Kaitlyn Mathews

Photo by: Nick Lawler/Ball State Athletics

Position:
Outfield
Height:
5-6
Class:
Sophomore
High School:
Paris
Hometown:
Paris, Ill.

BALL STATE CAREER NOTES ENTERING 2024 SEASON
• Played in 104 of a possible 161 games over her career, earning 88 starts
• Made 44 starts in right field, 42 in left field and two in center field
• 2023 CSC Academic All-District Softball Team
• 2022 & 2023 Academic All-MAC
• Has driven in four game-winning RBI and scored three game-winning runs over her Ball State career

2023 (Jr.): Earned third letter at Ball State … College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honoree … Academic All-MAC … started all 50 games she played, with 42 in left field, six in right field and two in center field … finished the season with a .271 average, tallying 36 hits over 133 at bats … credited with 10 doubles, a triple and two home run … scored 21 runs and tallied 19 RBI … drove in what proved to be the game-winning run with a two-run single in the first inning of the 10-1 (5) victory over Lindenwood (Feb. 19) … went 3-for-3 in the game with two RBI and one runs scored, one of her two three-hit games on the season … blasted her first home run of the season in the 10-1 victory over Sacred Heart (March 10) … her second three-hit game was a 3-for-5 effort with two RBI and two runs scored, as well as a pair of stolen bases, in the 15-9 win at Kent State (March 17) … her second home run of the season was a two-out, seventh-inning blast to tie the score and force extra innings in BSU’s 2-1 (8) win over Central Michigan (March 26) … credited with her first career triple in the 2-1 win in the series opener versus Northern Illinois (March 28) … drove in what proved to be the game-winning run with a RBI double in the third inning of BSU’s 6-1 win at Toledo (April 8) … used a fourth-inning single to drive in what proved to be the game-winning run in the 11-3 (6) victory over Buffalo (April 16) … scored the game-winning run after reaching base via a fifth-inning single in the 8-4 win at Bowling Green (April 22) … finished the season with a .982 fielding percentage, with 53 putouts and two outfield assists … had a hand on one double play.

2022 (So.): Earned second letter at Ball State … Academic All-MAC … played in 45 games, earning 38 starts in right field … finished the season with a .263 average, with 26 hits over 99 at bats … tallied three doubles and a pair of home runs … scored 14 runs and drove in 14 RBI … ranked third on the team with eight stolen bases … her first collegiate hit was a fifth-inning single in the season-opener versus St. Thomas (Feb. 11) … also drew her first collegiate walk in the game, finishing the day 1-for-2 with a run scored … scored her first of two game-winning runs on the season versus Towson (Feb. 18) after being placed on second in the eighth inning … credited with her first career double versus New Mexico State (March 11) … went 2-for-2 with a walk versus No. 14 Northwestern (March 20) for her first career multi-hit game … followed with a 2-for-3 effort versus No. 18 Missouri (March 21), eventually scoring the game-winning run after tying the score with a one-out RBI double in the sixth inning … tallied her third career double in a 3-for-3 effort versus Kent State (April 2), driving in one run while scoring two in the 11-3 (5) victory … registered her first career multi-RBI game with three in 13-3 (5) victory at Northern Illinois (April 5) starting with a RBI fielder’s choice and following with a pair of sac flies … also recorded her first career stolen base in the game … turned in a 3-for-4 effort, including her first career home run, two RBI, and a run scored in the 9-5 win at Toledo (April 16) … blasted her second career home run as part of a 3-for-3 effort in the series opener at Buffalo (April 23), scoring two runs and driving in a pair of RBI … pushed across what proved to be the game-winning run in the 4-0 series finale victory at Buffalo (April 24) with her first of two walks in the game … finished the season with a .979 fielding percentage, recording 40 putouts and six assists with just one error … had a hand in one double play.

2021 (Fr.): Earned first letter at Ball State … appeared in nine games as a pinch runner … scored three runs on the year … her first collegiate run came in a 9-5 victory over Bowling Green (March 28) … also scored at Butler (April 13) and in the 3-2 win over Ohio (April 23).

HIGH SCHOOL: Named team MVP at Paris High School as a junior after leading the Little Illini Conference with a .604 batting average, a 1.031 slugging percentage and 29 RBIs … helped guide the Tigers to an undefeated conference season as a junior … also earned four varsity letters in cheerleading, being named All-State as a junior and won the ICCA State Championships as a freshman … also earned varsity letters in tennis (3) and volleyball (1).

CLUB: Mathews has played six seasons with Illiana Dream Seams which earned the title of 2019 USSSA National Champions.

WHY BALL STATE: I chose Ball State because ever since I stepped foot onto campus, Ball State felt like the perfect home for me! I love everything about the softball program, including the atmosphere and coaches.

PERSONAL: Daughter of Darcie and Kile Mathews … one sister (Kendall) … currently undecided in her major.