Each week, The Ball State Daily News sports staff picks its PPQ — the player, play and quote of the week. And, with the help of our online readers, the weekly fan choice is also featured.
Here's this week's best:
Player: Jessie Ware, softball
The senior, Arizona State transfer batted .611 (11-for-18) on the week as she led the Cardinals to a 4-1 record, including a 2-1 win over No. 3 Missouri on Friday. Ware on the season is hitting .424 with 36 hits, including eight doubles and seven triples.
Play: Tiffany Brodbeck, gymnastics
Trailing Eastern Michigan going into the last rotation Sunday, Ball State needed strong scores on the floor exercise from its top gymnasts to pull out the victory. Brodbeck, a freshman, responded with a 9.9, tied for the 10th-highest floor score in school history, as the Cardinals squeaked out a 193.45-193.425 victory. Brodbeck is the first freshman to score a 9.9 in any event since 2004.
Quote: "Some of these games, they've been tough on us. I'm trying to help our guys work their way through that. I just feel like our guys haven't leaned on each other, and what I said is ‘I think we need to start loving each other a little bit better, be behind each other and understand that all 30 of us are in this together.'" — Ball State baseball coach Greg Beals
Fan Choice: Dalton Albertin, men's tennis
With an impressive 42 votes and 44 percent of the vote, Albertin blew away second-place Larry Wrather of the men's volleyball team, who had 18 votes. Albertin, a freshman, teamed with No. 1 doubles partner Eduardo Pavia to defeat No. 36 Illinois 8-6 on Friday before winning in doubles and singles Saturday against Butler.
To vote in next week's poll, be sure to visit Monday's online edition of The Ball State Daily News.
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