7-5)
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GAME 2 SCORING SUMMARY - Ball State 5 - Ohio 0
B2 | After one out singles from redshirt sophomore shortstop McKenna Mulholland and a bunt single from Ross, Timmons launches a 2-2 pitch way over the scoreboard in left center (3-0)
B3 | After a double steal from senior pinch runner Hannah Dukeman and senior left fielder Kaitlyn Mathews, Lovett drives in Dukeman with a sac fly to center (4-0)
B3 | Mata follows with a sac fly to left field which allowed Mathews to score from third (5-0)
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UP NEXT:
The Ball State softball team closes its three-game series versus Ohio on Sunday with a scheduled Noon first pitch.
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After already launching a solo home run for the Cardinals (15-13; 2-0 MAC) in the bottom of the opening inning, the Bobcats (12-14; 0-2 MAC) were determined not to let one of the nation's top sluggers in BSU redshirt junior McKayla Timmons be the determining factor.
Â
Instead, they walked Timmons on four straight pitches to send graduate third baseman Haley Wynn to the plate with two runners on. Wynn made them pay, blasting a no-doubter to dead center field to give Ball State the 7-5 opening-game victory. It was her sixth home run of the season, and the 25th of her career, and provided the hosts with all the momentum it would need for the rest of the day.
Â
In the nightcap, it was sophomore pitcher Bridie Murphy who would dominate in the blustery conditions, limiting the Bobcats to four hits and earning her first complete game shutout of the season. She also struck out four batters in the win and did not yield a single walk.
Â
On the offensive front, Timmons provided the biggest splash in the second inning of the second game, blasting a 2-2 pitch about 20 feet over the scoreboard at the Softball Field at First Merchants Ballpark in what may have even been a three-run shot over at neighboring Ball Diamond. With two blasts on the day, Timmons raised her season total to 15 which ranks in the top five nationally.
Â
Add a pair of clutch sacrifice flies in the third from sophomore right fielder Ashlee Lovett and graduate first baseman Samantha-Jo Mata, and the Cardinals went on to win the game 5-0 for its fourth shutout win of the season.
Â
Not to be loss on the day was the strong baserunning from Ball State which kept the Ohio defense on its toes. The Cardinals, who ranked 24th national in stolen bases entering the game, secured nine more on the day with seven different players getting into the action.
Â
Going back to Saturday's opener, senior pitcher Francys King picked up her eighth win of the season by limiting the Ohio offense to seven hits and five runs, while striking out four.
Â
GAME 1 SCORING SUMMARY - Ball State 7 - Ohio 5
B1 | Timmons opens the scoring with a solo home run to right-center (1-0)
T3 | Yasmine Logan gives Ohio the lead with a three-run blast to right (1-3)
B4 | Pinch hitter Maddie Weaver cuts the Bobcats' lead in half with a sac fly to center field (2-3)
T5 | Logan adds a two-run shot to push Ohio ahead by three (2-5)
B5 | A two-out error on a grounder to short with runners at second and third allows graduate second baseman Jazmyne Armendariz to score (3-5)
B6 | Another two-out error allows senior center fielder Remington Ross to cross the plate and extends the inning (4-5)
B6 | After walking Timmons, Wynn makes the Bobcats pay with by driving in what proved to be the game-winning runs with a three-run blast near the top of the flagpole in center field (7-5)
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GAME 2 SCORING SUMMARY - Ball State 5 - Ohio 0
B2 | After one out singles from redshirt sophomore shortstop McKenna Mulholland and a bunt single from Ross, Timmons launches a 2-2 pitch way over the scoreboard in left center (3-0)
B3 | After a double steal from senior pinch runner Hannah Dukeman and senior left fielder Kaitlyn Mathews, Lovett drives in Dukeman with a sac fly to center (4-0)
B3 | Mata follows with a sac fly to left field which allowed Mathews to score from third (5-0)
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UP NEXT:
The Ball State softball team closes its three-game series versus Ohio on Sunday with a scheduled Noon first pitch.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: King, Francys (8-5)
L: Skipp Miller (6-8)
Batting:
HR: Yasmine Logan 2
RBI: Yasmine Logan 5
SH: Tori O'Brien 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Tori O'Brien 1 ; Yasmine Logan 2 ; Austy Miller 1 ; CiCi Keidel 1
Batting:
2B: Armendariz, Jazmyne 1
HR: Timmons, McKayla 1 ; Wynn, Haley 1
RBI: Timmons, McKayla 1 ; Wynn, Haley 3 ; Weaver, Maddie 1
SF: Weaver, Maddie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Armendariz, Jazmyne 1 ; Dukeman, Hannah 1 ; Timmons, McKayla 2 ; Wynn, Haley 1 ; Lovett, Ashlee 1 ; Ross, Remington 1
SB: Wynn, Haley 1 ; Mathews, Kaitlyn 1 ; Lovett, Ashlee 1 ; Ross, Remington 1
HBP: Mulholland, McKenna 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
2
H
1
RBI
1
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
UT
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballUT
/ Softball
C/UT
/ SoftballINF
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