After falling short of its first-place preseason ranking in the Mid-American Conference West Division, the Ball State softball team comes into the 2012 season hoping to reclaim its place.
The team showed spectators Friday at the Quality Inn Classic in Troy, Alabama that its goal may be possible.
After winning its first game 7-2 over East Tennessee State, Ball State fought with No. 5 ranked Missouri. Down 3-0 going into the top of the seventh inning, the Cardinals pulled within one of the Tigers after center fielder Kayla Kingsley made a fielding error. A strikeout by sophomore third baseman Lauren Schroeder and freshman second baseman Taylor Cox ended all hopes of a Cardinals upset.
Senior catcher Amanda Montalto said despite the loss, the team put forth a lot of effort.
"The big thing we can take away from this is we don't give up," she said. "We keep fighting no matter what or who the team is. We keep pushing until the very last out or the very last inning.
"I think the thing that really kept us going and will keep us going the whole season is we are hungry. We want to get back what's ours."
Leading the way for the Cardinals was sophomores Jennifer Gilbert and Taylor Rager. In game one against East Tennessee State, Gilbert went 1-3 with three RBIs. Rager went 3-3 in game two against No. 5 Missouri, including a one-out single in the top of the seventh that helped begin the Cardinals upset bid.
Ball State coach Craig Nicholson said there is a lot of good to take away from the loss to Missouri.
"I'm not much of a believer in moral victories," he said. "You win or lose, and we lost. But I do think there are times where you can take positives from a loss. The positive is we were right there. We never quit in that game. We battled right till the last out."
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