Ball State's softball team enters this weekend's three-game series at Mid-American Conference rival Bowling Green fighting to maintain third place in the West Division over the Falcons.
Bowling Green (18-21 overall, 5-5 in the MAC) won two of three last weekend against defending MAC tournament champion Western Michigan, swept Oakland in a doubleheader Monday and split a pair with Buffalo on Thursday.
Lindsay Heimrich was named MAC Player of the Week for her performance against the Broncos, in which she led her team in hitting with a .462 batting average. On the day Heimrich was awarded for last weekend's performance, she threw her first collegiate no-hitter in a 2-0 win over Oakland.
Bowling Green leads the MAC with a 1.65 team ERA, and is led by Liz Vrabel, who has a MAC-best 1.31 ERA. She has eight wins and 107 strikeouts this season.
Coach Terri Laux said since her team saw Vrabel last season, it should help the players' adjustment.
"As long as we stay disciplined, we should be OK," she said.
Ball State trails 35-27 in the all-time series, which began in 1981. The Falcons have won four straight against the Cardinals.
The Cardinals come into the weekend having split a two-game series with Akron on Wednesday. The Zips' Tina McCauley allowed only two hits in the first game, but the Cardinals erupted for 15 in the second game. Kris Burdine hit the game-winning single that bounced off Akron's pitcher in the second game.
Laux believes starting shortstop Taylor Yancey will be available for the weekend. Yancey bruised her kneecap in game one against Akron, and was unable to play in the second, but Laux said the swelling in the knee is down. Yancey's injury is the latest of the Cardinals' medical woes, as five players have gone down with injury.
Randi Freese and Quincy Duran will get the starts over the weekend, Laux said. They've been starting in the MAC season because of their different styles.
"They do a very good job starting," Laux said. "From a coaching standpoint, you go on gut, and that's been working for us."
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