Samantha-Jo Mata

Photo by: Nick Lawler/Ball State Athletics

Position:
Infield
Height:
5-6
Class:
Sophomore
High School:
Cypress
Hometown:
Cypress, Calif.

BALL STATE CAREER NOTES ENTERING 2024 SEASON
• Played in 78 of a possible 106 games over her career, earning 64 starts
• Made 54 starts at first base, seven as designated player, two at third base, and one in right field
• Has driven in three game-winning RBI and scored three game-winning runs over her Ball State career

2023 (R-Jr.): Earned second letter at Ball State … played in 46 games, earning 39 starts … made 36 starts at first base and three as the designated player … finished the season with a .231 batting average, tallying 25 hits over 108 at bats … credited with three doubles and three home runs … also drew 14 walks and was hit by a pitch twice for a .314 on base percentage … collected 15 RBI and 12 runs scored … registered her first of four two-hit games in the 3-1 victory over Stetson (March 5) … her first home run of the season was a three-run blast to drive in herself for what proved to be the game-winning run in the 10-2 (6) victory over Central Michigan (March 26) … scored what proved to be the game-winning run in the 6-2 victory at Buffalo (April 15) after reaching base on a second-inning single … blasted a solo home run in the 8-1 victory at Bowling Green (April 23), which was her second two-hit game of the season … added one of Ball State’s single game program record six home runs in the 6-1 win at Akron (April 29) … collected two hits in each of Ball State’s MAC Championship games versus Miami (May 11) and Central Michigan (May 12) … boasted a .978 fielding percentage with 257 putouts and nine assists … had a hand in 13 of the team’s 20 double plays.

2022 (R-So.): Earned first letter at Ball State … played in 32 games, earning 25 starts … made 18 starts at first base, four as designated player, two at third base, and one in right field … finished the season with a .259 batting average, tallying 22 hits over 85 at bats … scored 16 runs and tallied 17 RBI on the season … ranked second on the team with seven home runs … her first three hits for the Cardinals were solo home runs versus Robert Morris (Feb. 18), Kent State (April 2), and in the first game at Northern Illinois (April 6) … followed with a 4-for-4 effort and a season-high four RBI in the nightcap at Northern Illinois (April 6), including a solo home run to give the game a final score of 11-0 … registered five multiple-hit games on the year … went 2-for-3 and drove in what proved to be the game-winning run on a sac fly in the April 16 opener at Toledo … added a pair of home runs in the Western Michigan series, including a three-run blast to drive in what proved to be the game-winning run in the 5-0 series finale victory on April 20, which was also the first perfect game in program history thrown by then-freshman pitcher Angelina Russo … scored what proved to be the game-winning run in the 7-2 victory over Bowling Green (April 29), starting with an RBI single and coming around to score on a home run later in the inning … blasted her seventh home run of the season in the series opener versus Miami (May 4) … finished the season with a .981 fielding percentage, registering 143 putouts and 15 assists with just three errors … had a hand in turning six double plays.

Joined the Ball State program after playing the 2020 season at Alabama State. Did not play in 2021.

ALABAMA STATE - 2020 (Fr.): Saw action in 15 games, starting in nine as a freshman at Alabama State… tallied two RBIs, two hits, and scored a pair of runs in her first season… recorded her first collegiate hit and walk against Buffalo (Feb. 9)… finished the season with 38 putouts on 39 chances (.974 FLD%) and had a career-high 10 putouts against Mercer (Feb. 28).

HIGH SCHOOL: Played high school softball in California at Cypress High School where she was named a team captain… awarded with Second Team All-League as a junior and First Team-All League as a senior at Cypress… was also named to the All-Academic Team as well.

PERSONAL: Daughter of Wendie and James Mata… has three siblings - Bobby, Devin and Heather… graduated from Ball State in the spring of 2023 with a degree in communications ... currently working on her master's in Athletic Coaching Education.