Game 1 I Game 2
INDIANAPOLIS - Coming off a doubleheader sweep of Butler, the Jaguars softball team came out flat on Wednesday against Ball State, dropping a pair of games 6-0 and 15-0 at the IUPUI Softball Complex. The IUPUI offense managed just seven hits on the day against a trio of BSU hurlers.
Game #1 - Ball State 6, IUPUI 0
The visiting Cardinals scored a single run in the top of the first and added a five spot in the second en route to an easy 6-0 win over the Jaguars in game one. Abby Gross went 2-for-2 with three runs batted in from the cleanup spot in the BSU batting order.
Alicia Barkley made it 1-0 in the first inning when she singled home Lisa Rozanski from second.
In the second, the Cardinals took advantage of Meaghan Raynes' uncharacteristic wildness and got a two-run single from Gross in the frame. In the fourth, Alyssa Collins reached on an infield single, stole second and came home on Gross' ground ball double down the left field line.
IUPUI's offense, which scored nine times in a doubleheader sweep of Butler on Monday, was rendered lifeless by BSU starter Elizabeth Milian.
The Jags best scoring chance came in the fifth inning when senior Jenna Crockett led off with a single, but reached third when the ball got past the left fielder. Milian buckled down though, sandwiching a pair of pop outs around a punchout to escape unscathed.
Milian (13-7) gave up four hits and struck out four in the complete game shutout. Raynes (3-5) was unable to get out of the second in defeat. She yielded three runs and retired just four batters before freshman Amy Raker came on in relief. Raker fanned two in 5.2 innings work.
Crockett went 2-for-3 for IUPUI while Collins scored three times for the victors.
Game #2 - Ball State 15, IUPUI 0
In game two, sophomore pitcher Jessica McGown started strong for the Jaguars before the Ball State bats - and wheels - finally broke through in the second inning. McGown (1-6) retired seven of the first Cards she faced until Allie Pennock reached on an infield single. After Pennock stole second, the first of five BSU stolen bases during the inning, Rozanski slapped a single to put runners on the corners.
The first run crossed when the fleet duo executed a perfect double steal, making it 1-0. Rozanski later stole third and came home on a ground out.
BSU (26-20) tacked on three runs in the fifth inning, thanks largely to Gross' two-run double to left.
With the game seemingly in hand, the Cardinals ended any doubt by scoring 10 runs in the top of the seventh off Lea Corcoran and McGown, who reentered the game in relief.
Pennock went 3-for-3 with four runs scored from the bottom spot in the Ball State batting order and Gross continued to pester IUPUI (4-18) pitching by going 3-for-5 with four runs batted in. In all, BSU had 14 hits in the win.
McGown yielded seven runs (five earned) and struck out four in the loss.
Laura Masch worked three scoreless innings before handing the ball over to Tiffany Garofano to start the fourth. Garofano (8-10) struck out two and walked two in the win.
IUPUI's 13-game homestand will continue this Friday when the Jags host IPFW in a Summit League doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. from the IUPUI Softball Complex as the Jags embark on the first of nine consecutive conference games over the next eight days.
