SPORTS

Ball State redshirt freshman McKenna Mulholland awaits the pitch during the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament May 11 at Miami University. Zach Carter, DN

Softball 5/11/2023, 11:31pm

Cardinals fall to Miami in first game of MAC Tournament

By Zach Carter

The Cardinals believed that they needed to open the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament with energy and needed to “leave everything on the field.” For the first three innings, Ball State did that. In the top of the third, they scored four runs after multiple hits and walks. But after a three-run home run on a two-strike, two-out pitch, the No. 4 team in the tournament could not make up ground and fell in their first game to the No. 1 Miami Redhawks 8-4.

Freshman pitcher Owen Quinn pitches in a game against Bellarmine on April 4 at First Merchants Ballpark Complex. Quinn tossed a shutout inning. Katelyn Howell, DN

Baseball 5/10/2023, 12:24am

Cardinals fall to Indiana State 11-1

By Staff Reports

Indiana State (33-13) was able to surmount a 2-1 lead in the first inning and grew to 3-1 in the third inning. In the fourth inning, Indiana State was able to drive in four runs in the inning.

Redshirt sophomore McKayla Timmons scores after a homerun in a game against Miami on April 26 at the Softball Field at First Merchants Ballpark Complex. Timmons scored two runs, one homerun, and had three RBI's. Katelyn Howell, DN

Softball 5/9/2023, 11:00am

Cardinals are “glued together” on and off the field as they prepare for MAC tournament

By Zach Carter

One year after missing the Mid-American Conference (MAC) tournament by one spot, Ball State softball is heading to Miami University (Oxford, OH) for this year's edition of the conference tournament. It will also be head coach Lacy Schurr’s first time coaching in the tournament. The Cardinals finished the 2023 campaign with a 27-24 record. They went 17-12 in the MAC which set them up to clinch the fourth spot in the conference. Besides fifth-year Amaia Daniel and senior Jazmyne Armendariz, no other Cardinal on the roster has made the postseason. 

Ball State Women's Tennis huddles together during a timeout against Notre Dame in the first round of the NCAA Tournament May 5. The Cardinals would go on to lose the match. Ball State Athletics, photo courtesy

Women's Tennis 5/5/2023, 6:08pm

Ball State’s season comes to an end in the first round of NCAA tournament

By Caleb Zuver

After a season that saw an incredible amount of success with some chaos mixed in, Ball State women’s tennis  (22-4) played in their final match of the season Friday. Making their third consecutive NCAA tournament appearance, the Cardinals were swept 4-0 by the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (16-10). For the third consecutive year, Ball State failed to put up a point in any of the matches. But, junior Masha Polishchuk, who was on the previous tournament teams, said that this match felt and played out differently than the other two.

Senior infielder Haley Wynn prepares to bat in a game against Miami on April 26 at the Softball Field at First Merchants Ballpark Complex. Wynn had three RBI's. Katelyn Howell, DN

Softball 4/30/2023, 11:41pm

Ball State defeats Akron, clinches MAC Tournament berth

By Zach Carter

In the middle of its season, Ball State softball was in a slump and sat in seventh place in the Mid-American Conference (MAC). To make the tournament, you have to be in the top four. Cardinal fans might have wondered, can this team pull themselves out of their funk? This weekend, that question was answered. After bouncing back and defeating Akron in their final regular season series, the Cardinals clinched a tournament berth.

The Ball State Women's Tennis team poses with the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament Championship after defeating Toledo April 30. Ball State Athletics, photo courtesy

Women's Tennis 4/30/2023, 7:31pm

Cardinals win third-consecutive MAC Championship

By Caleb Zuver

Ball State (22-3, 9-1 MAC) is headed to the NCAA tournament for the third-straight season after defeating the Toledo Rockets (20-4, 10-0 MAC) in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) championship Sunday. "It’s incredible. I’ve never been in this position before,” freshman Annika Planinsek said after the match. “It feels surreal, I can’t even process it right now. It’s an incredible feeling.”

The Ball State Women's Tennis teams cheers when a point is scored in a MAC Championship doubles match against Toledo May 1, 2022 at Cardinal Creek Tennis Courts. Amber Pietz, DN

Women's Tennis 4/30/2023, 12:17am

Cardinals defeat Bulls, advance to MAC Tournament Championship

By Caleb Zuver

The Mid-American Conference (MAC) women’s tennis champions will get a chance to defend their crown Sunday and go back-to-back in the MAC Tournament. Ball State (21-3, 9-1 MAC) advanced to the MAC championship finals April 29  after defeating the Buffalo Bulls (20-9, 6-4 MAC) by a score of 4-0. 

Fifth-year utility player Amaia Daniels cries with teammates after celebrating her senior day after a game against Buffalo April 16 at First Merchant Ballpark Complex. Daniels is tied for fifth all time in Ball State's Softball record book for career double plays turned. Brayden Goins, DN

Grad Issue 4/29/2023, 3:00pm

With Ball State Softball, Amaia Daniel found her 'second family'

By Zach Carter

When you ask Amaia Daniel about Ball State softball, she has three words: “A second family.” She won’t boast about her achievements with the Cardinals, even though she ranks in the top 20 of 17 different statistical categories in program history and in the top 10 of eight of those categories. She won’t talk about her love of the game; she will speak of her love for her teammates, her “second family.”  “There's people on this team who have known me for that long, and there's people who I deeply trust with many, many things, and I respect them deeply,” she said. “I could honestly call them family, and I could treat them like family.”

Redshirt sophomore McKayla Timmons scores after a homerun in a game against Miami on April 26 at the Softball Field at First Merchants Ballpark Complex. Timmons scored two runs, one homerun, and had three RBI's. Katelyn Howell, DN

Softball 4/27/2023, 11:30am

Ball State falls to Miami, remains in fourth place in MAC

By Zach Carter

After sweeping back-to-back Mid-American Conference (MAC) opponents, Ball State softball fell in a mid-week series against Miami. A big reason for that was the Redhawks' starting pitcher: Brianna Pratt. In the first game of the series, Miami’s ace was at her best. After she gave up five hits and had nine strikeouts, the Redhawks (29-17, 16-7 MAC) defeated the Cardinals 6-0. 

National Football League (NFL) Comissioner Roger Goodell prepares to speak at the 2009 NFL Draft April 25, 2009. Goodell. Goodell and the NFL announced officiating crews should place a larger emphasis on taunting in the 2021 season. Wikimedia Commons

NFL Mock Draft 4/26/2023, 12:00pm

MASSEY: 2023 NFL Mock Draft

By Dane Massey

The NFL Draft is just beyond the horizon and the top college football prospects will see their dreams come true and take center stage in Kansas City, Missouri, for the 2023 NFL Draft. However, this year’s draft adds an exciting twist that could be the secret recipe for what could be one of the craziest NFL Drafts in recent memory.

Ball State Women's Golf

Women's Golf 4/24/2023, 12:30pm

Cardinals finish 7th at MAC Championship

By Elijah Poe

“It was really good, the golf course was in fantastic shape,” head coach Cameron Andry said. “Greens were fast, and they're just difficult. They've got a lot of slopes on them and so there are some hole locations that you just have to really be cautious with.”

The Ball State Women's Tennis teams cheers when a point is scored in a MAC Championship doubles match against Toledo May 1, 2022 at Cardinal Creek Tennis Courts. Amber Pietz, DN

Women's Tennis 4/23/2023, 10:37pm

Cardinals survive on the road against Miami (Ohio)

By Caleb Zuver

Ball State Women’s Tennis had to earn every point that they could get Sunday. The Cardinals (20-3, 9-1 MAC) faced off against the Miami (Ohio) Redhawks (11-13, 5-5 MAC) in the last match of the 2023 regular season. 

Redshirt senior utility player Jazmyne Armendariz hits the ball in a game against Northern Illinois March 28 at the First Merchants Ballpark Complex. Armendariz had two hits and one run during the game. Katelyn Howell, DN

Softball 4/23/2023, 8:07pm

Ball State sweeps Bowling Green, move to the 4th spot in Mid-American Conference

By Zach Carter

Three weeks ago, Ball State Softball sat in seventh place of the Mid-American Conference (MAC). On the field, they seemed lost and could not finish simple plays.  “It was just the type of softball that we were playing at that point in time,” the Cardinals head coach Lacy Schurr said. “... We weren't playing our kind of softball.” But since then, Ball State (24-21, 14-9 MAC) has swept two MAC opponents in consecutive series. This weekend, they did it on the road against Bowling Green. Schurr believes it was the little things that have hoisted the Cardinals’ success.