Tuesday, April 1
Muncie, IN.
1 p.m.
Ball State University
21-9, 6-3
1
vs
2
Northern Illinois
9-20, 4-6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Northern Illinois
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
5
0
Ball State
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
5
0
Pietrzak’s Big Day Is Not Enough To Lift Softball Past NIU
April 01, 2025 | Softball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - Despite two home runs from sophomore shortstop Maia Pietrzak and a pair of solid pitching performances, the Ball State softball team suffered 2-1 and 3-2 setbacks to Northern Illinois Tuesday afternoon at the Ball State Softball Stadium.
With the Cardinals (21-10; 6-4 MAC) trailing 2-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh of the day's first game, Pietrzak opened the inning with a solo blast to left-center field. Ball State would go on to put the tying run on second after back-to-back two-out singles from senior left fielder Kara Gunter and junior pitcher Ella Whitney.
Unfortunately, a grounder to short helped the Huskies (10-20; 5-6 MAC) get the force at second to win the game 2-1.
Despite the setback, Whitney turns in another strong effort in the circle, as she limited NIU to five hits and two runs over her 7.0 innings of work. She also struck out four batters and forced 13 groundouts.
In the nightcap, Pietrzak opened the scoring with her second blast in as many at bats, smashing the ball over the fence in left field. BSU would maintain the lead until the top of the third when NIU evened the score on an RBI double. The next inning, however, saw the Huskies take the advantage with a two-run blast to right.
Once again, the Cardinals looked for a little seventh inning magic as Whitney smashed a 1-0 pitch off the scoreboard in left-center field. Unfortunately, that was all the damage the BSU offense was able to do as three straight outs ended the game.
Ball State did receive another solid pitching performance from freshman Breanna Severino who limited NIU to nine hits and two runs over her 7.0 innings of work. She also struck out a pair of Huskies.
NOTES:
- After drawing a walk in the opener and collecting a sixth-inning single in the nightcap, redshirt senior catcher McKayla Timmons extended her streak of reaching base safely to 57 games.
- Whitney also reached base safely in both games Tuesday, with a single and hit by pitch in the opener and her home run in the nightcap … She has now reached base safely in each of the last 18 games … She is also second on the squad with 33 RBI, trailing only Timmons' 36.
- Ball State turned in a pair of solid defensive performances, playing errorless softball over all 14 innings on the day … The Cardinals have committed just 27 errors in its first 31 games this season, including 15 games without an error, to raise its fielding percentage to .970.
UP NEXT:
The Ball State softball team is scheduled to return to action this weekend with a three-game series at Kent State. The teams are slated to play a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday and a Noon single game Sunday.
With the Cardinals (21-10; 6-4 MAC) trailing 2-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh of the day's first game, Pietrzak opened the inning with a solo blast to left-center field. Ball State would go on to put the tying run on second after back-to-back two-out singles from senior left fielder Kara Gunter and junior pitcher Ella Whitney.
Unfortunately, a grounder to short helped the Huskies (10-20; 5-6 MAC) get the force at second to win the game 2-1.
Despite the setback, Whitney turns in another strong effort in the circle, as she limited NIU to five hits and two runs over her 7.0 innings of work. She also struck out four batters and forced 13 groundouts.
In the nightcap, Pietrzak opened the scoring with her second blast in as many at bats, smashing the ball over the fence in left field. BSU would maintain the lead until the top of the third when NIU evened the score on an RBI double. The next inning, however, saw the Huskies take the advantage with a two-run blast to right.
Once again, the Cardinals looked for a little seventh inning magic as Whitney smashed a 1-0 pitch off the scoreboard in left-center field. Unfortunately, that was all the damage the BSU offense was able to do as three straight outs ended the game.
Ball State did receive another solid pitching performance from freshman Breanna Severino who limited NIU to nine hits and two runs over her 7.0 innings of work. She also struck out a pair of Huskies.
NOTES:
- After drawing a walk in the opener and collecting a sixth-inning single in the nightcap, redshirt senior catcher McKayla Timmons extended her streak of reaching base safely to 57 games.
- Whitney also reached base safely in both games Tuesday, with a single and hit by pitch in the opener and her home run in the nightcap … She has now reached base safely in each of the last 18 games … She is also second on the squad with 33 RBI, trailing only Timmons' 36.
- Ball State turned in a pair of solid defensive performances, playing errorless softball over all 14 innings on the day … The Cardinals have committed just 27 errors in its first 31 games this season, including 15 games without an error, to raise its fielding percentage to .970.
UP NEXT:
The Ball State softball team is scheduled to return to action this weekend with a three-game series at Kent State. The teams are slated to play a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday and a Noon single game Sunday.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Danielle Stewart (3-9)
L: Whitney, Ella (12-3)
S: Taylor Mackin (2)
Batting:
RBI: Kayla Estrada 1 ; Natalie Miller 1
SH: Rylie Hartman 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Katy Ramage 1 ; Alana Powell 1
Batting:
HR: Pietrzak, Maia 1
RBI: Pietrzak, Maia 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Pietrzak, Maia 1
SB: Pietrzak, Maia 2 ; Fox, Payton 1
CS: Peitersen, Veronica 1
HBP: Pietrzak, Maia 1 ; Whitney, Ella 1 ; Weaver, Maddie 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
UT
/ SoftballINF / RHP
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