A different lineup due to injury didn't affect Ball State's offensive production over the weekend, as they combined for 36 hits in four games. The Cardinals split doubleheaders with IPFW on Saturday and Toledo on Sunday at the Ball State Softball Complex.
"We hit pretty well; we're making solid contact and getting hits, and for the most part, scoring runners in scoring position," coach Terri Laux said.
Ball State (14-31 overall, 6-9 in the Mid-American Conference) has been riddled with injury this season, and the return of the team's latest casualty, first baseman Jodi Willis, is unknown. Willis has been hampered by back problems throughout the season and aggravated it in practice last week. The Cardinals used different lineups throughout the weekend because of several players being out.
"We had to use everybody [available]; we didn't have a choice," Laux said.
Against IPFW, the Cardinals won game one 8-5 but lost 4-3 in the second. The Cardinals fell to MAC-rival Toledo 8-6 on Sunday, then bounced back for a 2-0 win in the nightcap.
On Saturday the Cardinals struck first when they scored two runs in the bottom of the first off Taylor Yancey's two-RBI single. After IPFW responded with three runs in the top of the third, Ball State erupted in the same inning with six runs on seven hits. An inning later, IPFW scored twice, but were unable to come any closer.
Five errors by the Cardinals helped IPFW in game two. Heading into the bottom of the seventh, Ball State found itself behind 4-1. The team almost came through with two runs scored by Britni Clark and Sarah McGregor, but IPFW held on for the win.
"We kind of broke down a little bit fundamentally in that second game," Laux said. "The errors that were made were easy plays."
On Sunday the Cardinals found themselves ahead 5-1 in top of the fifth inning in game one against Toledo, but gave up seven runs in the remaining three innings. The Rockets won in the seventh inning when Tracy Lehman's pop out to right field scored two runners.
In the nightcap, the Cardinals found themselves with the bases loaded in the third inning. Ball State scored only one run, but that was all it would need thanks to the pitching duo of starter Randi Freese and reliever Quincy Duran, who combined for only one hit allowed. Ball State added a run in the sixth inning when Burdine's triple scored Crystal Newton.
"Randi and Quincy did a good job of shutting them down, and the defense made some pretty big plays as well," Laux said.
"I really think we should have won all four. I think we're better than the two teams we played. We had let downs or we didn't continue on our offensive attack."
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