KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Western Michigan softball hits the road this week to take on the Ball State Cardinals in Muncie, Ind. The two squads will face off for a single game on Tuesday, April 19 at 3 p.m., and finish the series off the following day with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. All three games will feature a stream as well as live scoring.
BREAKING DOWN BALL STATE (15-23, 8-6 MAC)
The Cardinals welcome Western Michigan to Muncie on Tuesday following a 2-1 series victory over the Toledo Rockets on the road this past weekend, falling in Friday's single game and sweeping Saturday's doubleheader by 10-2 and 9-5 final scores. Saturday's pair of wins boosted BSU back over the .500 mark in conference play for the year.
So far this season, Ball State has been anchored offensively by senior outfielder Faith Hensley, who posts a .436 average with 48 hits, 15 homers, 34 runs batted in, and a slugging percentage of .918. Sophomore McKayla Timmons has been a consistent piece to the Cardinal lineup as well, batting .337 with 29 hits, four bombs, 23 RBI's, and a .558 slugging percentage of her own.
In the circle, BSU relies most on freshman Angelina Russo, who posts a 7-8 record in 25 appearances and 17 starts, with an earned run average of 4.94 across 95.0 innings pitched. Junior right-hander Deborah Jones has been another cornerstone of the Cardinal pitching, entering this week's series with a 2.76 ERA in addition to a 4-5 record in 16 appearances and 10 starts. Jones posts the lone shutout for Ball State this season and has gone 58.1 innings so far this year, holding opposing hitters to .229 when faced off against her.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM WESTERN MICHIGAN (16-24, 6-8 MAC)
The Broncos venture to Muncie following a 2-1 series win over the visiting Akron Zips, winning the series opener 6-0 and then clinching the series win in game two of the doubleheader on Saturday by a final score of 8-0 in five innings.
Senior pitcher
Reily Galloway leads the Broncos in the box, hitting .292 with 33 hits, seven homeruns, 21 RBI's, 14 runs scored, and a slugging percentage of .531 on the year. Sophomore infielder
Cassidy Brendtke has also been a consistent source of offense for Western Michigan, posting a .276 average with 32 hits, a pair of homeruns, 17 RBI's, 14 runs scored, and a .414 slugging percentage on top of a team-high 10 doubles. Junior infielder
Alyssa Kramer provides some power as well, batting .241 with eight homers of her own, 27 hits, 23 RBI's, and 18 runs scored to go along with a .446 slugging percentage.
In the circle, Western Michigan has been charged by
Reily Galloway, who posts a 2.06 ERA with a 10-13 record in 25 appearances and 22 starts. Across 132.1 innings pitched, Galloway has piled up 189 K's so far this season, which is good for second in the MAC. Furthermore, she has gone the distance for 16 complete games and five shutouts, holding hitters to a .189 average on the year.
Sophomore
Rissa Bajusz provides a solid option at pitcher as well, posting a 6-8 record in 19 appearances and 15 starts. In 87.1 innings pitched, Bajusz has recorded 72 punch-outs and a total of eight complete games this season in addition to three shutouts.
ON THE HORIZON
Following this week's showdown with Ball State, the Broncos head back home to host rival Central Michigan for a Saturday doubleheader on April 23 beginnings at 1 p.m., with the series finale on Sunday with a noon first pitch.
Saturday's contest will be Alumni Day, as all former Western Michigan softball players able to attend are encouraged to do so. Sunday's ballgame will be Senior Day, recognizing the accomplishments and commitments made by this season's senior class. Admission to all WMU home softball games is free to spectators, and all three games against CMU will feature a stream and live scoring.
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