Friday, May 10
Akron, Ohio (Firestone Stadium)
7:30 p.m.
Ball State University
29-28
5
vs
1
Ohio
31-24
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Ball State
0
0
1
2
2
0
0
5
8
1
Ohio
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
4
2
Eubank’s Gem Leads Softball to MAC Championship Games
May 10, 2024 | Softball
AKRON, Ohio - - Redshirt junior Emma Eubank picked the perfect time to throw her first collegiate complete game, limiting second-seeded Ohio to just four hits and guiding sixth-seeded Ball State to a 5-1 win and to the title games of the 2024 Mid-American Conference Softball Championship at Firestone Stadium.
Eubank, who also pitched the final two outs to earn the save in the 9-7 win over fourth-seeded Toledo earlier in the day, also struck out a pair of batters over her 7.0 innings of work against the Bobcats (31-24). Her effort helped the Cardinals (29-28) reach the MAC Championship games for the first time since BSU captured its last tournament title in 2015 and avenge Thursday's 8-0 (5) setback to Ohio.
The effort capped a stellar day for the Cardinals who went 3-0 by eliminating fifth-seed Central Michigan, fourth-seeded Toledo, and second-seeded Ohio.
On the offensive front, graduate designated player Jazmyne Armendariz got the Cardinals rolling with a bases loaded sacrifice fly in foul territory in left field, bringing home senior center fielder Hannah Dukeman for the game's first run in the top of the third.
The next inning saw redshirt sophomore pinch hitter Jessica Hoffman drive in what proved to be the game-winning run with a two-out double to left center. Dukeman followed with a RBI single to center, giving BSU a 3-0 edge.
BSU would score its final two runs in the top of the fifth on an RBI single from freshman second baseman Maia Pietrzak and a sac fly from graduate first baseman Samantha-Jo Mata.
Not to be lost was the defensive play of Dukeman in center field, including an amazing diving catch in left center to end the sixth inning and limit the Bobcats to just one run in the frame.
SCORING SUMMARY - No. 6 Ball State 5 - No. 2 Ohio 1
T3 | A bases loaded foul fly to left field by Armendariz brings home Dukeman for the game's first run (1-0)
T4 | A two-out pinch hit double by Hoffman drives in Pietrzak (2-0)
T4 | Dukeman follows with an RBI single to center, driving in a re-entered senior left fielder Kaitlyn Mathews (3-0)
T5 | With runners at second and third, an infield single from Pietrzak plates redshirt junior catcher McKayla Timmons for BSU's fourth run of the game (4-0)
T5 | A sac fly from Mata drives in redshirt sophomore shortstop McKenna Mulholland (5-0)
B6 | Ohio's lone run scores on a wild pitch with runners at second and third (5-1)
UP NEXT:
The Ball State softball team will battle top-seeded Miami for the MAC Championship title with a 1 p.m. first pitch back at Firestone Stadium.
The Cardinals will need to defeat the RedHawks twice to earn its first MAC title since the 2015 season and claim the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Championship.
Eubank, who also pitched the final two outs to earn the save in the 9-7 win over fourth-seeded Toledo earlier in the day, also struck out a pair of batters over her 7.0 innings of work against the Bobcats (31-24). Her effort helped the Cardinals (29-28) reach the MAC Championship games for the first time since BSU captured its last tournament title in 2015 and avenge Thursday's 8-0 (5) setback to Ohio.
The effort capped a stellar day for the Cardinals who went 3-0 by eliminating fifth-seed Central Michigan, fourth-seeded Toledo, and second-seeded Ohio.
On the offensive front, graduate designated player Jazmyne Armendariz got the Cardinals rolling with a bases loaded sacrifice fly in foul territory in left field, bringing home senior center fielder Hannah Dukeman for the game's first run in the top of the third.
The next inning saw redshirt sophomore pinch hitter Jessica Hoffman drive in what proved to be the game-winning run with a two-out double to left center. Dukeman followed with a RBI single to center, giving BSU a 3-0 edge.
BSU would score its final two runs in the top of the fifth on an RBI single from freshman second baseman Maia Pietrzak and a sac fly from graduate first baseman Samantha-Jo Mata.
Not to be lost was the defensive play of Dukeman in center field, including an amazing diving catch in left center to end the sixth inning and limit the Bobcats to just one run in the frame.
FLASHING THE LEATHER!#NCAASoftball #SCTop10 x ?? ESPN+ / @BallStateSB pic.twitter.com/iu3kbqHDel
— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) May 11, 2024
SCORING SUMMARY - No. 6 Ball State 5 - No. 2 Ohio 1
T3 | A bases loaded foul fly to left field by Armendariz brings home Dukeman for the game's first run (1-0)
T4 | A two-out pinch hit double by Hoffman drives in Pietrzak (2-0)
T4 | Dukeman follows with an RBI single to center, driving in a re-entered senior left fielder Kaitlyn Mathews (3-0)
T5 | With runners at second and third, an infield single from Pietrzak plates redshirt junior catcher McKayla Timmons for BSU's fourth run of the game (4-0)
T5 | A sac fly from Mata drives in redshirt sophomore shortstop McKenna Mulholland (5-0)
B6 | Ohio's lone run scores on a wild pitch with runners at second and third (5-1)
UP NEXT:
The Ball State softball team will battle top-seeded Miami for the MAC Championship title with a 1 p.m. first pitch back at Firestone Stadium.
The Cardinals will need to defeat the RedHawks twice to earn its first MAC title since the 2015 season and claim the league's automatic berth into the NCAA Championship.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Eubank, Emma (2-3)
L: Mikie Lieving (11-6)
Batting:
2B: Armendariz, Jazmyne 1 ; Hoffman, Jessica 1
RBI: Armendariz, Jazmyne 1 ; Weaver, Maddie 1 ; Mata, Samantha-Jo 1 ; Hoffman, Jessica 1 ; Dukeman, Hannah 1
SH: Dukeman, Hannah 1
SF: Armendariz, Jazmyne 1 ; Mata, Samantha-Jo 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Timmons, McKayla 1 ; Mulholland, McKenna 1 ; Pietrzak, Maia 1 ; Mathews, Kaitlyn 1 ; Dukeman, Hannah 1
SB: Timmons, McKayla 1 ; Mulholland, McKenna 1 ; Spencer, Grace 1
HBP: Timmons, McKayla 1 ; Mathews, Kaitlyn 1
PO: Wynn, Haley 1
Batting:
3B: Izzie Wilson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Izzie Wilson 1
CS: Annalia Paoli 1
HBP: Shelby Westler 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
UT
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
LHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballUT
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
UT
/ SoftballSoftball // Workouts
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Wednesday, May 21