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Ball State University – Official Athletics Site
MUNCIE, Ind. – – Sophomore righty Brinkley Kita stole the show Saturday afternoon at the Ball State Softball Stadium, throwing 10 shutout innings and allowing just five hits to help Ball State earn a doubleheader split versus Central Michigan. Entering in relief in the 6-0 loss to open the day, Kita held the Chippewas (26-23; 17-8 […]
MUNCIE, Ind. – – Sophomore righty Brinkley Kita stole the show Saturday afternoon at the Ball State Softball Stadium, throwing 10 shutout innings and allowing just five hits to help Ball State earn a doubleheader split versus Central Michigan.
Entering in relief in the 6-0 loss to open the day, Kita held the Chippewas (26-23; 17-8 Mid-American Conference) to just one hit over her 3.0 innings of work.
She carried the effort over into the second game, allowing just four hits and earning the complete game shutout in the Cardinals’ (31-16; 16-9 MAC) 3-0 victory. In addition to allowing just five hits on the day, Kita struck out three batters while issuing just four walks.
In Saturday’s opener, CMU struck early with a five-run first inning. That was all the run support Chippewas pitcher Mackenzie Langan would need as she limited the Cardinals to just four hits in a solid showing of her own. Central Michigan’s final run came in the top of the fourth.
Sophomore shortstop Maia Pietrzak provided two of the four hits in the opener, while junior center fielder Ashlee Lovett and starting pitcher Ella Whitney each added one.
With Kita dealing in the nightcap, the Cardinals struck for their first run of the day on a third-inning RBI single from Whitney which drove in Pietrzak who walked to open the frame.
The Cardinals then used some heads-up base running and a pair of clutch hits to plate two more runs with two outs in the bottom of the fourth. Senior first baseman Kaitlyn Gibson started the rally with a two-out single to left before advancing to second on a wild pitch.
Enter redshirt freshman pinch runner Veronica Peitersen who was able to score from second on a single to left center from Pietrzak, her third hit of the day. Pietrzak was able to move to second on the throw home, setting up an RBI single down the right field line from Timmons to cap the scoring in the contest.
Overall, the Cardinals tallied seven hits in the nightcap, including two each from both Lovett and Whitney.
NOTES:
– Kita entered the day having thrown just 30.2 innings this season with a 5.25 ERA … After her 10 innings of shutout softball, she lowered her ERA to 3.96.
– Ball State batters were hit by three more pitches Saturday, raising its NCAA-leading total to 86 on the year … Pietrzak, Whitney and redshirt junior second baseman McKenna Mulholland were each plunked once, with Mulholland’s being a BSU single season record 16 HBPs this season.
– In addition to going 3-for-6 at the plate Saturday, Pietrzak scored two more runs to raise her MAC-leading season total to 59 … Timmons is second in the league at 59.
UP NEXT:
The Cardinals and Chippewas will play the rubber game of the series Sunday at Noon, with the winning team securing the No. 3 seed in next week’s MAC Softball Championship. The losing squad will earn the No. 4 seed.
Entering in relief in the 6-0 loss to open the day, Kita held the Chippewas (26-23; 17-8 Mid-American Conference) to just one hit over her 3.0 innings of work.
She carried the effort over into the second game, allowing just four hits and earning the complete game shutout in the Cardinals’ (31-16; 16-9 MAC) 3-0 victory. In addition to allowing just five hits on the day, Kita struck out three batters while issuing just four walks.
In Saturday’s opener, CMU struck early with a five-run first inning. That was all the run support Chippewas pitcher Mackenzie Langan would need as she limited the Cardinals to just four hits in a solid showing of her own. Central Michigan’s final run came in the top of the fourth.
Sophomore shortstop Maia Pietrzak provided two of the four hits in the opener, while junior center fielder Ashlee Lovett and starting pitcher Ella Whitney each added one.
With Kita dealing in the nightcap, the Cardinals struck for their first run of the day on a third-inning RBI single from Whitney which drove in Pietrzak who walked to open the frame.
The Cardinals then used some heads-up base running and a pair of clutch hits to plate two more runs with two outs in the bottom of the fourth. Senior first baseman Kaitlyn Gibson started the rally with a two-out single to left before advancing to second on a wild pitch.
Enter redshirt freshman pinch runner Veronica Peitersen who was able to score from second on a single to left center from Pietrzak, her third hit of the day. Pietrzak was able to move to second on the throw home, setting up an RBI single down the right field line from Timmons to cap the scoring in the contest.
Overall, the Cardinals tallied seven hits in the nightcap, including two each from both Lovett and Whitney.
NOTES:
– Kita entered the day having thrown just 30.2 innings this season with a 5.25 ERA … After her 10 innings of shutout softball, she lowered her ERA to 3.96.
– Ball State batters were hit by three more pitches Saturday, raising its NCAA-leading total to 86 on the year … Pietrzak, Whitney and redshirt junior second baseman McKenna Mulholland were each plunked once, with Mulholland’s being a BSU single season record 16 HBPs this season.
– In addition to going 3-for-6 at the plate Saturday, Pietrzak scored two more runs to raise her MAC-leading season total to 59 … Timmons is second in the league at 59.
UP NEXT:
The Cardinals and Chippewas will play the rubber game of the series Sunday at Noon, with the winning team securing the No. 3 seed in next week’s MAC Softball Championship. The losing squad will earn the No. 4 seed.