Ball State softball kickoff off its journey in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Softball Championship Wednesday afternoon. Coming into the contest, second-year Cardinals’ head coach Helen Peña said she wanted the team to take in the moment.
“I didn't want the pressure or the expectation of what we want to overshadow playing our game,” Peña said. “Enjoy the hard, enjoy the good and enjoy the failures because you never know when it's gonna be the last time [you play].”
The No. 4 Cardinals understood that message and used it to run rule No. 5 Akron 9-1 behind 13 hits.
The contest at Akron’s Firestone Stadium began with defensive play from both teams. However, that all changed in the third inning as the Zips hit the scoreboard first after a throwing error from the Cardinals.
Though they held the lead for a quick second, Ball State redshirt senior catcher McKayla Timmons was to lead off the bottom half of the inning. On Monday, she was named the MAC’s Defensive Player and Player of the Year. To break the news, Peña huddled the Cardinals together at practice and congratulated Timmons.
“It’s shocking for sure. It was never even a thought in my head,” Timmons said. “I thought something was wrong. Actually, I thought she was angry with us.”
She continued the award-winning standard as she launched a no-doubt solo home run in her second plate appearance of the day. Then, the Cardinals took a 2-1 lead when junior pitcher Ella Whitney hit an RBI single.
After that, it was the Cardinals’ defense that rose to the occasion by keeping the Zips’ bats at bay with only three hits on the day.
But while Akron struggled on offense, the Cardinals thrived at the plate. They added two runs in the bottom of the fifth, and then to cap off the game. Ball State scored five more runs in the bottom of the sixth to take the win. Redshirt junior Katie Van Der Mark knocked in the winning runs with a two-RBI single.
“It really sets the tone for momentum, and I think when it comes to tournament play, it's all about momentum,” Peña said. “It's all about being able to use that energy and carry it forward into the next play, the next inning and the next game.”
For Timmons, she’s been in this spot multiple times with other Ball State rosters. She said she wants to see the team continue their effort from the regular season for the rest of their postseason journey.
“We're a blue-collar team. Nothing is handed to us and we've had to work for everything,” Timmons said. “We have had to claw our way back for some of these games, so to be hot at the right time, which I think we are, is amazing.”
The Cardinals next play Thursday, May 8 at noon against the MAC’s No. 1 seed Miami. Ball State defeated the Redhawks 2-1 in the regular season series.
“I would like to see confidence, commitment to the plan and consistency,” Peña said. “I think if we do those things and we're able to adapt pitch to pitch regardless of how they attack us or what they hit, I think if we bring those three things, then we'll be successful.”
Contact Zach Carter via email at zachary.carter@bsu.edu or via X @ZachCarter85.
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