After struggling to get its offense going Tuesday, the Ball State University softball team did not have the same problem Wednesday as it scored 21 runs in a doubleheader at IUPUI.
The Cardinals (26-20, 4-4 Mid-American Conference) swept the series against the Jaguars by winning the first game 6-0 and the second game 15-0.
"We came out pretty good," Ball State coach Craig Nicholson said. "We scored a run in the first inning of the first game, we came out with a heck of a lot more energy than [Tuesday]."
The Cardinals had 10 hits in the first game Wednesday and scored one run in the first, four in the second and one more in the fourth. In the second game they recorded 14 hits with two runs in the third, three in the fifth and 10 in the seventh.
In the two games Ball State had 14 stolen bases, including multiple stolen base games by Alyssa Collins, Lisa Rozanski, Alicia Barkley and Allie Pennock.
Kathryn Wilczynski said the team had been content with not finishing hard but came out with a different approach Wednesday.
"I think that we all came together really well and we just knew that we needed to get these two wins," she said.
With runners on the bases and early leads, the Cardinals could be more aggressive on the base paths, Nicholson said.
"We could do whatever we wanted on the bases," he said.
Abby Gross led the Cardinals' offense with seven RBIs in the two games. She was 2-for-2 with three RBIs and two walks in the first game. She then went 3-for-5 with four RBIs and one run scored in game two.
Wilczynski also had multiple RBIs in game two, with two RBIs and one run scored as she went 2-for-4 at the plate. She was also 2-for-3 in the first game in addition to scoring a run and walking once.
Collins had three RBIs in the second game, four overall, and scored five runs on the day. In the two games she was 2-of-6 with two walks.
Barkley was 3-for-3 in the second game with two runs scored, a RBI and a walk. She was 1-for-4 in the first game with a run scored and a RBI.
Pennock had a perfect day at the plate in the second game, going 3-for-3 with four runs scored.
Amanda Pick also added to the offensive production with a 3-for-4 performance in the first game with one RBI. She also scored a run in the second game.
Rozanski picked up her first hits since March 16 as she went 1-for-4 in both games and scored three runs.
"You don't really expect for that many people to have that good of a good day," Nicholson said.
While the Ball State batters found success against IUPUI, the Jaguars' batters did not have same success against the Cardinals' pitching.
Elizabeth Milian, Laura Masch and Tiffany Garofano combined to pitch 14 scoreless innings and held IUPUI to seven hits.
Milian picked up the win in the first game to improve to 13-7 by pitching the complete game, allowing four hits, no walks and striking out four.
Garofano got the second win by limiting the Jaguars to two hits and two walks in four innings. She struck out two and improved to 8-10 on the year.
Masch started the second game and allowed one hit and two walks in her three innings on the mound. She also struck out one.
Nicholson said the wins will provide a great confidence booster as the Cardinals prepare for a weekend series against MAC foe Miami University.
"I don't know if you can even measure [the effect]," he said. "It's absolutely huge for us to have a day like this and be feeling good heading into the weekend."
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