Ball State University
13-12
Notre Dame
11-9
Softball Run Rules Notre Dame in Saturday Night Action
March 09, 2024 | Softball
"This was a great team win that saw tremendous efforts from every aspect of game," head coach Helen Peña exclaimed! "From the very beginning it's been about the process, and the game rewarded us tonight for staying true to ourselves and trusting all the hard work these young women have put in since day one. They earned every bit of that win tonight because we have the belief that we can go win a ball game no matter who's in the other dugout, and I'm so proud of them for that."
While BSU managed just six hits against the Irish (11-9), it was able to capitalize on seven walks, a pair of errors and one hit batter to avenge last season's 10-2 (6) setback in South Bend.Â
The biggest hit of the night came off the bat of redshirt sophomore shortstop McKenna Mulholland who secured Ball State's biggest margin of victory ever over UND with a two-out grand slam in the bottom of the fourth. It was her first home run of the season and her first collegiate grand slam.
"It's exciting to see all of their hard work, dedication and sacrifice show through in tonight's game," Peña added. "Their commitment to the process, our culture, to each other, and to celebrating the small wins within the game has been so fun to watch. Even through our losses we are constantly growing, learning, and evolving and we are right where we need to be right now. We build by continuing to focus on us, and believing that when we play like we did tonight, it doesn't matter who's in the other dugout, we'll be successful."
Ball State trailed 2-0 heading into the bottom of the second before loading the bases with one out. That's when senior center fielder Remington Ross shifted the momentum to the Cardinals with her first triple of the season to give the hosts on the scoreboard a 3-2 edge.Â
The Cardinals would add three more runs in the inning, with the first coming on a sac fly from redshirt junior catcher McKayla Timmons. Two batters later, redshirt sophomore designated player Jessica Hoffman added a two-run double to make the score 6-2.
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Ball State would extend its lead to 7-2 in the bottom of the third after sophomore right fielder Ashlee Lovett singled to open the inning and eventually scored on an error.
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After Notre Dame got the run back in the top of the fourth, the Cardinals put a five spot on the board in the bottom of the frame to help end the night early. The first run came on a two-out bases loaded walk to graduate first baseman Samantha-Jo Mata. The final four, on Mulholland's blast to left.
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All the offense helped senior Francys King pick up the win in the circle as she limited Notre Dame to seven hits and three runs, only two of which were earned, over the first 4.0 innings. She also struck out three batters to improve to 7-5 on the year.
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Sophomore Bridie Murphy pitched the final inning, retiring all three batters she faced, including a strikeout to open the inning.
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SCORING SUMMARY - Ball State 12 - Notre Dame 3 (5)
T2 | Kronenberger homers to left to open the scoring (1-0)
T2 | A bases loaded walk to Gaskins gives the Irish a two-run lead (2-0)
B2 | A bases loaded triple from Ross gives Ball State a one-run advantage (2-3)
B2 | With runners on the corners, a sac fly from Timmons doubled the BSU edge (2-4)
B2 | Hoffman doubled Ball State's lead once again with a two-run double to center field (2-6)
B3 | Lovett singles to open the inning and eventually scores on an error (2-7)
T4 | Notre Dame uses a two-out RBI single from Amaral to get one run back (3-7)
B4 | Mata draws a bases loaded walk (3-8)
B4 | Mulholland caps the scoring and secures the run rule win with her first collegiate grand slam (3-12)
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UP NEXT:
The Ball State softball team closes play in Marshall March Madness Sunday with an 11 a.m. rematch versus Notre Dame. The game had been pushed up to 10:30 a.m. but has reverted to its original time.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: King, Francys (7-5)
L: Micaela Kastor (5-3)
Batting:
2B: Emily Tran 1
HR: Jane Kronenberger 1
RBI: Karina Gaskins 1 ; Addison Amaral 1 ; Jane Kronenberger 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Karina Gaskins 1 ; Jane Kronenberger 1 ; Sydny Poeck 1
Batting:
2B: Hoffman, Jessica 1
3B: Ross, Remington 1
HR: Mulholland, McKenna 1
RBI: Timmons, McKayla 1 ; Hoffman, Jessica 2 ; Mata, Samantha-Jo 1 ; Mulholland, McKenna 4 ; Ross, Remington 3
SF: Timmons, McKayla 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Armendariz, Jazmyne 1 ; Wynn, Haley 1 ; Hoffman, Jessica 1 ; Mathews, Kaitlyn 1 ; Lovett, Ashlee 3 ; Mata, Samantha-Jo 2 ; Mulholland, McKenna 2 ; Ross, Remington 1
SB: Dukeman, Hannah 1
HBP: Wynn, Haley 1
