Ball State softball went into its two-game series at Ohio having won seven consecutive games and a perfect Mid-American Conference record of 10-0.
Ball State looked primed to extend both streaks as they jumped out to a 9-2 lead over Ohio on Saturday. Despite the quick start, the Bobcats clawed their way back to within two runs.
The team had to rely on solid close-out pitching from Nicole Steinbach, and went on to seal a 9-7 victory.
Coach Craig Nicholson said Ball State never changed its approach, rather the “solid hitting” of Ohio was able to get them back in the game.
The teams played their second game Sunday. Ball State was able to score eight runs on 11 hits, knocking off the Bobcats who brought in four runs on the day. Sophomore outfielder Hanne Stuedemann had three RBIs on two hits. Her three-run hit gave Ball State a 4-2 lead in the fifth inning.
Sophomore shortstop Selena Reyna added an additional three-run hit in the top of the seventh making Ball State’s lead 8-2. Ohio would gain two runs in the bottom of the seventh, but it wasn’t enough as Ball State won 8-4.
Senior catcher Sadie Robertson picked off two runners attempting to steal bases on the day. Robertson’s solid defense paired with Kelsey Schifferdecker’s pitching was enough to hold the Bobcats to just six hits.
In her third complete game of the season on Sunday, Schifferdecker improved to 10-2 on the season.
“We set out to win a MAC Championship,” Nicholson said. “We’ve absolutely been tested, and we found different ways to win different types of ball games.”
Ball State now holds a 12-0 record in the MAC, with a nine-game win streak in their back pockets. Overconfidence is no issue though. The team has their goals in place, and has yet to miss a step in reaching them.
