After returning from a weekend road trip in Ohio, the Ball State University softball team has little time to rest as it hits the road again today.
The Cardinals [11-19, 2-2 Mid-American Conference] will play a double header at Eastern Illinois University (13-17) after coming off a four-game roadtrip last weekend.
"It will be a good test to see where we are," coach Craig Nicholson said.
The Cardinals are being tested by the amount of travel they have done recently, Nicholson said.
Ball State is also dealing with the departure of sophomore Stephanie Talarek.
Talarek quit the team because of issues with playing time after the team's road trip to Florida two weeks ago, Nicholson said. Talarek, a transfer student from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro was primarily the Cardinals designated hitter.
With Talarek's departure, freshman Amber Wolf took over the designated hitter role. Wolf has started the previous nine games at designated hitter.
"She's a pretty laid-back kid," Nicholson said. "She took it in stride."
Wolf is second on the team with a .308 batting average and a .400 on-base percentage.
She hits seventh in the batting order and is doing what is needed, Nicholson said. He said the bottom of the order needs to get on base and does not need power numbers. By getting on base, the top of the order has more opportunities to drive in runs.
"She's done a solid job," Nicholson said. "She earned the opportunity by being a solid pinch hitter."
At the beginning of the season, Wolf was a pinch hitter for the Cardinals. Being a designated hitter is like pinch hitting three times a game, Nicholson said.
It can be hard to be the designated hitter because the player sits on the bench for a few innings before they see action at the plate, he said. However, Wolf took it in stride partly because of her laid-back personality, Nicholson said.
Wolf said she watches the pitcher when she is not playing. Talking with her teammates about what the pitcher is doing makes it easier to prepare for her at bats, she said.
"I don't think it's hard at all [to hit after sitting on the bench]," Wolf said.
Wolf came to Ball State as a catcher who can also play third base. However, she will not see action in the field this year unless there is an injury to another player, Nicholson said.
Senior Taylor Yancey anchors third and junior Abby Gross catches for the Cardinals. In addition to being core offensive players, the two also provide stronger defense than Wolf, Nicholson said.
However, if Wolf continues to hit well, she will retain her spot of designated hitter, Nicholson said.
"I've always enjoyed hitting the most," Wolf said.
Another freshman, Elizabeth Milian, was awarded the MAC West Pitcher of the Week Monday. Milian pitched four complete games, as she went 3-1 on the week. She allowed four earned runs in 26 innings of work, for an earned run average of 1.38.
Milian struck out nine and walked three in the four games. She threw a one-hitter against Indiana University on March 28. It was the second time this season that she won the award.
"If you do that, you should be MAC pitcher of the week," Nicholson said.
In actionBALL STATE at Eastern Illinois University
TIME4 p.m.
VENUEWilliams Field
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