Tuesday, April 30
DeKalb, IL
2 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. CT
Ball State University
22-26, 0
2
at
9
Northern Illinois (Game 1)
18-30, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
BSU
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
2
4
0
NIU
0
1
4
3
0
1
X
9
11
0
Photo by: Brayden Goins / Ball State Athletics
Softball Earns Tuesday Split at Northern Illinois
April 30, 2024 | Softball
DEKALB, Ill. - - The Ball State softball team rebounded from a rough opener to secure a key Mid-American Conference doubleheader split Tuesday afternoon at Northern Illinois.
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After dropping the day's first game by a score of 9-2, the Cardinals (23-26; 10-12 MAC) used seven two-out runs in the top of the third to take control of the nightcap on its way to an 11-7 win. It was BSU's second-largest run total in an inning this season, trailing only its eight-run opening inning in the 11-3 (6) victory over Bowling Green on April 14.
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Four different Cardinals tallied RBI hits in the top of the third versus the Huskies (18-31; 9-16 MAC) before a three-run blast from graduate first baseman Samantha-Jo Mata capped the scoring in the inning. Ball State would add three more two-out runs in the fourth on a bases loaded double from junior right fielder Maddie Weaver, and one more in the seventh on an RBI single from graduate third baseman Haley Wynn.
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Weaver went 3-for-4 in the nightcap with a team-high four RBI. She also collected an RBI single in the fourth inning of the opener to finish the day with five.
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Ball State's first run of the day came off a familiar bat, as redshirt junior McKayla Timmons blasted her 22nd home run of the season to lead off the fourth and attempt to spark a Cardinals' rally in the opening game. Timmons is just one home run shy of tying the Ball State single season record of 23 home runs set by then-junior Jennifer Gilbert in 2013.
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In the circle, sophomore Bridie Murphy was credited with the win in the nightcap, pitching the final 3.1 innings. She limited the Huskies to just seven hits and two runs, while picking up a pair of strikeouts.
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With Tuesday's split, along with other action around the league over the course of the day, the Cardinals control its own destiny for a bid into next week's MAC Championships. The easiest way is with a three-game weekend sweep at Central Michigan (12-10 MAC).
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Ball State is currently slotted in the sixth and final tournament spot, two games behind both Toledo (12-10 MAC) and CMU. Akron (10-13 MAC) is currently a half-game behind the Cardinals while Kent State (10-14 MAC) is one game back based on winning percentage. The Zips and Golden Flashes will battle each other this weekend in Kent, Ohio.
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GAME 1 SCORING SUMMARY - Ball State 2 - Northern Illinois 9
B2 | NIU's Madison Mathews opens the scoring with the first home run of the day (1-0)
B3 | A Caitlyn Shumaker blast make it a two-run game (2-0)
B3 | Mathews extends NIU's lead to three with her second bomb of the game (3-0)
B3 | A two-run homer from Alana Powell extends the Huskies' lead to five (5-0)
T4 | Timmons gives Ball State its first run of the game with a no-doubter to left field (5-1)
T4 | Weaver smashes an RBI single down the left field line, bringing home redshirt sophomore shortstop McKenna Mulholland from third (5-2)
B4 | A two-out bunt single from Shumaker pushes the lead back to four (6-2)
B4 | Mathews picked up two more RBI for the Huskies with a two-out, two-run single to right (8-2)
B6 | Shumaker collects her third RBI of the game with a sac fly to center field (9-2)
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GAME 2 SCORING SUMMARY - Ball State 11 - Northern Illinois 7
T3 | A two-out RBI double from Mulholland drove in Wynn for the game's first run (1-0)
T3 | Graduate catcher Jazmyne Armendariz followed with a RBI single to right field, plating Mulholland (2-0)
T3 | Senior left fielder Kaitlyn Mathews kept the two-out rally going with a double to right, scoring Armendariz (3-0)
T3 | Weaver collected her second RBI of the day with a single to left, bring in Mathews (4-0)
T3 | Mata capped the two-out rally with a three-run blast (7-0)
B3 | Avery Carnahan gets NIU on the board with an RBI single (7-1)
T4 | Weaver drives in three more two-out runs, with a bases clearing double to score Timmons, Mulholland and Armendariz (10-1)
B4 | A two-run home run from Ellis Erickson cuts the Ball State lead to seven (10-3)
B4 | Carnahan adds two more RBI with a bases loaded single up the middle (10-5)
T7 | A two-out RBI single from Wynn drives home freshman second baseman Maia Pietrzak (11-5)
B7 | With runners at second and third, Jenna Turner singles to left to bring in a run (11-6)
B7 | A sac fly from Danielle Stewart caps the scoring in the game (11-7)
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UP NEXT:
The Ball State softball team closes the 2024 regular season this weekend with a three-game series at Central Michigan. The Cardinals and Chippewas will play a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday and a Noon single game Sunday.
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After dropping the day's first game by a score of 9-2, the Cardinals (23-26; 10-12 MAC) used seven two-out runs in the top of the third to take control of the nightcap on its way to an 11-7 win. It was BSU's second-largest run total in an inning this season, trailing only its eight-run opening inning in the 11-3 (6) victory over Bowling Green on April 14.
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Four different Cardinals tallied RBI hits in the top of the third versus the Huskies (18-31; 9-16 MAC) before a three-run blast from graduate first baseman Samantha-Jo Mata capped the scoring in the inning. Ball State would add three more two-out runs in the fourth on a bases loaded double from junior right fielder Maddie Weaver, and one more in the seventh on an RBI single from graduate third baseman Haley Wynn.
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Weaver went 3-for-4 in the nightcap with a team-high four RBI. She also collected an RBI single in the fourth inning of the opener to finish the day with five.
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Ball State's first run of the day came off a familiar bat, as redshirt junior McKayla Timmons blasted her 22nd home run of the season to lead off the fourth and attempt to spark a Cardinals' rally in the opening game. Timmons is just one home run shy of tying the Ball State single season record of 23 home runs set by then-junior Jennifer Gilbert in 2013.
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In the circle, sophomore Bridie Murphy was credited with the win in the nightcap, pitching the final 3.1 innings. She limited the Huskies to just seven hits and two runs, while picking up a pair of strikeouts.
Â
With Tuesday's split, along with other action around the league over the course of the day, the Cardinals control its own destiny for a bid into next week's MAC Championships. The easiest way is with a three-game weekend sweep at Central Michigan (12-10 MAC).
Â
Ball State is currently slotted in the sixth and final tournament spot, two games behind both Toledo (12-10 MAC) and CMU. Akron (10-13 MAC) is currently a half-game behind the Cardinals while Kent State (10-14 MAC) is one game back based on winning percentage. The Zips and Golden Flashes will battle each other this weekend in Kent, Ohio.
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GAME 1 SCORING SUMMARY - Ball State 2 - Northern Illinois 9
B2 | NIU's Madison Mathews opens the scoring with the first home run of the day (1-0)
B3 | A Caitlyn Shumaker blast make it a two-run game (2-0)
B3 | Mathews extends NIU's lead to three with her second bomb of the game (3-0)
B3 | A two-run homer from Alana Powell extends the Huskies' lead to five (5-0)
T4 | Timmons gives Ball State its first run of the game with a no-doubter to left field (5-1)
T4 | Weaver smashes an RBI single down the left field line, bringing home redshirt sophomore shortstop McKenna Mulholland from third (5-2)
B4 | A two-out bunt single from Shumaker pushes the lead back to four (6-2)
B4 | Mathews picked up two more RBI for the Huskies with a two-out, two-run single to right (8-2)
B6 | Shumaker collects her third RBI of the game with a sac fly to center field (9-2)
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GAME 2 SCORING SUMMARY - Ball State 11 - Northern Illinois 7
T3 | A two-out RBI double from Mulholland drove in Wynn for the game's first run (1-0)
T3 | Graduate catcher Jazmyne Armendariz followed with a RBI single to right field, plating Mulholland (2-0)
T3 | Senior left fielder Kaitlyn Mathews kept the two-out rally going with a double to right, scoring Armendariz (3-0)
T3 | Weaver collected her second RBI of the day with a single to left, bring in Mathews (4-0)
T3 | Mata capped the two-out rally with a three-run blast (7-0)
B3 | Avery Carnahan gets NIU on the board with an RBI single (7-1)
T4 | Weaver drives in three more two-out runs, with a bases clearing double to score Timmons, Mulholland and Armendariz (10-1)
B4 | A two-run home run from Ellis Erickson cuts the Ball State lead to seven (10-3)
B4 | Carnahan adds two more RBI with a bases loaded single up the middle (10-5)
T7 | A two-out RBI single from Wynn drives home freshman second baseman Maia Pietrzak (11-5)
B7 | With runners at second and third, Jenna Turner singles to left to bring in a run (11-6)
B7 | A sac fly from Danielle Stewart caps the scoring in the game (11-7)
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UP NEXT:
The Ball State softball team closes the 2024 regular season this weekend with a three-game series at Central Michigan. The Cardinals and Chippewas will play a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday and a Noon single game Sunday.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Stewart (10-8)
L: King, Francys (11-12)
Batting:
2B: Armendariz, Jazmyne 1
HR: Timmons, McKayla 1
RBI: Timmons, McKayla 1 ; Weaver, Maddie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Timmons, McKayla 1 ; Mulholland, McKenna 1
CS: Timmons, McKayla 1
HBP: Armendariz, Jazmyne 1
Batting:
2B: Erickson 1
3B: Turner 1
HR: Shumaker 1 ; Mathews 2 ; Powell 1
RBI: Shumaker 3 ; Mathews 4 ; Powell 2
SF: Shumaker 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Erickson 1 ; Turner 1 ; Shumaker 2 ; Mathews 2 ; Carnahan 1 ; Powell 1 ; Crane 1
SB: Shumaker 1 ; Crane 1
HBP: Ramage 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
2b/ph
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
UT
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballUT
/ SoftballC/UT
/ Softball
INF
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