The Ball State softball team was able to break a seven-game losing streak with its 3-1 victory over Indiana in an early game Saturday.
Freshman right-hander Quincy Duran threw a gem against the Hoosiers, scattering five hits over the full seven innings to pick up her sixth victory of the season.
During the nightcap, however, the Hoosiers would rebound by scoring four runs in the bottom of the first, jumping out to a 4-0 advantage. The Cardinals tried to spark a late rally, but Indiana would never relinquish the lead en route to a 5-2 win.
In that game Ball State freshman pitcher, Nicki Hellam made her first appearance on the hill since returning from injury. Hellam struggled trying to find her form as she surrendered two home runs in the first inning.
Junior outfielder Mandy Snyder led the Cardinals with a 4-for-7 hitting performance and two runs scored over the weekend. She batted 3 for 4 in the late game.
Snyder said it was especially nice to play well in the series because she has been a longtime Hoosiers fan. The Noblesville native also said she had Indiana University on her short list of colleges before deciding to attend Ball State.
"We kind of went into that game knowing that we had nothing to lose," Snyder said. "I really did feel good. It was fun to play against them."
The Cardinals outslugged their opponents 14-11 during the two-game series. With the victory, Ball State moves to 10-20-1 on the season.
Ball State will not have much time to rest, as it travels to Fort Wayne for a 3 p.m. twin bill with the IPFW Mastodons (14-17) today. The game will conclude the non-conference portion of the Cardinals' season.
Laux said her team cannot afford to take the games lightly because it needs to build some momentum for an important upcoming home stand.
"(IPFW) is a program that is getting better each year," the coach said. "I think they will be very prepared. We need to take these two games and use them as a springboard for the weekend."
IPFW is no stranger to playing in an underdog role. The Mastodons have already played such larger schools as Michigan, Purdue, Indiana State and Notre Dame this season. Out of those games, IPFW was only able to defeat Indiana State 7-5 on March 19.
"I think it's very important to come out confident like we did against IU," Snyder said. "These could be two big wins for us. It will help us going in against Western (Michigan) who is one of the top teams in the MAC right now."
Ball State will continue its search for a strong No. 2 starting pitcher today, Laux said. The coach said Cortney Winger, Nicki Hellam and Amy Brownfield have all had chances to fill the position, but no one has yet moved into the role.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
