Saturday, May 4
Mount Pleasant, MI
1 p.m.
Ball State University
23-27, 10-13
3
at
4
Central Michigan (Game 1)
16-29, 13-10
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Ball State
0
0
1
0
1
1
0
3
8
0
Central Michigan
3
0
0
1
0
0
X
4
8
2
Francys King’s Perfect Game Keeps Softball's MAC Championship Hunt Alive
May 04, 2024 | Softball
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - - After dropping Saturday's first game by a final score of 4-3, the Ball State softball team needed a win to keep its hopes for a berth in next week's Mid-American Conference Championship alive.
Senior pitcher Francys King delivered that and more in the nightcap, throwing just the second recorded perfect game in program history to lead the Cardinals (24-27; 11-13 MAC) to an 8-0 (5) victory over Central Michigan at Margo Jonker Stadium.
It took King just 55 pitches to dispatch of the Chippewas (16-30; 13-11) who locked up its MAC Championship bid with Friday's doubleheader split between Akron and Kent State. Over her five innings of work, King struck out three batters, induced a pair of ground outs and forced 10 fly outs.
King joins Angelina Russo as the only pitchers in program history to register perfect games, with Russo's coming in a 5-0 win over Western Michigan on April 20, 2022. It also marks the 20th no-hitter in program history.
On the offensive front, redshirt junior catcher McKayla Timmons opened the scoring in the nightcap with her 23rd home run of the season in the top of the first, tying Ball State's single season record established by Jennifer Gilbert during her junior campaign in 2013.
The Cardinals added another run in the second on an RBI single through the left side from graduate third baseman Haley Wynn, before scoring six more in the fourth to take complete control of the contest.
In Saturday's opening game, Central Michigan used a three-run opening inning to jump out to an early 3-0 edge. Ball State would battle back within one, at 4-3 in the sixth, before loading the bases with no outs in the top of the seventh. Unfortunately, the Cardinals could not capitalize as its final three batters struck out.
GAME 1 SCORING SUMMARY - Ball State 3 - Central Michigan 4
B1 | A double to left field from Allyssa Hollo opened the scoring (1-0)
B1 | Michaleigh Vallimont follows with a sac fly to extend CMU's lead to two runs (2-0)
B1 | Keira Tolmie drives in another run with a double to right center (3-0)
T3 | Following a two-out single from Wynn, Timmons drives in BSU's first run with a double to left center (3-1)
B4 | A bases loaded walk to Carly Sleeman gives CMU its three-run edge back (4-1)
T5 | Graduate second baseman Jazmyne Armendariz draws a bases loaded walk to get the run back (4-2)
T6 | Redshirt sophomore pinch hitter Jessica Hoffman smashes an RBI double to center field, capping the scoring in the game (4-3)
GAME 2 SCORING SUMMARY - Ball State 8 - Central Michigan 0 (5)
T1 | Timmons ties Ball State's single season home run record with a solo blast to left center (1-0)
T2 | Wynn singles through the left side to drive in junior right fielder Maddie Weaver (2-0)
T3 | Wynn picks up her second RBI of the game with a double to left center (3-0)
T3 | A bases loaded single by redshirt sophomore shortstop McKenna Mulholland ups BSU's lead to four (4-0)
T3 | Two batters later, senior pinch hitter Emma Richards draws a bases loaded walk (5-0)
T3 | Weaver drives in the final three runs of the game with a bases loaded double to left center (8-0)
UP NEXT:
The Ball State softball team closes the 2024 regular season Sunday with a Noon first pitch back at Central Michigan. With a win, the Cardinals will earn a spot in next week's MAC Championship. With a loss, the Cardinals season will come to an end.
Senior pitcher Francys King delivered that and more in the nightcap, throwing just the second recorded perfect game in program history to lead the Cardinals (24-27; 11-13 MAC) to an 8-0 (5) victory over Central Michigan at Margo Jonker Stadium.
It took King just 55 pitches to dispatch of the Chippewas (16-30; 13-11) who locked up its MAC Championship bid with Friday's doubleheader split between Akron and Kent State. Over her five innings of work, King struck out three batters, induced a pair of ground outs and forced 10 fly outs.
King joins Angelina Russo as the only pitchers in program history to register perfect games, with Russo's coming in a 5-0 win over Western Michigan on April 20, 2022. It also marks the 20th no-hitter in program history.
On the offensive front, redshirt junior catcher McKayla Timmons opened the scoring in the nightcap with her 23rd home run of the season in the top of the first, tying Ball State's single season record established by Jennifer Gilbert during her junior campaign in 2013.
The Cardinals added another run in the second on an RBI single through the left side from graduate third baseman Haley Wynn, before scoring six more in the fourth to take complete control of the contest.
In Saturday's opening game, Central Michigan used a three-run opening inning to jump out to an early 3-0 edge. Ball State would battle back within one, at 4-3 in the sixth, before loading the bases with no outs in the top of the seventh. Unfortunately, the Cardinals could not capitalize as its final three batters struck out.
GAME 1 SCORING SUMMARY - Ball State 3 - Central Michigan 4
B1 | A double to left field from Allyssa Hollo opened the scoring (1-0)
B1 | Michaleigh Vallimont follows with a sac fly to extend CMU's lead to two runs (2-0)
B1 | Keira Tolmie drives in another run with a double to right center (3-0)
T3 | Following a two-out single from Wynn, Timmons drives in BSU's first run with a double to left center (3-1)
B4 | A bases loaded walk to Carly Sleeman gives CMU its three-run edge back (4-1)
T5 | Graduate second baseman Jazmyne Armendariz draws a bases loaded walk to get the run back (4-2)
T6 | Redshirt sophomore pinch hitter Jessica Hoffman smashes an RBI double to center field, capping the scoring in the game (4-3)
GAME 2 SCORING SUMMARY - Ball State 8 - Central Michigan 0 (5)
T1 | Timmons ties Ball State's single season home run record with a solo blast to left center (1-0)
T2 | Wynn singles through the left side to drive in junior right fielder Maddie Weaver (2-0)
T3 | Wynn picks up her second RBI of the game with a double to left center (3-0)
T3 | A bases loaded single by redshirt sophomore shortstop McKenna Mulholland ups BSU's lead to four (4-0)
T3 | Two batters later, senior pinch hitter Emma Richards draws a bases loaded walk (5-0)
T3 | Weaver drives in the final three runs of the game with a bases loaded double to left center (8-0)
UP NEXT:
The Ball State softball team closes the 2024 regular season Sunday with a Noon first pitch back at Central Michigan. With a win, the Cardinals will earn a spot in next week's MAC Championship. With a loss, the Cardinals season will come to an end.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Grace Lehto (9-16)
L: Murphy, Bridie (9-10)
S: Brooklyn Compau (1)
Batting:
2B: Wynn, Haley 1 ; Timmons, McKayla 1 ; Hoffman, Jessica 1
RBI: Timmons, McKayla 1 ; Armendariz, Jazmyne 1 ; Hoffman, Jessica 1
SH: Mulholland, McKenna 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wynn, Haley 1 ; Weaver, Maddie 1 ; Mata, Samantha-Jo 1
Batting:
2B: Carly Sleeman 1 ; Allyssa Hollo 1 ; Keira Tolmie 1 ; Grace Koenig 1
RBI: Carly Sleeman 1 ; Allyssa Hollo 1 ; Michaleigh Vallimont 1 ; Keira Tolmie 1
SH: Tailynn Knapp 1
SF: Michaleigh Vallimont 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Abbey Tolmie 1 ; Carly Sleeman 1 ; Allyssa Hollo 1 ; Grace Koenig 1
HBP: Skylar Coberley 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
rf/ph
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
ph/dp
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
UT
/ SoftballRHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballUT
/ SoftballC/UT
/ SoftballINF
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