No. 2 Ball State 11, No. 5 Western Michigan 3
Boxscore
Video: Ball State's Hanne Stuedemann
Video: Head Coach Tyra Perry
AKRON, Ohio – The second-seeded Ball State University Cardinals used a five-run second to overcome a 2-0 deficit, and eventually topped No. 5 Western Michigan, 11-3, to claim the 2015 Mid-American Conference Softball Championship title.
WMU’s Ivy Schaaf opened the scoring in the first with a leadoff home run top give the Broncos a quick 1-0 lead. They then tacked another run on when Kelsea Cichocki hit their second homer of the game.
The Cardinals stormed back with a five-run second aided by a three-run blast to dead center by India Steward.
The Broncos closed the score to within two at 5-3, with a run in the third, but Cardinals ace, Nicole Steinbach shutdown the WMU hitters the rest of the way to earn the Cardinals the title.
Starting in the fifth, Hanne Stuedemann then went to work at the plate delivering a three run blast in the bottom of the inning to extend the lead to 8-3. In her final at bat, Stuedemann blasted a long single to the centerfield wall, driving in the clinching run, giving the Cardinals an eight run lead in the sixth.
The MAC title is the first under second-year head coach Tyra Perry, and the third in program history.
Following the game Ball State’s Hanne Stuedemann was named 2015 MAC Softball Tournament MVP, and was joined by teammates Emily Dabkowski and Nicole Steinbach on the All-Tournament Team.
For the Broncos, Kelsea Cichocki, Allyson Kus, Melissa Palmer and Ivy Schaaf were recognized as All-Tournament performers.
With the win, Ball State receives the MAC automatic bid to the 2015 NCAA Softball Championships and will learn their NCAA fate Monday, May 10th at 10:00 PM ET on ESPNU.
2015 MAC All-Tournament Team
Savannah Fruin, Akron
Rachel Knapp, Central Michigan
Emma Johnson, Kent State
Kelsea Cichocki, Western Michigan
Allyson Kus, Western Michigan
Melissa Palmer, Western Michigan
Ivy Schaaf, Western Michigan
Emily Dabkowski, Ball State
Nicole Steinbach, Ball State
Hanne Stuedemann, Ball State – MVP
