For its fourth tournament of the 2023-24 campaign, Ball State softball traveled to the Bluegrass State as the Cardinals competed in Eastern Kentucky’s Colonel Classic. After a weekend that was plagued by inclement weather, the red and black finished the event 2-2.
Friday
The Cardinals (8-11) started the tournament with a contest against Canisius. After being interrupted by rain, Ball State fell to the Golden Griffons 3-2.
Ball State graduate student Haley Wynn started the game with a leadoff single. The hit gave her 200 career hits. The Cardinals hit the scoreboard first when Wynn – who had three of Ball State’s seven hits – scored on a fielder’s choice play. The red and black held the 1-0 lead when the game was delayed due to rain in the top of the third inning.
Two-and-a-half hours later, the game resumed. In the bottom of the fourth, the Golden Griffins struck back with a solo shot. While Ball State scored another run to tie the contest, Canisius (4-7) scored two more runs to take the victory.
The Cardinals were scheduled to play Purdue Fort Wayne that evening, but the game was canceled to preserve the field for the rest of the event.
Saturday
Ball State entered day two as the red and black faced instate opponent Purdue Fort Wayne. Looking for their first win of the weekend, the Cardinals swing on offense. After recording eight hits, they defeated the Mastodons (4-14) 6-0.
Senior Kaitlyn Mathews and graduate student Jazmyne Armendariz led the red and black with two hits each. While their offense helped, senior Francys King delivered in the circle as she recorded her second shutout of the season.
She finished the win with three strikeouts and only allowed four hits from the Mastodons.
Going into the game against Canisius, the Cardinals wanted to get revenge after falling to the Golden Griffins the day prior. In the end, Ball State did just that as they took the 7-3 victory.
Just like the game before, Ball State’s offense had momentum as seven different Cardinals recorded hits totaling 10, a weekend high. Mathews, redshirt junior McKayla Timmons, and redshirt sophomore McKenna Mulholland each had two hits.
Sunday
Heading into the Cardinals’ final game of the event, Ball State had a chance to leave Kentucky with their best tournament record of the season. However, the red and black could not find an offensive rhythm and fell 6-0 to Eastern Kentucky (14-4).
Unlike the rest of the weekend, Ball State struggled at the plate and only recorded two hits. On the mound, the Cardinals also had issues keeping the Colonels at bay as they finished the contest with nine hits.
Ball State will be back when the Cardinals travel to East Tennessee State Tuesday, March 5. It will be a doubleheader with game one starting at 5 p.m.
Contact Zach Carter with comments at zachary.carter@bsu.edu or on X @ZachCarter85.
