After five innings against intrastate rival Indiana, the Ball State softball team found themselves down a run, six outs away from their 21st loss of the season.
But the Cardinals (9-20 overall, 2-1 in the Mid-American Conference) found a way to get the job done in the bottom of the sixth, scoring two runs on three hits to win their home opener 2-1.
With 112 fans looking on, Mandy Snyder started the inning with a single to centerfield, and Kelli Jeziorski took first base after being hit by a pitch. Two batters later, Jodi Willis singled, setting the stage for a game-winning, two-run double by Taylor Yancey.
The Hoosiers could only muster a leadoff single by Lauren Hines in the top of the seventh, falling to 23-19 for the season.
Ball State's only other threat came in the bottom of the first, when Kris Burdine, who earlier was named MAC West Division Player of the Week, hit a line drive to centerfield that went through the glove of IU's Heather Hohs. From there, the Cardinals couldn't capitalize as Indiana's Mariangee Bogado got the next three batters out.
Coach Terri Laux was pleased with her team's performance, calling it a "well-played game."
"We've been in that situation before where we've been behind and come back to take the lead," she said. "That's been the situation we've been in many times to win the game this season."
Snyder led both teams with three hits for the game. The Cardinals finished with six for the game, and the Hoosiers managed four. Burdine, Snyder and Willis collected the other three hits for the Cardinals.
Randi Freese went the distance for Ball State, allowing one run on four hits for her fourth win of the season.
"Randi had a great game," Laux said. "She held a very good hitting team to four hits. More importantly, the defense made the plays behind her."
Ball State travels to Terre Haute today for a doubleheader against Indiana State. ISU has improved the past two seasons with a new coach, Laux said, and she called the Sycamores an aggressive team.
Heading into the game, Ball State continues to fight injury, as Cortney Patteson suffered an AC sprain and, against Eastern Michigan, Darla Dewig re-injured the shoulder she had surgery on last season. Morgan Metzger also fractured her tibia against Iowa.
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