Softball Holds Off Toledo To Pick Up Series Victory

MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State softball team picked up its second Mid-American Conference series win of the season courtesy of a 9-8 victory over Toledo in the rubber game of the three-game set Saturday afternoon at the Ball State Softball Stadium.

After giving up three runs in the top of the eighth to drop the resumed contest from Friday evening, the Cardinals (18-8; 4-2 MAC) scored nine runs over the first four innings to seemingly take control of the series finale.

Ball State opened the scoring in the bottom of the first thanks to an RBI double from redshirt junior shortstop McKenna Mulholland to bring home junior designated player Ella Whitney.

Sophomore third baseman Mandy Lauth tripled the lead in the bottom of the second, blasting her first home run with the Cardinals over the fence in center to also drive home senior first baseman Kaitlyn Gibson.

Ball State was not done there, using a two-run double from redshirt junior center fielder Hayley Urban and an RBI double from Lauth in the bottom of the third to double the lead at 6-0.

In the fourth inning, the Cardinals first three batters were hit by a pitch, before a pitching change and an immediate wild pitch allowed Mulholland to score. An RBI groundout from Urban followed, driving home senior left fielder Kara Gunter. Then some heads up baserunning from Gibson proved to be crucial as she took advantage of another wild pitch to score from third.

Leading 9-0 heading into the fifth, the Cardinals looked to have the run-rule in hand with freshman starting pitcher Breanna Severino having not surrendered a hit over the first four frames. Unfortunately, the Rockets (7-18; 2-4 MAC) had other plans and struck for four run on four hits in the frame, including a pinch hit three-run blast.

Severino would settle back in, however, retiring four straight batters giving Ball State a 9-4 edge heading into the seventh. Once again, Toledo would not go down without a fight, chasing the BSU starter with a grand slam to pull back within one.

Enter redshirt junior reliever Jessica Hoffman who would then lock it down to pick up her first collegiate save. After allowing a hit by the first batter she faced, she was able to induce a fly out to right field and a line out to left field to end the game and give Balls State its second straight MAC series win.

NOTES:
- While she only recorded two hits on the weekend, extending her hitting streak to 17 games and her streak of reaching base safely to 52, Timmons finished the weekend with a perfect 1.000 on base percentage … After depositing the first pitch she saw in the series over the fence in center field, she was walked 12 times, sandwiched around a first-inning single in Saturday's second game in the only other at bat she was pitched to on the weekend.

- The teams combined for 69 total runs over the three games, with Ball State scoring 36 and Toledo plating 33 … That equated to 12 runs per game for the Cardinals who entered the weekend ranked 24th nationally at 7.00 runs per game.

- Overall, Ball State's batters registered a combined .524 on base percentage for the weekend, collecting 26 hits, 31 walks and being hit by a pitch nine times … The Cardinals entered the weekend ranked first sin the MAC and 40th nationally with a .407 on base percentage and raised the mark to .424 after the series.

UP NEXT:
The Ball State softball team is scheduled to return to action Tuesday with a 3 p.m. contest at Indiana State.

Softball Holds Off Toledo To Pick Up Series Victory

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Team Stats

Maddie Weaver

Maia Pietrzak

Ella Whitney

Gabbie Evans

Players Mentioned

Kaitlyn Gibson

Kara Gunter

Jessica Hoffman

Mandy Lauth

McKenna Mulholland

Breanna Severino

Hayley Urban

Ella Whitney