Friday, February 7
San Luis Obispo, CA
2 p.m.
Ball State University
1-0
4
vs
1
Oregon State
0-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Oregon State
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
6
0
Ball State
0
0
0
0
3
1
X
4
5
0
Photo by: Owen Main - Owen Main Photography
Solid Pitching Leads Softball To Friday Sweep
February 07, 2025 | Softball
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - - The Ball State softball team did not let Thursday's rain out put a damper on the start of the season, as it opened play in the Mustang Classic with a 4-1 win over Oregon State and a 3-2 (8) victory over host Cal Poly Friday afternoon.
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"The team did an amazing job of picking each other up and having trust in one another to do a job," head coach Helen Peña said. "We made some timely adjustments and competed inning to inning and pitch to pitch. I am very proud of how we found different ways to be successful and different players were able to step up when their team needed them."
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In the new season opener, it was the battery which provided the power the Cardinals (2-0) needed to pick up the 4-1 victory over the Beavers (1-1). It started with solid pitching from junior Ella Whitney who earned the complete game victory by scattering six hits and allowing just one run.
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A two-way player for the Cardinals, who also logged BSU's first triple of the season in the nightcap, Whitney's biggest play in the circle came in the top of the fifth inning with two outs and bases loaded. After a ball to start the at bat to OSU's two-hole hitter, she followed with three straight strikes, getting Lici Campbell swinging for her second of three strikeouts in the game.
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The bottom of the frame then produced a very familiar hero, as redshirt senior catcher McKayla Timmons worked her magic. Junior center fielder Grace Spencer opened the inning with a walk, while sophomore second baseman Maia Pietrzak drew another two batters later. With one out and limited options, the Beavers were forced to pitch to Timmons who did not disappoint by blasting a 2-2 pitch over the fence in left-center field.
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It was Timmons first home run of the season, following a junior campaign which saw her blast a Ball State single season record 25 home runs. She now has 42 career home runs, which ties for second in program history and trails only Jenny Gilbert's (2011-2014) 75.
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In the nightcap, freshman pitcher Breanna Severino turned in a brilliant effort in her collegiate debut, holding Cal Poly to seven hits and one unearned run over her 5.1 innings of work. She also struck out four of the 27 batters she faced.
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Sophomore pitcher Brinkley Kita picked up were Severino left off in her Cardinals debut, working out of a bases-loaded jam with one out in the T6 and then holding the Mustangs to one unearned run and three hits over her 2.2 innings of work. She also collected a pair of strikeouts.
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"Our pitchers did a tremendous job of trusting their stuff and allowing their defense to work," Peña added. "They didn't make the moment too big and if they missed a pitch, they had the confidence and mindset to execute the next one. It's going to be exciting to see them continue to grow throughout the season."
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On the offensive front, it was sophomore third baseman Mandy Lauth who would play the extra-inning hero versus Cal Poly, using a two-out, two-run single to plate what proved to be the game-winning run.
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NOTES:
- Timmons has now reached base safely in each of her last 28 games dating back to last season … In addition to her home run in the opener, she added a double in the nightcap … She also drew three walks over the two games.
- In her Ball State debut, senior left fielder Kara Gunter went 3-for-7 with two runs scored and an RBI … She drove in the final run of the opener, while scoring the final run of the nightcap
- The Cardinals pitching staff only allowed one earned run over a combined 15.0 innings of work … They also combined for nine strikeouts while not allowing a single multibase hit.
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SCORING SUMMARY - GAME 1 (BSU 4 - OSU 1)
B5 - Timmons broke the game open with her first home run of the season, a three-run blast to left-center field (3-0)
T6 - Oregon State was able to get one back in the top of the sixth on an RBI single from Nicole Donaheu (3-1)
B6 - Gunter gave Ball State the three-run lead back with a RBI single up the middle, bringing home redshirt junior right fielder Haley Urban (4-1)
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SCORING SUMMARY - GAME 2 (BSU 3 - CAL POLY 2)
T6 - After drawing a walk to open the inning, Gunter scored on a wild pitch with one out and bases loaded (1-0)
B6 - The Mustangs tied the score on a bases loaded walk that allowed A'Niyla Byrd to score (1-1)
T8 - Lauth drove in what proved to be the game-winning runs with a two-out, bases-loaded single to drive in Gunter and Timmons (3-1)
B8 - Kiara Blanchard cut the Ball State led to one run with an RBI groundout (3-2)
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UP NEXT
The Cardinals close play in the Mustang Classic Saturday, with rematches versus Oregon State (2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT) and Cal Poly (5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT).
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"The team did an amazing job of picking each other up and having trust in one another to do a job," head coach Helen Peña said. "We made some timely adjustments and competed inning to inning and pitch to pitch. I am very proud of how we found different ways to be successful and different players were able to step up when their team needed them."
Â
In the new season opener, it was the battery which provided the power the Cardinals (2-0) needed to pick up the 4-1 victory over the Beavers (1-1). It started with solid pitching from junior Ella Whitney who earned the complete game victory by scattering six hits and allowing just one run.
Â
A two-way player for the Cardinals, who also logged BSU's first triple of the season in the nightcap, Whitney's biggest play in the circle came in the top of the fifth inning with two outs and bases loaded. After a ball to start the at bat to OSU's two-hole hitter, she followed with three straight strikes, getting Lici Campbell swinging for her second of three strikeouts in the game.
Â
The bottom of the frame then produced a very familiar hero, as redshirt senior catcher McKayla Timmons worked her magic. Junior center fielder Grace Spencer opened the inning with a walk, while sophomore second baseman Maia Pietrzak drew another two batters later. With one out and limited options, the Beavers were forced to pitch to Timmons who did not disappoint by blasting a 2-2 pitch over the fence in left-center field.
Â
It was Timmons first home run of the season, following a junior campaign which saw her blast a Ball State single season record 25 home runs. She now has 42 career home runs, which ties for second in program history and trails only Jenny Gilbert's (2011-2014) 75.
Â
In the nightcap, freshman pitcher Breanna Severino turned in a brilliant effort in her collegiate debut, holding Cal Poly to seven hits and one unearned run over her 5.1 innings of work. She also struck out four of the 27 batters she faced.
Â
Sophomore pitcher Brinkley Kita picked up were Severino left off in her Cardinals debut, working out of a bases-loaded jam with one out in the T6 and then holding the Mustangs to one unearned run and three hits over her 2.2 innings of work. She also collected a pair of strikeouts.
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"Our pitchers did a tremendous job of trusting their stuff and allowing their defense to work," Peña added. "They didn't make the moment too big and if they missed a pitch, they had the confidence and mindset to execute the next one. It's going to be exciting to see them continue to grow throughout the season."
Â
On the offensive front, it was sophomore third baseman Mandy Lauth who would play the extra-inning hero versus Cal Poly, using a two-out, two-run single to plate what proved to be the game-winning run.
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NOTES:
- Timmons has now reached base safely in each of her last 28 games dating back to last season … In addition to her home run in the opener, she added a double in the nightcap … She also drew three walks over the two games.
- In her Ball State debut, senior left fielder Kara Gunter went 3-for-7 with two runs scored and an RBI … She drove in the final run of the opener, while scoring the final run of the nightcap
- The Cardinals pitching staff only allowed one earned run over a combined 15.0 innings of work … They also combined for nine strikeouts while not allowing a single multibase hit.
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SCORING SUMMARY - GAME 1 (BSU 4 - OSU 1)
B5 - Timmons broke the game open with her first home run of the season, a three-run blast to left-center field (3-0)
T6 - Oregon State was able to get one back in the top of the sixth on an RBI single from Nicole Donaheu (3-1)
B6 - Gunter gave Ball State the three-run lead back with a RBI single up the middle, bringing home redshirt junior right fielder Haley Urban (4-1)
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SCORING SUMMARY - GAME 2 (BSU 3 - CAL POLY 2)
T6 - After drawing a walk to open the inning, Gunter scored on a wild pitch with one out and bases loaded (1-0)
B6 - The Mustangs tied the score on a bases loaded walk that allowed A'Niyla Byrd to score (1-1)
T8 - Lauth drove in what proved to be the game-winning runs with a two-out, bases-loaded single to drive in Gunter and Timmons (3-1)
B8 - Kiara Blanchard cut the Ball State led to one run with an RBI groundout (3-2)
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UP NEXT
The Cardinals close play in the Mustang Classic Saturday, with rematches versus Oregon State (2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT) and Cal Poly (5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Whitney, Ella (1-0)
L: Logan Hulon (0-1)
Batting:
RBI: Nicole Donahue 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jaeya Butler 1
Batting:
HR: Timmons, McKayla 1
RBI: Gunter, Kara 1 ; Timmons, McKayla 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Pietrzak, Maia 1 ; Timmons, McKayla 1 ; Urban, Hayley 1 ; Spencer, Grace 1
HBP: Mulholland, McKenna 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
3
AB
2
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
UT
/ Softball
INF / RHP
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