Ball State softball bounces back with 3-0 weekend

Upcoming schedule:

April 5 at Northern Illinois 2 and 4 p.m.

April 8 vs Buffalo 3 p.m.

April 9 vs Buffalo 1 and 3 p.m.

April 13 vs Northern Illinois 2 p.m.

After dropping its first three Mid-American Conference games to Miami University the weekend before, Ball State softball came back sweeping Ohio University in three games.

The Cardinals opened the weekend on April 1 with a 2-1 victory, then came back the next day winning 3-2 in the first game and 8-6 in the second. 

Senior pitcher Nicole Steinbach said her team had a different mentality entering its first home games of the season.

“We didn’t execute or meet our expectations last weekend, but we knew we wanted to come out here and attack against good competition like Ohio,” Steinbach said.

Against Miami on March 25-26, Ball State wasn't able to capitalize with runners in scoring position. 

Head coach Megan Ciolli Bartlett was glad to see some timely hits and execution this weekend.

“We spent a lot of time this week preparing, and they did a good job. They made good solid contact and, of course, Amanda Arnett came up with two big hits,” Bartlett said, referring to Arnett’s two home runs in the third game against Ohio. “We had a game plan in place, and the girls stuck to it and executed well.”

The three victories put Ball State in a tie for third place in the MAC West Division. Bartlett said the victories were important moving forward in conference play.

“It was incredibly important,” Bartlett said. “It was great for our momentum. They were great team wins, and I think we can take so much good from this weekend.”

The excitement was shared not just on the coaching staff, but with the players as well.

“This weekend was big, especially against Ohio,” Arnett said. “We had to flush last weekend, and we came to play this weekend.”

Ball State's schedule won't get any easier, as it travels to DeKalb, Ill., for a two-game midweek set against MAC West-leading Northern Illinois (23-10, 4-2 MAC). The games are at 2 and 4 p.m. April 5.

The next home game for Ball State is April 8 with a three-game series against Buffalo.

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