Softball Drops Series Finale at Toledo

TOLEDO, Ohio - - The Ball State softball team registered two more home runs Saturday afternoon but could not overcome a six-run third inning in a 9-4 loss to Toledo at Scott Park.

The Cardinals (15-20; 2-7 Mid-American Conference) looked solid early behind redshirt freshman Sydney Miller who retired the first four batters she faced in the game in her first collegiate start.

Unfortunately, the Rockets (16-13; 7-2 MAC) followed with two straight singles, before a ground out put runners at second and third with two out. UT would then capitalize on a dribbler about five feet out of the batter's box to score the game's first run.

While Ball State only allowed one run in the second, things escalated in the third with Toledo striking for six to take control.

The Cardinals' bats started to come to life in the top of the fourth as a two-out single from redshirt sophomore shortstop McKenna Mulholland set up a two-run blast from redshirt sophomore designated player Jessica Hoffman for her sixth blast of the season.

It remained a five-run game until the bottom of the sixth, when Toledo struck for a two-run blast of its own.

Trailing 9-2, the Cardinals were able to get two more runs on a two-out, two-run blast from junior pinch hitter Maddie Weaver in the top of the seventh to give the game its final score of 9-4.

Ball State also received more solid pitching from sophomore Bridie Murphy, who threw the final 3.2 innings, limiting Toledo to just five hits and the two-run home run in the sixth. Murphy appeared in all three games for the Cardinals, boasting a 2.56 ERA and a .275 average against over her 13.2 innings of work.

SCORING SUMMARY - Ball State 4 - Toledo 9
B2 | A dribbler from Madison Mikulski brings home Grace O'Malley from third (1-0)
B3 | An RBI single from Sidney Griffith makes it a two-run game (2-0)
B3 | Griffith scores on a bunt single from Jenna Kroll (3-0)
B3 | An error on an Emily Bracamonte fly to right turns a sac fly into a pair of runs (5-0)
B3 | Mikulski picks up her second RBI of the game with a single to center (6-0)
B3 | An RBI fielder's choice from Eliss Enriquez cap the six-run third for Toledo (7-0)
T4 | Hoffman gets the Cardinals on the board with her two-run shot to right center (7-2)
B6 | Toledo counters with a two-run blast from Riley Mohr (9-2)
B7 | Weaver follows a two-out single to left by freshman second baseman Maia Pietrzak with her first career home run (9-4)

UP NEXT:
The Ball State softball team returns home for a Tuesday doubleheader versus Western Michigan. First pitch of the opening game is set for 1 p.m. with the second game following approximately 30 minutes after the opener.

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Team Stats

McKenna Mulholland

Jessica Hoffman

Kaitlyn Mathews

Maia Pietrzak

Players Mentioned

Jessica Hoffman

Sydney Miller

McKenna Mulholland

Bridie Murphy

Maia Pietrzak

Maddie Weaver

Players Mentioned

Jessica Hoffman

Sydney Miller

McKenna Mulholland

Bridie Murphy

Maia Pietrzak

Maddie Weaver