Heading into this weekend, the Ball State softball team finds itself in the midst of a five-game losing streak and has lost six of its last seven games. The slump couldn't come at a worse time as the Cardinals enter the home stretch of their season with two weeks remaining.
Currently in fourth place in the Mid-American Conference at 12-29 overall and 5-8 in the MAC but falling in the standings fast, the Cardinals must turn around the losing streak if they want any chance to advance to the MAC tournament. Only six teams qualify, and at this point the Cardinals are on the outside looking in.
The good news for the Cardinals is that with seven of their remaining eight opponents being MAC opponents, they have an opportunity to open the door and enter.
This weekend, the Cardinals hope to end the losing streak when they compete in two doubleheaders, one Saturday against Indiana Purdue-Fort Wayne, the other Sunday against MAC rival Toledo.
Ball State and IPFW have met only twice, with the Cardinals coming out victorious in both games last season. IPFW is also in the midst of a struggling season with a 4-26 record. Jenna Beachy leads the team with a .360 batting average, and Mindy Pomeroy leads the pitching staff with a 2.31 ERA and has 45 strikeouts.
Although Toledo (14-24 overall, 2-10 MAC) leads the all-time record against Ball State, which started in 1983, 33-35-1, recent history hasn't been kind to the Rockets. Ball State has won 11 of the last 13 and 17 of the last 21 games against Toledo.
Gina Muratori leads the team in hitting with a .291 batting average, and Stephanie Moore leads the Rocket pitchers with a 2.40 ERA and eight wins this season.
Ball State enters the weekend after losing twice to Northern Illinois on Wednesday, 7-0 and 3-2. The inability to advance runners has been a problem all season for the Cardinals, and game two against the Huskies was no exception. Ball State had opportunities to score in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, but left seven runners on base.
"We're gonna have to find ways to score runs. Pitching will keep us in games, but we have to find a way to score runs. We have to have an aggressive mindset and attack," coach Terri Laux said.
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