WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Successful Senior Night
March 2, 2010In their last regular season game at Worthen Arena on Tuesday night, seniors Danielle Gratton and Audrey McDonald got want they wanted: a 77–74 win against Central Michigan University.
In their last regular season game at Worthen Arena on Tuesday night, seniors Danielle Gratton and Audrey McDonald got want they wanted: a 77–74 win against Central Michigan University.
Of all the words sputtered by Ball State coach Billy Taylor during the 10-plus minutes of his weekly press conference Monday, none were more important than effort and energy.
Ball State University second baseman Kolbrin Vitek was named Mid-American Conference West Division Player of the Week on Tuesday.
After lettering for two years at Ball State, Kyleigh Jones was forced to quit the sport she loves this year due to Crohn's disease. Now, Jones is a student coach with the Cardinals.
Senior sprinter Katie Johnson had the highest individual finish for Ball State, placing second in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.50. Johnson was edged by Central Michigan University's Shanaye Carr, who won the event with a time of 8.49.
After the first game of the Classic — a 2-1 Ball State loss — something clicked in the Ball State bats as the effective pitching remained constant. Over the next four games, the Cardinals outscored their opponents 35-4 to close out the weekend.
The Cardinals started the meet off on a good foot by setting a school record in the 200-yard medley relay in a time of 1:43.82. The next event of the night, the 800-yard freestyle relay, would have been a school record had the team not been disqualified for a swimmer leaving early.
Ball State got solid starts against host UAB from Cal Bowling, Scott Brothers Jr. and Kolbrin Vitek, but all three came away without a victory. In the final three games, nine relievers combined to go 0-2 with three blown saves, a 9.75 ERA and 17 walks in 12 innings of work.
Audrey McDonald and Danielle Gratton will be honored and their contributions to the Ball State women's basketball program will be recognized.
The MAC released the 2010 schedule Monday afternoon. Ball State will begin conference play Oct. 2 at Central Michigan.
Ball State (5-7, 0-4 Mid-American Conference) was able to count 20 clean routines in Sunday's meet, allowing the Cardinals to get their second-best score of the season.
Hobbs earned his first collegiate win in only his second appearance.
Junior forward Emily Maggert, who recorded her 21st career double-double with a game-best 15 points and 13 boards, secured the best rebounding season in Ball State history in Saturday's game. Maggert has 312 boards on the season, passing Jessica Reiter for the best single season in Cardinals history.
Ball State is more than halfway through its regular season, and the wear and tear of the sport has started to take its toll on the gymnasts. Coach Nadalie Walsh said she may rest some gymnasts so they are in peak shape come the MAC Championships.
Detroit Mercy came into Saturday's action riding a three-match win streak with one win coming against Mid-American Conference opponent University of Toledo. Despite the tougher competition, Ball State took care of business, winning four of its singles matches in straight sets.
The first four seeds in the MAC Tournament earn the important first-round bye. The first two seeds go to the West and East Division champions and the next two seeds are the next best conference teams based on MAC records. Seeds five through 12 must play a first-round MAC Tournament game at campus sites before advancing to quarterfinal play in Cleveland against seeds one through four.
Emily Maggert, not sporting the protective mask she wore earlier this week against Northern Illinois University, scored 15 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead Ball State. Ty'Ronda Benning posted 12 points while Audrey McDonald added 11 to join Maggert in double figures.
The 45-42 Toledo win gave the Rockets their first MAC win of the season in 15 tries and snapped their 19-game losing streak as Ball State enters its regular season finale Thursday at Western Michigan needing a win.
The Blazers snatched a 10-9 extra-innings win from the Cardinals' clutch, coming back from deficits of 5-2 and 9-7 in the late innings. After a 6-0 win earlier in the day, the victory in the nightcap gave UAB (2-2) a sweep of the doubleheader.
The Cardinals run-ruled Wright State University 10-0 in Elizabeth Milian's no-hitter on Friday, and followed that up by sweeping Austin Peay State University and Central Connecticut State University Saturday by combined 20-4 scores heading into today's game against undefeated University of Tennessee at Martin.
