Ball State softball coach Craig Nicholson said before his team took the field in this weekend's DeMarini Invitational that the Cardinals were going to see some constant top-notch competition for the first time all season.
This notion began right off the bat Friday evening, as Ball State took the field against host and third-ranked University of Missouri.
The Cardinals showed the Tigers what has been one of the top pitchers in the nation so far, Elizabeth Milian – and also played flawless defense – upsetting Missouri 2-1 to open the weekend with a bang.
The win for Ball State was its ninth straight and snapped Missouri's 17-game winning streak.
Though Missouri broke through on the scoreboard with one run in the top of the third off an RBI groundout from shortshop Jenna Marston, Ball State responded just 1 ½ innings later with what were the game-tying and eventual game-winning runs.
Jessie Ware opened the inning for the Cardinals with a double, and she was plated with an RBI single to right field from Jen Reifschneider. Later, Kate Wilkzynski brought in pinch runner Jackie Durment on a sacrifice bunt for the eventual game-winner.
Milian (12-1) settled after the third and finished with another complete game. She allowed four hits, one earned run and struck out three. She also benefitted from a solid Ball State defense that committed no errors.
The Cardinals, however, were unable to carry over the momentum immediately following the Missouri game in its Friday night matchup against Northwestern University, which received one vote in this week's top-25 poll.
The Wildcats edged the Cardinals 3-2.
Ball State (16-6) struck first this time with two runs in the top of the second, but it was all it could muster against Northwestern (11-10). Meredith Nash and Alyssa Freiling each had RBIs for the Cardinals, who only had two hits off Wildcats' starter Lauren Delaney, who had 12 strikeouts.
Audra Sanders (3-4) got the loss for Ball State, as she allowed three runs – two earned – in three innings. Milian came on in relief in the top of the fourth, allowing no runs and striking out four.
The Cardinals return to action today as they play Mid-American Conference West Division rival Eastern Michigan University at 11 a.m. before returning for a 7 p.m. matchup with the University of Northern Colorado at 7 p.m.
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