Softball Scores Saturday Split at Hilltopper Spring Fling

Saturday, February 28

Bowling Green, KY

4 p.m.

Ball State University

6-5

Western Kentucky

14-3

Ball State

WKU

Photo by: Jessica Piland - Jessica Piland Photography

Softball Scores Saturday Split at Hilltopper Spring Fling

February 28, 2026 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Game 1: Ball State 4 - Western Kentucky 6 (10)Game 2: Ball State 12 - IU Indy 4 (5)

BOWLING GREEN, Kentucky - - The Ball State softball team rebounded from a 6-4 (10) loss to Western Kentucky by earning a 12-2 (5) win over IU Indy Saturday evening at the Hilltopper Spring Fling.

With the split, the Cardinals move to 3-1 on the weekend and are 7-5 on the season heading into tomorrow's 11 a.m. ET / 10 a.m. CT rematch with Illinois.

In the opener, Ball State gave the host Hilltoppers (14-3) all they could handle, including holding a 4-2 edge heading into the bottom of the sixth. Unfortunately, WKU struck for two runs in the bottom of the frame and used a walk-off, two-run home run to secure the victory.

The Cardinals did get a big blast of its own in the opener, as a two-run shot to left center from senior first baseman Lindsey DeRoeck made the score 3-1 in the top of the third.

In the nightcap, Ball State struck early and often, including Ella Whitney's second career grand slam in the top of the second to make the score 6-0. Whitney also drove in the first round of the game with a sac fly to left field.

Overall, nine different Cardinals recorded at least one hit in the nightcap, while nine different Ball State players also scored at least one run.

Junior Brinkley Kita earned the win in the nightcap, throwing a combined 5.0 innings over two stretches against the Jaguars (3-12). She allowed just six hits and one earned run, while striking out four batters.

SCORING SUMMARY - GAME 1 (Ball State 4 - Western Kentucky 6 in 10 Innings)
T1 - Redshirt junior catcher Skylinn Pogue drove in junior shortstop Maia Pietrzak with an RBI groundout to second (1-0)
B1 - WKU countered with a Kendle White solo home run (1-1)
T3 - DeRoeck's third home run of the season was a two-run blast to left center, also driving in Pogue (3-1)
B4 - Maci Masters drove an RBI single up the middle, cutting Ball State's lead to one (3-2)
T6 - A single to left field to left field by freshman second baseman Ayvah Cullen drove in redshirt sophomore pinch runner Payton Fox (4-2)
B6 - Anna Mauck tied the score with a two-run sac fly to right field (4-4)
B10 - A two-run blast by Kennedy Stinson ended the game (4-6)

SCORING SUMMARY - GAME 2 (Ball State 12 - IU Indy 0 in 5 innings)
T1 - Whitney drove in Pouge for the game's first run with a sac foul out to left field (1-0)
T2 - Pietrzak picked up her first RBI of the day with a single to center field, driving in Cullen (2-0)
T2 - Whitney took full advantage of having bases loaded, blasting a first pitch grand slam to left center (6-0)
T3 - Redshirt sophomore catcher Allee Noble picked up her first RBI of the game with a double to left field (7-0)
T3 - Freshman Paige Kelley picked up her first RBI of the game with a sac fly to left field (8-0)
T5 - Noble's second RBI of the contest came on a single up the middle (9-0)
T5 - Fox blasted a pinch hit home run to add two more runs, smashing the ball over the fence in left field (11-0)
T5 - Senior left fielder Ashlee Lovett capped the scoring for the Cardinals with an RBI single to center (12-0)
B5 - Molly Kable got IU Indy on the board with a two-run double to left field (12-2)
B5 - Kenne Cowan added two more with a single through the left side (12-4)