@fullname - Baseball - Ball State University Athletics

Emma Richards

Position:
Infield
Height:
5-7
Class:
Redshirt Junior
High School:
Antonian College Preparatory
Hometown:
San Antonio, Texas

BALL STATE CAREER NOTES ENTERING 2024 SEASON
• Played in 58 of a possible 106 games over her career, earning 45 starts
• Made 38 career starts at third base, four as the designated player, and three in right field
• 2022 MAC All-Freshman Team
• 2022 Academic All-MAC
• Has scored one game-winning run and driven in one game-winning RBI over her Ball State career

2023 (R-So.): Earned second letter at Ball State … played in 26 games, earning 22 starts … made 20 starts at third base and two as the designated player … registered 10 hits on the season for a .159 batting average … of her 10 hits, four were home runs and one was a double … credited with nine RBI and nine runs scored … her first hit of the season was a solo home run to open the scoring in the 6-5 loss at UAB (Feb. 18) … drove in a pair of RBI with a two-run double in the fourth inning of the 10-2 (5) win over Bellarmine (Feb. 24) … hit her second home run of the season at No. 18 Georgia (March 3) … her three-run blast in the third inning at East Tennessee State (March 8) drove in what proved to be the game-winning run in the 903 victory … added a two-run home run in Ball State’s 8-4 win over Bowling Green (April 22) … tallied 15 putouts and 45 chances on defense.

2022 (R-Fr.): Earned first letter at Ball State … MAC All-Freshman Team selection … Academic All-MAC … played in 32 games, earning 23 starts … started the final 18 games of the year at third base, while also making three starts in right field and two as the designated player … finished the season with a .268 batting average, collecting 22 hits over 82 at bats … hit .288 in MAC play … tallied seven doubles and a pair of home runs, while scoring nine runs and driving in 13 RBI … her first collegiate hit was a fifth inning RBI single versus New Mexico State (March 11) … credited with her first double in a 2-for-3 effort in the 5-4 win over Ohio (April 11) … went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles, two RBI and a run scored in the 9-5 win over Toledo (April 16) … smashed her first career home run, a solo shot, as part of a 3-for-4 effort with two RBI and two runs scored in the series opener at Buffalo (April 23) … added her second home run in the nightcap versus the Bulls, going 2-for-3 in the game with an RBI and two more runs scored … collected two more doubles and an RBI as part of a 3-for-4 effort in the 7-2 victory over Bowling Green (April 29) … scored what proved to be the game-winning run in the 6-3 victory over Akron (May 7), reaching base with a fourth-inning single … registered 16 putouts and 43 assists on defense, while having a hand in one double play.

2021 (Fr.): Redshirted at Ball State.

HIGH SCHOOL: All-State and First Team All-Conference as both a freshman and sophomore for Antonian College Preparatory School ... voted team MVP her sophomore year … as a sophomore, she logged a .576 batting average with 17 doubles and nine home runs … helped lead the Apaches to a District Championship and a State Runner-up finish her freshman season ... tam also finished as District Runner-up her sophomore season ... limited by injury her junior year.

CLUB: Richards has played eight seasons with the Texas Bombers NTX Gold winning the club’s Offensive MVP in 2016. The team was the Premier Girls Fastpitch runner-up in 2019.

WHY BALL STATE: I chose Ball State because I felt welcomed by the current players and coaches at Ball State and it feels like this is where I am going to make memories, develop friendships and play competitive softball. I am originally from Indianapolis as well and I have an aunt and an uncle that went to Ball State!

PERSONAL: Daughter of Andrea and Bruce Richards … two brothers (Holden and Jack) … father played baseball at Glen Oaks Community College … Richards is majoring in criminology.