Saturday, April 20
Muncie, IN
1 p.m.
Ball State University
20-24, 7-11
4
vs
9
Akron (Game 1)
20-23, 8-8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Akron
1
0
0
6
2
0
0
9
11
1
Ball State
0
2
0
1
0
0
1
4
8
1
Photo by: Todd Drexler - SESportsMedia
Murphy’s Gem Leads Softball to Saturday Split vs. Akron
April 20, 2024 | Softball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - Sophomore Bridie Murphy turned in another brilliant pitching performance Saturday afternoon, picking up her second complete game shutout of the season to help Ball State score a 5-0 win over Akron to close its Alumni Day doubleheader at the Softball Field at First Merchants Ballpark Complex.
Murphy's effort helped the Cardinals (21-24; 8-11 Mid-American Conference) recover from a 9-4 setback to the Zips (20-24; 8-9 MAC) earlier in the day and put the squad in position to pick up a clutch league series win tomorrow.
Over her 7.0 innings of work in the nightcap, Murphy limited the Akron to just five hits and did not issue a single walk, while striking out six batters. The five hits were the Zips' third-lowest hit total of the season in a league game.
On the offensive front, it was once again redshirt junior catcher McKayla Timmons who sparked BSU as she launched her 21st home run of the season to center field to give the Cardinals a 2-0 edge in the top of the third. With seven games remaining in the regular season, Timmons needs three more home runs to break the single season record of 23 set by two-time All-American Jennifer Gilbert in her junior season for the Cardinals in 2013.
Ball State also received a solo home run from redshirt sophomore designated player Jessica Hoffman to cap the scoring in the 5-0 victory.
Saturday's opening game saw Akron jump out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, before a leadoff home run from graduate third baseman Haley Wynn, a double from redshirt sophomore shortstop McKenna Mulholland and a RBI single from Hoffman put the hosts ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the second.
Unfortunately, Akron would produce six runs in the top of the fourth and never look back. However, the Cardinals were able to capitalize on an RBI single from senior left fielder Kaitlyn Mathews in the fourth and a leadoff blast from Mathews in the seventh to make the final score 9-4.
GAME 1 SCORING SUMMARY - Ball State 4 - Akron 9
T1 | Sophia Wygast gives Akron a 1-0 lead with an RBI single to left center (1-0)
B2 | Wynn evens the score with her seventh home run of the season (1-1)
B2 | Hoffman gives Ball State the lead with an RBI single down the right field line (1-2)
T4 | A bases loaded single from Katie Cantrell ties the score (2-2)
T4 | Pinch hitter Morgan Sizemore fouls out to left field, but drives in one as the runner from third tags up to score (3-2)
T4 | Two runs score on a Ball State error (5-2)
T4 | Akron scores to more on an Autumn Bailey single up the middle (7-2)
B4 | Cardinals get one back on an RBI single through the right side by Mathews (7-3)
T5 | A two-run double from Delaney Jenkinson extends Akron's lead to six (9-3)
T7 | Mathews closes the scoring in the game with her second home run of the season (9-4)
GAME 2 SCORING SUMMARY - Ball State 5 - Akron 0
B3 | Timmons goes yard for the 21st time this season, driving in Wynn with a two-run blast to center (2-0)
B4 | A sacrifice fly from Urban drives in sophomore center fielder Ashlee Lovett (3-0)
B4 | Mathews scores from third on a throwing error by the catcher trying to stop Wynn from stealing second (4-0)
B5 | Hoffman caps the scoring with her eighth home run of the season to open the fifth (5-0)
UP NEXT:
The Ball State softball team closes the home portion of its 2024 schedule Sunday at Noon with the rubber game if its three-game series versus Akron.
Murphy's effort helped the Cardinals (21-24; 8-11 Mid-American Conference) recover from a 9-4 setback to the Zips (20-24; 8-9 MAC) earlier in the day and put the squad in position to pick up a clutch league series win tomorrow.
Over her 7.0 innings of work in the nightcap, Murphy limited the Akron to just five hits and did not issue a single walk, while striking out six batters. The five hits were the Zips' third-lowest hit total of the season in a league game.
On the offensive front, it was once again redshirt junior catcher McKayla Timmons who sparked BSU as she launched her 21st home run of the season to center field to give the Cardinals a 2-0 edge in the top of the third. With seven games remaining in the regular season, Timmons needs three more home runs to break the single season record of 23 set by two-time All-American Jennifer Gilbert in her junior season for the Cardinals in 2013.
Ball State also received a solo home run from redshirt sophomore designated player Jessica Hoffman to cap the scoring in the 5-0 victory.
Saturday's opening game saw Akron jump out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, before a leadoff home run from graduate third baseman Haley Wynn, a double from redshirt sophomore shortstop McKenna Mulholland and a RBI single from Hoffman put the hosts ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the second.
Unfortunately, Akron would produce six runs in the top of the fourth and never look back. However, the Cardinals were able to capitalize on an RBI single from senior left fielder Kaitlyn Mathews in the fourth and a leadoff blast from Mathews in the seventh to make the final score 9-4.
GAME 1 SCORING SUMMARY - Ball State 4 - Akron 9
T1 | Sophia Wygast gives Akron a 1-0 lead with an RBI single to left center (1-0)
B2 | Wynn evens the score with her seventh home run of the season (1-1)
B2 | Hoffman gives Ball State the lead with an RBI single down the right field line (1-2)
T4 | A bases loaded single from Katie Cantrell ties the score (2-2)
T4 | Pinch hitter Morgan Sizemore fouls out to left field, but drives in one as the runner from third tags up to score (3-2)
T4 | Two runs score on a Ball State error (5-2)
T4 | Akron scores to more on an Autumn Bailey single up the middle (7-2)
B4 | Cardinals get one back on an RBI single through the right side by Mathews (7-3)
T5 | A two-run double from Delaney Jenkinson extends Akron's lead to six (9-3)
T7 | Mathews closes the scoring in the game with her second home run of the season (9-4)
GAME 2 SCORING SUMMARY - Ball State 5 - Akron 0
B3 | Timmons goes yard for the 21st time this season, driving in Wynn with a two-run blast to center (2-0)
B4 | A sacrifice fly from Urban drives in sophomore center fielder Ashlee Lovett (3-0)
B4 | Mathews scores from third on a throwing error by the catcher trying to stop Wynn from stealing second (4-0)
B5 | Hoffman caps the scoring with her eighth home run of the season to open the fifth (5-0)
UP NEXT:
The Ball State softball team closes the home portion of its 2024 schedule Sunday at Noon with the rubber game if its three-game series versus Akron.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Macy Walters (6-7)
L: King, Francys (11-10)
Batting:
2B: Delaney Jenkinson 1
RBI: Autumn Bailey 2 ; Sophia Wygast 1 ; Katie Cantrell 1 ; Delaney Jenkinson 2 ; Morgan Sizemore 1
SF: Morgan Sizemore 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Brooke Sivek 1 ; Meagan Lee 1 ; Autumn Bailey 1 ; Haley Glass 1 ; Lily Sullivan 1 ; Katie Cantrell 2 ; Tiffany Stevens 1 ; Sydni Hoobler 1
SB: Delaney Jenkinson 1
Batting:
2B: Mulholland, McKenna 1
HR: Wynn, Haley 1 ; Mathews, Kaitlyn 1
RBI: Wynn, Haley 1 ; Hoffman, Jessica 1 ; Mathews, Kaitlyn 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Wynn, Haley 1 ; Mulholland, McKenna 2 ; Mathews, Kaitlyn 1
SB: Mathews, Kaitlyn 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballUT
/ SoftballINF
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