Ball State Seniors
Jessica Craft - Catcher
Loren Cihlar - Outfielder
Hanne Stuedemann - Outfielder
Northern Illinois carried its momentum from the first win, gaining a 5-2 lead after two innings. But Ball State scored in each of the final four innings to get the win.
"We just didn't give up and kept fighting and encouraging each other on the field and in the dugout," senior Loren Cihlar said. "It was a real team effort that got us back over Northern Illinois, much like it has been all season."
The Cardinals outscored the Huskies 2-1 in the first inning.
Northern Illinois responded with four runs in the second, chasing starting pitcher Carolyn Wilmes from the game after 1.1 innings.
Wilmes allowed five earned runs on five hits with two strikeouts.
Ball State cut the lead to two with a Sammi Cowger RBI single in the bottom of the third that scored senior Jessica Craft.
Both teams scored a run in the fourth. Cihlar tripled home shortstop Selena Reyna to make the score 6-4 in the bottom half.
The Cardinals tied the game in the fifth when sophomore Amanda Arnett hit it to third. The throw to first went over the first baseman's head, scoring Craft and outfielder India Steward.
Senior Hanne Stuedemann drove in the winning run in the sixth with a sacrifice fly to score Cihlar.
Cihlar led the offense with three hits in the game. Ball State recorded 13 hits as a team.
The seniors combined to contribute six of those hits.
Junior Kelsey Schifferdecker entered the game after Wilmes and picked up her second win of the season. She allowed one run on six hits while striking out one.
After the game, Ball State honored its seniors with gifts and framed jerseys. There was a celebratory dinner at the field with all the players, coaches and families.
"It is such a huge honor to be able to have that moment with our families and our teammates," Craft said. "It was so special for all three of us."
Read More
Delta baseball defeats Yorktown in extra innings to become Delaware County champions
By Zach Carter / YesterdayThe Eagles defeated the Tigers 5-2 in extra innings to win the Delaware County baseball tournament. It's the first time Delta has won the event since 2017.
'I'm grateful and proud:' No. 6 Ball State falls to No. 1 Miami in MAC Championship title game
By Zach Carter / YesterdayThe No. 6 Cardinals fell to the No. 1 Redhawks 8-0 in the MAC title game. It's the farthest the Cardinals have advanced in the tournament since 2015.
AP: Police arrest dozens as they break up pro-Palestinian protests at several US universities
By The Associated Press / YesterdayPolice made dozens of arrests as pro-Palestinian protest encampments were dismantled Friday at the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, hours after police tear-gassed demonstrators and took down a similar camp at the University of Arizona.
