Ball State hopes for a strong performance after taking a step back in last week's Missouri Intercollegiate. The Cardinals placed eighth as a team out of 15 schools and didn't have an individual crack the top 15. Freshman Tony Lazzara was Ball State's top performer, tying for 20th place.
Ball State was soundly swept by No. 11 Ohio State University Friday night in Columbus, Ohio, as the Buckeyes clinched the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association with the victory. It took the Cardinals 24 hours to regroup. Ball State swept No. 13 Loyola University 3-0 (30-25, 30-28, 30-28) Saturday night in Worthen Arena, claiming its second win over a ranked team this season.
Down quickly to the University at Buffalo, Ball State University scored the last six runs of the game for a 6-5 victory.
Ball State held its Spring Game on Saturday, but it was more of a scrimmage without scores or stats.
With only four matches left in the season before the MAC Tournament, Ball State believes it still has time to make some noise in the conference. Facing two tough conference opponents this weekend, the Cardinals' best chance at proving themselves might be right now.
With numerous complaints over nagging injuries, coach Randy Heisler plans to send less than 20 runners and throwers to the Lenny Lyles/Clark Wood Invitational at the University of Louisville.
If the numbers are any indication, ace Elizabeth Milian and the Cardinals' pitching staff should continue to roll against the Bulls (13-21, 3-3 MAC). Buffalo ranks 11th out of 12 MAC teams in batting with a .222 team average and also rank 11th in runs (80) while ranking 10th in hits (180).
A sweep would be very beneficial to Ball State's MAC West title hopes after it fell out of first place last weekend, despite winning twice at Bowling Green State University. The University of Toledo and Central Michigan University are tied for first, a game ahead of Ball State.
The No. 11 Buckeyes (18-7, 10-1 MIVA) are the defending MIVA champions and have swept the Cardinals in the conference championship match the last two seasons. The two schools have already played in Muncie this season with the Buckeyes getting the sweep.
Senior ace Elizabeth Milian pitched her 19th complete game, giving up seven hits, two earned runs and striking out eight in the first of two wins for Ball State against Indiana on Wednesday.
The Ball State University softball team swept its doubleheader series against Indiana University today at the BSU Softball Complex. Along with the two victories, senior pitcher Elizabeth Milian became the number one strikeout leader in Ball State softball history.
Ball State University freshman guard Myron Green had decided to transfer from the school, said Matt McCollester, Assistant Director of Media Relations. McCollester said Green is transferring to be closer to his Long Beach, Calif., home.
For the sixth match in a row, Ball State failed to capture the doubles point to start the match. In their last two matches, the team overcame the early deficit to pull out the win, but against a team like Notre Dame, it was just too much.
Steve Shondell was introduced Tuesday as the sixth head coach in school history. He comes to Ball State following a 34-year tenure as the girls volleyball coach at Burris Laboratory School.
Kolbrin Vitek has shot to the top of draft boards across the majors with three great seasons in a Cardinals uniform. This year he leads Ball State in every major offensive category from batting average (.417) to home runs (9).
First baseman Ian Nielsen led the Cardinals (14-18) with his second big game in five days, going 4-for-5 with three prodigious home runs and seven RBIs. The sophomore's slugfest came on the heels of his two-home run, eight-RBI performance Saturday at Bowling Green State University.
There was no time for Steve Shondell to settle into his new position as the women's volleyball coach for Ball State University on Wednesday. Less than 24 hours after the announcement of his hiring, Shondell returned to Worthen Arena for his first practice with the team and began his whirlwind day of meetings.
Purdue announced Wednesday that Johnson and Moore would enter the draft, although they have until May 8 to withdraw their names from consideration. The players both said in a school statement that it was possible they could remain at Purdue.
Ball State will take on Notre Dame today at 3 p.m. in South Bend.
Ball State lost 10-5 at Purdue University on Tuesday despite allowing just two earned runs. The Cardinals (13-18) committed three errors, two coming in the Boilermakers' seven-run fourth inning.
