Softball Picks Up Pair of Saturday Wins

Saturday, March 2

Richmond, KY

12:00 p.m.

Ball State University

7-10

Purdue Fort Wayne

4-11

Ball State

Purdue Fort Wayne

March 02, 2024 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Game 1: Ball State 6 - Purdue Fort Wayne 0 Game 2: Ball State 7 - Canisius 3

RICHMOND, Ky. - - Led by Francys King's second complete game shutout of the season, the Ball State softball team picked up a pair of Saturday wins in the EKU Colonel Classic hosted by Eastern Kentucky.

King dominated for the Cardinals (8-10) in Saturday's opener, limiting in-state rival Purdue Fort Wayne to just four hits, while striking out three, in a 6-0 victory. It was King's second complete game shutout in as many weeks, as she also picked up the shutout victory last Friday at Kennesaw State.

Redshirt sophomore designated player Jessica Hoffman would provide all the run support King would need in the opener, following a double from senior second baseman / catcher Jazmyne Armendariz and a single from redshirt junior catcher / first baseman McKayla Timmons with a sac fly to right field.

In Saturday's nightcap, Ball State was able to avenge Friday's loss to Canisius with a 7-3 victory. The Cardinals capitalized on a Golden Griffins' (3-6) error to score three runs in the fifth inning, including a two-run double from freshman shortstop Maia Pietrzak.

After Canisius got two of the runs back in the sixth, a two-run blast from Timmons put the game out of reach. It was Timmons' ninth home run of the season and helped her finish the two games a combined 3-for-7 with three runs scored and two RBIs.

Sophomore Bridie Murphy was credited with the pitching win in the nightcap, limiting the Golden Griffins to six hits and three runs over 7.0 innings, striking out six.

GAME 1 - SCORING SUMMARY (Ball State 6 - Purdue Fort Wayne 0)
T1 | A sac fly from Hoffman drove in Armendariz for what proved to be the game-winning run (1-0)
T1 | Senior left fielder Kaitlyn Mathews smashes an RBI single into right field to plate Timmons (2-0)
T6 | A two-run single up the middle from sophomore center fielder Ashlee Lovett brings home Pietrzak and Timmons (4-0)
T6 | A sac fly from junior pinch hitter Kaitlyn Gibson plates Mathews (5-0)
T6 | Junior right fielder Maddie Weaver caps the scoring with an RBI double down the left field line (6-0)

GAME 2 - SCORING SUMMARY (Ball State 7 - Canisius 3)
B1 | With bases loaded, Mathews singles through the right side to plate Armendariz for the game's first run (1-0)
T3 | Canisius evens the score with an RBI groundout from Gianna Fazzolari (1-1)
B3 | A bases loaded sac fly from Pietrzak helps Ball State reclaim the one-run lead (2-1)
B5 | A two-out double to left field from Pietrzak brings home Mathews who reached on an error and Lovett who singles (4-1)
B5 | Redshirt sophomore second baseman McKenna Mulholland drives an RBI single into left field, bringing home Pietrzak (5-1)
T6 | Fazzolari smashes a two-run home run to left-center field (5-3)
B6 | Timmons follows a single from Armendariz with a two-run blast of her own (7-3)

UP NEXT:
The Ball State softball team closes play in the EKU Colonel Classic Sunday with a 2 p.m. first pitch versus the host Colonels.