After what they endured this weekend, the Eastern Michigan Eagles may wish they had stayed home instead of making the trip to Muncie for a three-game softball series. Ball State hammered its Mid-American Conference West Division foes in each game to raise its record to 8-12-1 (4-3-1 MAC) on the season.
Superb pitching performances by Quincy Duran and Cortney Winger helped the Cardinals to 9-0 and 9-2 victories Saturday. The first game ended in just over an hour and a half when Ruth Hjelmeland and Katie Shea scored in the bottom of the fifth inning as Ball State eclipsed the eight-run limit.
The Cardinals took a 3-0 lead early Sunday as the run support that was hard to come by in the first few weeks remained consistent for the team.-á
"We came out pretty aggressive," head coach Terri Laux said. "We set the tone with our offense early on. It's always easier for our pitchers to throw well when (our) people are hitting."
Hjelmeland, a senior outfielder, nailed two balls out of the park and drove in five runs during the first game. She held Ball State's all-time home run record coming into the game, and improved her career mark to 11.
"Every time I step in there, I feel like I have nothing to lose," Hjelmelend said. "I'm real relaxed and confidant.
"My mom seems to be a good luck charm. She got to see me hit two home runs today."
"If she's on, she can be deadly," Laux said about Hjelmeland's feat. "She has worked hard to improve her swing. We hope she can remain consistent with that."
Freshman Quincy Duran pitched five scoreless innings in the first game.
Winger struck out nine batters in the second contest as the Cardinals accumulated 13 hits -- all while playing in 30-sub degree temperatures. At one point, snowflakes began to fall, and the weather seemed better suited for a football game.
Duran returned to the mound on Sunday. She showed no signs of fatigue, holding EMU scoreless through five innings. The Eagles put up three runs in the sixth to tie the game, but the newcomer remained unfazed.
Katie Shea hit an RBI single in the bottom half of the inning that put the Cardinals up for good, 4-3.-á
Duran fanned two in the seventh and got the final batter to pop out to end the game.
"I wasn't tired at all," she said. "I felt like I was warming up the entire game (due to the chilly temps). It was difficult a couple of pitches because I couldn't feel my wrist snap."
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