Ball State University Athletics
Sunday, March 8
Louisville, KY
11:30 a.m.
Ball State University
10--7
7
vs
1
Long Island
1-23
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
LIU
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
4
1
Ball State
3
1
0
3
0
0
7
10
0
Photo by: Madeline Howell/Ball State Athletics
Softball Closes Cardinal Classic with Pair of Sunday Wins
March 08, 2026 | Softball
LOUISVILLE - - The Ball State softball team closed play in the Cardinal Classic with a pair of wins Sunday, topping Long Island 7-1 and earning a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Illinois to fly the #MACtion flag for the second time this weekend.
Â
In the opener, senior designated player Ella Whitney and senior first baseman Lindsey DeRoeck drove in three runs apiece, helping the Cardinals (11-7) pick up its third win of the season over the Sharks (1-23).
Â
Overall, the Cardinals pounded out 10 hits in the game, with three coming from Whitney and two each from DeRoeck and junior shortstop Maia Pietrzak. After reaching on an error in the first, Pietrzak tripled in the second and doubled in the fourth, scoring runs in all three innings.
Â
Junior pitcher Brinkley Kita earn the win in the circle, improving to 3-0 on the year after limiting LIU to four hits and one earned run in a complete game effort. She also struck out two batters in the win.
Â
In the win over the Illini (8-14), DeRoeck evened the score in the top of the third inning with an RBI double, driving in redshirt junior catcher Skylinn Pogue. The score remained 1-1 until the top of the fifth, when Pogue started another rally with a leadoff double.
Â
After a one-out walk to DeRoeck, senior left fielder Ashlee Lovett blasted an RBI double to right field, giving the Cardinals a 2-1 edge. Moments later, redshirt sophomore pinch runner Veronica Peitersen scored on a wild pitch, pushing the score to 3-1.
Â
Whitney once again shined in the circle, improving to 4-1 on the year by limiting Illinois to five hits and one run over her 7.0 innings of work. She also picked up one strikeout.
Â
The effort capped a solid weekend for Whitney who went 2-0 with a 1.85 ERA in the circle, while batting .471 with two doubles, a triple and three home runs. She also scored four runs, while driving in a team-best 12 RBIs.
Â
The Ball State softball team opens both its home and Mid-American Conference slates Friday when it opens a three-game series versus Akron with a 3 p.m. first pitch at the Ball State Softball Stadium. The teams are also scheduled to play a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday.
Â
GAME 1 SCORING SUMMARY: Ball State 7 - Long Island 1
B1 - Witney opened the scoring with an RBI double to center field (1-0)
B1 - DeRoeck drove in two more runs with a single down the left field line (3-0)
B2 - Pogue made it a four-run game with an RBI single through the left side (4-0)
T4 - A bases loaded walk to Kaylee Clarkson gave LIU its lone run of the contest (4-1)
B4 - Whitney countered with two more RBI in a single to center field (6-1)
B4 - DeRoeck capped the scoring with an RBI single to left field (7-1)
Â
GAME 2 SCORING SUMMARY: Ball State 3 - Illinois 1
B2 - The Illini opened the scoring courtesy of an RBI double from Skylar Brennan (1-0)
T3 - The Cardinals countered with a leadoff triple from Pogue and an RBI double from DeRoeck to even the score (1-1)
T5 - Lovett's double to right field drove home Pogue to give Ball State the lead (1-2)
T5 - Peitersen scored from third on a wild pitch (3-1)
Â
In the opener, senior designated player Ella Whitney and senior first baseman Lindsey DeRoeck drove in three runs apiece, helping the Cardinals (11-7) pick up its third win of the season over the Sharks (1-23).
Â
Overall, the Cardinals pounded out 10 hits in the game, with three coming from Whitney and two each from DeRoeck and junior shortstop Maia Pietrzak. After reaching on an error in the first, Pietrzak tripled in the second and doubled in the fourth, scoring runs in all three innings.
Â
Junior pitcher Brinkley Kita earn the win in the circle, improving to 3-0 on the year after limiting LIU to four hits and one earned run in a complete game effort. She also struck out two batters in the win.
Â
In the win over the Illini (8-14), DeRoeck evened the score in the top of the third inning with an RBI double, driving in redshirt junior catcher Skylinn Pogue. The score remained 1-1 until the top of the fifth, when Pogue started another rally with a leadoff double.
Â
After a one-out walk to DeRoeck, senior left fielder Ashlee Lovett blasted an RBI double to right field, giving the Cardinals a 2-1 edge. Moments later, redshirt sophomore pinch runner Veronica Peitersen scored on a wild pitch, pushing the score to 3-1.
Â
Whitney once again shined in the circle, improving to 4-1 on the year by limiting Illinois to five hits and one run over her 7.0 innings of work. She also picked up one strikeout.
Â
The effort capped a solid weekend for Whitney who went 2-0 with a 1.85 ERA in the circle, while batting .471 with two doubles, a triple and three home runs. She also scored four runs, while driving in a team-best 12 RBIs.
Â
The Ball State softball team opens both its home and Mid-American Conference slates Friday when it opens a three-game series versus Akron with a 3 p.m. first pitch at the Ball State Softball Stadium. The teams are also scheduled to play a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday.
Â
GAME 1 SCORING SUMMARY: Ball State 7 - Long Island 1
B1 - Witney opened the scoring with an RBI double to center field (1-0)
B1 - DeRoeck drove in two more runs with a single down the left field line (3-0)
B2 - Pogue made it a four-run game with an RBI single through the left side (4-0)
T4 - A bases loaded walk to Kaylee Clarkson gave LIU its lone run of the contest (4-1)
B4 - Whitney countered with two more RBI in a single to center field (6-1)
B4 - DeRoeck capped the scoring with an RBI single to left field (7-1)
Â
GAME 2 SCORING SUMMARY: Ball State 3 - Illinois 1
B2 - The Illini opened the scoring courtesy of an RBI double from Skylar Brennan (1-0)
T3 - The Cardinals countered with a leadoff triple from Pogue and an RBI double from DeRoeck to even the score (1-1)
T5 - Lovett's double to right field drove home Pogue to give Ball State the lead (1-2)
T5 - Peitersen scored from third on a wild pitch (3-1)
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kita, Brinkley (3-0)
L: Wall, Sarah (0-13)
Batting:
RBI: Clarkson, Kaylee 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Villalta, Nyae' 1
HBP: Villalta, Nyae' 1
Batting:
2B: Pietrzak, Maia 1 ; Whitney, Ella 1
3B: Pietrzak, Maia 1
RBI: Whitney, Ella 3 ; Pogue, Skylinn 1 ; DeRoeck, Lindsey 3
SH: Lovett, Ashlee 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Peitersen, Veronica 1 ; Pietrzak, Maia 3 ; Thurman, Jordyn 1 ; Pogue, Skylinn 2
SB: Pietrzak, Maia 1 ; Kelley, Paige 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
3
RBI
3
AB
3
R
3
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
3
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballINF
/ Softball
C/INF
/ SoftballINF / RHP
/ SoftballThis Week in Ball State Sports Podcast // Softball's Lindsey DeRoeck & AD Jeff Mitchell
Thursday, February 26
Sports Link: National Girls and Women in Sports Day
Wednesday, February 25
Cardinal Conversation with Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell and Softball's Ashlee Lovett
Thursday, February 19
Celebrating National Girls and Women in Sports Day // Produced by Ball State Sports Link
Wednesday, February 04