There aren't many opportunities for Amanda Montalto to see a good pitch to hit. She might see one, sometimes twice in an at bat. But when she does, it usually doesn't get wasted.
It's hard to blame teams for not pitching to her.
The senior is fifth in the Mid-American Conference in batting average at .383. She's near the top in both home runs and doubles. Her on base plus slugging percentage is far and away above the rest of the conference at 1.307.
On April 7, Akron wouldn't give her anything to hit. With first base open, the Zips walked her twice and hit her once.
It's not her ability to stay patient and disciplined at the plate that's so impressive. It's her ability to do damage when that rare opportunity arises.
When the second game began, Ball State got a runner on after an error and the Ball State senior promptly drove the first pitch over the right center field fence.
That bomb increased her home run record at Ball State to 30 and gave her a new one when she became Ball State's career all-time RBI leader.
Coach Craig Nicholson credited four years of consistent production for the new record. But he's more impressed with how she has produced despite fewer chances as she's matured.
"The last couple years she has been able to produce while people have kind of tried to pitch around her and still been able to drive in runs," Nicholson said. "Her first two years, she was somebody they tried to get out, and now obviously they don't do that anymore."
Nobody would blame her if she wanted to hack at a few more pitches. Most would get frustrated. Montalto said the reason she's able to be patient is the confidence she has in the rest of the lineup to get the job done.
Ball State leads the MAC in offense by a wide margin, and that offense has allowed the Cardinals to punish teams for pitching around her.
"Early in my career, I got myself out a lot because there were times that I felt like I had to get the job done," she said. "Now with this year and all these great hitters that we have in the lineup, I feel like I can take a few walks and be okay with it because I know that the people behind me are going to get the job done."
Montalto gives her teammates all the credit she can. Those teammates have done a lot more over her four-year career than just picking up the offense when teams avoid her bat.
When Montalto was recruited out of Las Vegas she said she was concerned about traveling all the way to Muncie, away from friends and family.
"I was kind of concerned, but this has been the best four years of my life," Montalto said. "They've become family. They're going to be the people I call in 20 years to say, 'Hey, you know I need someone to talk to.'"
Montalto has always been a good hitter for the Cardinals. Her freshman year she hit .318 in 88 at bats. She led the team in home runs during her sophomore campaign while hitting .298 in a full season of work. Last year, she broke out to the tune of a .329 average with 12 home runs and adding 27 walks.
She was named First Team All-MAC in both her freshman and junior seasons. Even when she wasn't her sophomore year, she led the team to an NCAA tournament berth after winning the MAC championship.
Montalto credited Nicholson and assistant coach Stephanie DeFeo for allowing her to reach her potential over the years. She said she always knew she was a pretty good player, but with the Ball State coaching staff she said her game has reached a place she never expected.
DeFeo said this year, everything is coming together for Montalto. Four years of experience and maturity have turned into production.
"Her approach at the plate has been better this year than it ever has," DeFeo said. "I think she's matured as a hitter more than anybody that I think I've coached here."
Nicholson said his expectations for Montalto are probably higher than anyone else he has on the team because he knows what she's capable of. Montalto has done everything she can to show it this year with her relentless work ethic.
"I'm constantly working my butt off every day," Montalto said. "I'm not going to let one day go by. I come to early hitting every day and I work on my swing."
As for right now, Montalto's determined to do what she can to help her teammates on the field.
"I'm more focused on getting runs for my team," Montalto said. "And if that means I have to break a couple records, then that means I have to break a couple records."
She said the relationships she's made on and off the field have been the biggest reason for her success as a softball player at Ball State.
"I'm done playing in two months," she said. "I can't play for the rest of my life, but I can have the relationships with these people for the rest of my life."
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