MIAMI SOFTBALL

Cardinals cool off 'Hawks, sweep Saturday DH

MUNCIE, IN -- Ball State (26-11) pitchers put a sleeper hold on the Miami (25-18) offense Saturday as the Cardinals swept a double header 3-0 and 5-0. It was the first back-to-back losses for MU since March 1.
Miami, which won Friday's series opener (7-4 in 8 innings), fell to 14-3 in MAC play. That is one loss better than Central Michigan (10-4) and Ohio (9-4). Ball State is now 11-5. 
The Cardinals staff ranks second among MAC teams in both ERA (3.82) and opponent batting average (.269). It improved on that by blanking the RedHawks twice on a total of seven hits. 
Five of those . . . 

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. . . came in the first game as Breanna Severino (6-5) went the distance for BSU. Leah Chevrier (7-7) took the loss.
Ella Whitney was even stingier in Game Two, permitting just two RedHawk hits in the shutout. Madi Reeves (18-7) allowed six hits and five runs while absorbing the loss. 

Miami actually out-hit the hosts 7-5 in game one, but BSU also took advantage of some "free" passes. The Cardinals lead MAC teams in getting hit by pitches. BSU batters have been hit 68 times this year. Miami is next in line with 31. In Saturday's first game, Ball State batters were hit five times. Three more drew walks. 
No Cardinals were plunked in Game Two, but BSU hitters drew seven walks to go with a six-hit attack. 

GAME ONE: BALL STATE 3, MIAMI 0
• Neither team broke through with a run in the first three innings. Miami's best chance came in the third when the first two runners reached on a single and HBP. Three straight flyouts - two to the warning track in center -- followed, and Ball State escaped without damage. 
• Two of BSU's first three batters in the bottom of the fourth reached base after being hit. Both moved up on a ground out. They then came home on 
Maia Pietrzak's double to right center. McKayla Timmons followed with another double to make make it a 3-0 contest. 
• Ball State threatened again in the fifth after three of the first four batters were hit by pitches. However, all three were stranded after a strikeout and groundout. 
• Miami's last challenge came in the sixth when the RedHawks put two on with one out, but two fly outs ended the threat. 
Miami stroked two seventh inning hits, but a double play and groundout closed out the contest. 

GAME TWO: BALL STATE 5, MIAMI 0 
• The RedHawks had one hit through the first six innings. That was a Chloe Parks single in the third.
• Ball State's first hit was a homer to left by Ella Whitney leading off the second. 
• Pietrzak opened the Cardinals third with a; walk and scored on a Gunter double. Mulholland's two-out single to left brought Mullholland home for a 3-0 Ball State advantage. 
• BSU opened the fifth with a walk and double. After a strikeout, Lovett doubled in both runners. 

MORE NOTES:
• Miami host Akron in a Tuesday double-header at the Miami Softball Stadium. First game begins at 1 p.m., with the second contest to follow.
• Ohio and Miami will meet for a three-game series next weekend. Two games will be played on Friday (April 18). beginning at 1 p.m. The Saturday tilt begins at noon.