Friday Scoreboard
Ball State 14, Central Michigan 6
Kent State 3, Ohio 1
Northern Illinois 4, Toledo 3
Western Michigan 12, Buffalo 9
Bowling Green 5, Akron 4
Stories Courtesy of MAC Sports Information
Ball State 14, Central Michigan 6
Box Score
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - - The Ball State softball team jumped out to an early 9-0 lead after the first two innings and never looked back, winning the series opener at Central Michigan by a final score of 14-6.
With the win, the Cardinals improve to 5-0 in Mid-American Conference action and are now 11-9 on the year. The Chippewas fall to 4-15 overall and to 2-7 in league play with the loss.
Much like last weekend's series sweep of Bowling Green, it was another solid all-around team effort which led to today's victory. In all, 11 different players pounded out hits to help the Cardinals produce season-highs of 14 runs and 17 hits.
Senior catcher Stacy Payton led the way with a 4-for-4 day at the plate, while also scoring three runs, driving in three RBI and drawing a walk. Junior outfielder Faith Hensley led all players with four RBI, while eight different Ball State players drove in at least one run.
On the rubber, junior Tieghan Morio picked up her third win in MAC play, limiting Central Michigan to seven hits and five runs, only three of which were earned, over the first 5.0 innings. She also struck out four batters, as did senior reliever Alyssa Rothwell who held CMU to just one hit and one run over the final 2.0 innings.
The Cardinals opened the scoring with three two-out runs in the top of the first courtesy of a two-run double from Payton followed by an RBI double from Hensley.
The two-out barrage continued in the second, as Ball State added six more two-out runs, starting with a RBI single up the middle from senior outfielder Haley Dominique. Following a CMU pitching change, a walk to BSU's all-time leader in walks, senior first baseman Janae Hogg, loaded the bases.
Payton followed with a walk of her own to extend the lead to 5-0, while Hensley added three more RBI with a bases-clearing double to left center. Senior designated player Delanie Johnson pushed across the final run of the inning with a single up the middle.
While CMU would score four in the bottom of the third and another in the fourth, to cut the lead to 9-5, they would get no closer.
Senior outfielder Kendall Fields would get into the action in the top of the fifth, countering CMU's run an inning earlier with her first RBI of the season on a single to left.
Kent State 3, Ohio 1
Box Score
KENT, Ohio – Fifth-year student-athletes Kristyn Eckl and Olivia Sborlini drove in all of Kent State's runs and freshman Jessica LeBeau did not allow a run over the final six innings of a 3-1 win against Ohio on Friday afternoon at the Diamond at Dix.
After striking out the first two batters of the day, LeBeau allowed back-to-back doubles to the right-center gap that put the Bobcats ahead 1-0.
The Golden Flashes (10-12, 7-2 MAC) were unable to get a hit off Ohio starting pitcher Mackensie Kohl the first time through the lineup, but adjustments were made the next trip to the plate, beginning with senior Kennadie Goth's bloop single over the shortstop with two outs in the bottom of the third.
In the fourth, senior Carlee Selle and junior Brooklyn Whitt singled up the middle. Following a fielder's choice in which pinch runner Jade Ramer was retired at third base for the second out of the frame, Kristyn Eckl sent a dribbler up the middle that got past the diving second baseman and allowed Whitt to score and tie the game.
Whitt reached safely for the third time with an infield single to put a runner aboard with one out in the sixth. She advanced to second on a walk drawn by senior Kaitlyn Miller, and both moved into scoring position on a groundout by Eckl. Olivia Sborlini then delivered her second game-winning hit in the past three games with a single up the middle that allowed Whitt and Miller to score.
Pitching with the lead for the first time, LeBeau (7-6) struck out the first two batters in the seventh inning and got the next batter to weakly pop the ball into foul territory for the final out. She finished with nine strikeouts.
Kent State will be back in action on Saturday for a doubleheader against Ohio. First pitch from the Diamond at Dix is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Northern Illinois 4, Toledo 3
Box Score
TOLEDO, Ohio – The Northern Illinois University softball team took the series opener at Toledo with a 4-3 victory over the Rockets at Scott Park.
A four-run fifth proved to be the difference for NIU (8-15, 3-6). The Huskies received some timely hitting and capitalized on a pair of Toledo errors in the frame.
Bianca Barone led off the inning with a single down the right field line. After Ellis Erickson was hit by a pitch, Amberly Rodriguez reached on an error when she laid down a sacrifice bunt to load the bases.
A strike out and line out brought pinch hitter Delaney Ostrowski to the plate. The Huskie righthander singled to center driving in a pair and tying the game, 2-2. Mackenzie Mahy then put the Huskies ahead with a single to drive in Rodriguez.
Following a Katie Keller walk, Carley Goetschius drove in an insurance run for NIU when she reached on a Rocket error to score Kara Apato, who reentered the game after being pinch hit for by Ostrowski, from third. That would be all the scoring for the Huskies on the day.
Toledo (13-10, 3-4) took an early 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth. The Rockets pulled to within a run with a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth, but that would be as close as they would get.
Western Michigan 12, Buffalo 9
Box Score
KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The Western Michigan softball team returned home to Ebert Field for the first time since 2019 and earned a 12-9 victory over Buffalo to open a four-game Mid-American Conference series.
Mackenzie Swinehart was 3-for-3 with a homer, four RBI and four runs scored. Alyssa Kramer, Jordyn Swinehard and Kaylen Glenfield were each 2-for-4. Glenfield and Courtney Farrish added two RBI each, with Farrish hitting a home run.
Autumn Godwin got the win, allowing two earned runs in 3.2 innings of relief work. Stefanick recorded her first save of the year, striking out three of the four batters she faced.
Buffalo jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to a pair of unearned runs in the top half of the first. Alexis Lucyshyn provided the big hit with a two-out single to score a pair of runs.
The Broncos immediately cut the deficit in half when Mackenzie Swinehart drilled her fourth homer of the season over the fence in left-center.
The visitors then used a four-run third to open a 6-1 lead. Rachel Steffan delivered a solo homer, Jenna Richmond hit an RBI double and Brianna Castro hit a two-run homer to left in the frame.
WMU again immediately responded, scoring three in the bottom half of the frame. A single from Jordyn Swinehart and a double from Mackenzie Swinehart started the inning before an error by the UB pitcher allowed Mackenzie Swinehat to score. Glenfield then attempted to steal second on a delay and got into a rundown. She was retired, but Jordyn Swinehart score on the play. Farrish served an opposite-field solo homer over the wall in right to cut the UB lead to 6-4.
Another crooked number put the Broncos ahead in the fourth. Mackenzie Swinehart tied the game with a two-run double down the left-field line. Glenfield then singled her home to put WMU ahead, 7-6.
Bowling Green 5, Akron 4
Box Score?
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University softball team scored a pair of sixth-inning runs to rally for a 5-4 win over the University of Akron on Friday afternoon (April 2). The game, the opener of a four-game weekend series, was held at Meserve Field.
The Falcons (11-13, 3-6 Mid-American Conference) scored the game's first three runs, but the Zips (3-16, 2-3 MAC) chipped away at the lead. Akron scored single runs in the fourth and fifth frames, then plated a pair of unearned runs to take a 4-3 lead in the top of the sixth.
But, on an Akron error, Sarah Gonzalez came around to score, and Sammy Dees ripped a double down the left-field line to score Greta L'Esperance with the go-ahead run.
Hannah Davies got the final four outs, allowing just one baserunner en route to picking up the win in relief. She hit an Akron batter with a two-out pitch in the seventh, but got Tiffany Stevens to hit a soft liner back to the circle, plucking the ball out of midair for the final out.
Dees drove in a pair of runs in the win, while Madi McCoy reached base three times, with a double and a pair of walks.
