After fighting through unusual control issues and a heartbreaking final frame loss on Sunday, the Ball State softball team used dominant pitching performances to win three out of their five games this weekend.
Ball State tied its final game in the top of the seventh, but Tennessee Tech pulled out a walk-off win of 2-1 to keep coach Craig Nicholson searching for more consistent defense and timely offense.
"There are some plays that we have to make that we didn't make this weekend," Nicholson said. "But we also made some great plays defensively. We got to have more consistent and solid at bats."
Left fielder Jennifer Gilbert quickly proved her struggles in the team's opening weekend were just a fluke. She broke out of her slump against Belmont on Friday, going 4 for 4 with two home runs, one a grand slam and six RBIs. She added a third home run for the weekend in a 3-0 win over Cleveland State on Saturday.
Nicholson said Gilbert's performance dictates to a degree how the offense is doing in any game, making her play at the plate crucial for the team to succeed.
Gilbert said that a change from slap hitting to a normal style after playing for Team Canada in South Africa has caused her to start slow, but that it shouldn't take too much longer to adjust.
Senior right-hander Audrey Workman finished the weekend with a 1.12 ERA, but picked up the two losses for the Cardinals in their first and last games of the weekend.
Workman had an unusual start against Troy on Friday, giving up six runs and seven walks to opposing batters. She rebounded well, though, finishing with two complete games with one earned run allowed in 14 innings pitched.
"I really focused on going right at the hitters and knowing that the stuff that I have does work," Workman said.
Senior Kim Mazzapica started the other two games on the mound for the Cardinals, picking up two wins, including a complete game against Dayton. She allowed one earned run on five hits with six strikeouts.
Sophomore Audrey Bickel played well offensively through the five games, hitting .583 with a home run and four walks.
The Cardinals next destination is Orlando, Fla., to play in the Citrus Classic, beginning with South Alabama at 10 a.m. on Friday.
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