Softball Tops Akron 7-6 in Sunday Thriller

Sunday, April 21

Muncie, IN

12 p.m.

Ball State University

22-24, 9-11

Akron

20-25, 8-10

Akron

Ball State

April 21, 2024 | Softball

Box Score Box Score: Ball State 7 - Akron 6

MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State softball team capped the home portion of the 2024 season with a thrilling 7-6 victory over Akron Sunday afternoon at the Softball Field at First Merchants Ballpark Complex.

With the Cardinals (22-24; 9-11 Mid-American Conference) leading 7-4 heading into the seventh, the Zips (20-25; 8-10 MAC) battled back within one in a crucial league series for both squads.

However, senior reliever Francys King was able to lock down her first save of the season by freezing Akron's final batter on a 3-2 pitch with bases loaded. It was her second straight strikeout in the inning and set off a jubilant celebration by the Ball State faithful.

On the offensive front, it was senior Kaitlyn Mathews who came up with the Cardinals' biggest hit of the day, capping a four-run fifth inning with a three-run home run to right field in the final home game of her collegiate career. It was Mathews' second home run of the series and third of the season.

Early in the game, redshirt sophomore McKenna Mulholland who had the hot bat with an RBI single in the first and a two-run double in the third to drive in BSU's first three runs of the game.

Both those efforts surrounded a fifth-inning RBI double from redshirt junior catcher McKayla Timmons.

Along with King's save, senior Alyssa Stramaglia was credited with the win Sunday after holding Akron to two hits and two runs over the fifth and sixth innings.

SCORING SUMMARY - Ball State 7 - Akron 6
B1 | Mulholland singles through the left side, driving home Timmons for the game's first run (1-0)
T3 | Meagan Lee drops a two-run single into shallow center field (1-2)
B3 | Cardinals reclaim the lead on a two-run double to center by Timmons (3-2)
T5 | Sophia Wygast evens the score for Akron with a sac fly to left field (3-3)
T5 | The Zips retake the lead with an RBI single from Lily Sillivan (3-4)
B5 | Timmons follows a leadoff double from graduate third baseman Haley Wynn with an RBI double of her own (4-4)
B5 | Mathews blasts a 1-2 pitch over the fence in right to give BSU three more runs (7-4)
T7 | Pinch hitter Hallee Sanchez singles up the middle with bases loaded to drive in one (7-5)
T7 | A wild pitch on a dropped third strike keeps the bases loaded and allows Sullivan to score from third (7-6)

UP NEXT:
The Ball State softball team will play its final scheduled non-conference game of the season Wednesday, when it travels to Purdue for a 5:30 p.m. first pitch.