SPORTS

Delta sophomore Zane Cline prepares to throw a pitch May 29 during the Sectional #24 championship game at Yorktown High School. Zach Carter, DN.

Sectional Baseball 5/30/2023, 9:21am

Delta falls, Wes-Del prevails in sectional championships

By Zach Carter

If you wanted perfect baseball weather for yesterday’s sectional championships, you got it as the day brought sunshine and enjoyable temperatures. But if you were looking forward to the final two Delaware County teams continuing their postseasons, disappointment was your answer. The Sectional #24 championship game at Yorktown High School came down to two teams who ended the regular season under .500, with both teams losing their first five games of the season. In the semi-finals, the Delta Eagles knocked off the hometown Yorktown Tigers (20-7, 11-3 Hoosier Heritage) 5-3, while the New Castle Trojans defeated the Jay County Patriots (13-14, 1-5 Allen County) 4-3. 

Graduate student infielder Ryan Peltier hits the ball in a game against Bellarmine on April 4 at First Merchants Ballpark Complex. Peltier had two runs and one RBI. Katelyn Howell, DN

Baseball 5/26/2023, 12:00pm

Cardinals defeat Kent State to move to MAC Championship

By Elijah Poe

Just about a week ago, Ball State got beat 29-11 at home against Kent State in the last regular season series. Yesterday, Ball State (35-21) beat that same Kent State (41-15) team 6-1 to advance to the Mid-American Conference Championship. Senior Trennor O’Donnell, who started in the 29-11 loss, went a complete nine innings today to beat the Golden Flashes. It was the first complete game of his career. 

Cowan senior pitcher Tatum Rickert winds up May 25 during the Sectional #55 championship game at Daleville Junior/Senior High School. Zach carter, DN.

Sectional Softball 5/26/2023, 10:03am

Cowan defeats Wes-Del for third straight sectional championship

By Zach Carter

“Foul Ball, USA, hit the ball the other way, Aruba, uh uh, Jamaica, uh uh Hawaii, uh uh Aloha.” That was one of the chants that the Cowan softball team screamed from their dugout during the 1A Sectional #55 championship game. But when the seventh inning at Daleville Junior/Senior High School came to a close, those chants turned into cheers as the Blackhawks defeated Wes-Del 5-1 and became back-to-back-to-back sectional champions. 

Senior pitcher Casey Bargo pitches in a game against Bellarmine on April 4 at First Merchants Ballpark Complex. Ball State won 12-3. Katelyn Howell, DN

Baseball 5/25/2023, 8:55am

Ball State wins first game in MAC Tournament

By Zach Carter

Grit. Following today’s 7-6 win against No. 2 Central Michigan (33-21, 19-11 MAC), he used it once more. “[The Cardinals] are a gritty bunch who believe in themselves,” Maloney said. “And they've been amazing because we've been short-handed for a long period of time.” With the team going through some adversity this season, yesterday’s win made the Cardinals’ (34-21, 19-11 MAC) first Mid-American Tournament (MAC) victory more than just that. It was a big moment for multiple players and lifted the team's spirits.

Ball State Men's Golf Head Coach Mike Fleck (left) and sophomore Kash Bellar look for a shot on the green of hole eleven of the Earl Yestingmeier Invite Sep. 3 at the Delaware Country Club. Hosted by the Delaware Country Club, the 2022 Earl Yestingsmeire Invite had 15 teams from schools across the region competing on the par-70 course. Eli Houser, DN

Men's Golf 5/21/2023, 7:32pm

Bellar wins and Cardinals end up in fourth in the National Golf Invitational

By Elijah Poe

Playing in the first National Golf Invitational, Ball State Men’s Golf finished tied for fourth with their 859 score over three rounds. Sophomore Kash Bellar won the individual title with his 7-under-par performance over three rounds. “It's about time I've had some really good opportunities to win this spring alone, I just didn't capitalize on and didn't take advantage of the final round,” Bellar said. “I think today I just proved to myself that I can be an elite player. That's the best way to show some other people and teams around the country that I am a pretty good player.”

Members of the Ball State Men's Golf Team walk towards the fairway after teeing off from the second hole at the Earl Yestingmeier Invite Sep. 3 at the Delaware Country Club. Ball State started the day trailing Wright State by 5 strokes. Eli Houser, DN

Men's Golf 5/18/2023, 10:30am

Ball State prepares for the inaugural National Golf Invitational

By Elijah Poe

After coming in second place in the Mid-American Conference championship, Ball State Men’s Golf looks to the postseason, playing in the first National Golf Invitational (NGI) tournament hosted by Golfweek. The tournament will be held at the Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club in Maricopa, Arizona. The Cardinals qualified with their two tournament titles this spring. With those wins, Ball State gained almost 30 spots in the national rankings. 

Senior infielder Adam Tellier dives back to first base in a game against Bellarmine on April 4 at First Merchants Ballpark Complex. Tellier scored one run. Katelyn Howell, DN

Baseball 5/17/2023, 9:13am

Cardinals defeat Southern Indiana

By Staff Reports

Ball State Baseball defeated in-state opponent Southern Indiana 12-1 last night. This was the final non-conference game of the season for the Cardinals, improving their record to 33-18. After three innings, Ball State had a 9-0 lead.  

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 5/16/2023, 8:59am

ZUVER: Adversity shaped the legacy of the 2023 Ball State Women’s tennis team

By Caleb Zuver

Three different head coaches during the season. Multiple injuries. The first home loss in three years. A tall task of defending back-to-back Mid-American Conference (MAC) titles. That’s what the Ball State women’s women’s tennis team (22-4, 9-1 MAC) was faced with during the 2023 season. Despite all of that, it was one of the most historic seasons in program history, and covering every match for the Ball State Daily News taught me so much about how to deal with this thing called adversity.

Junior outfielder Nick Gregory runs the bases in a game against Bellarmine on April 4 at First Merchants Ballpark Complex. Gregory had one RBI. Katelyn Howell, DN

Baseball 5/14/2023, 5:14pm

Cardinals defeat Miami in three game series

By Staff Reports

The Ball State Baseball team won its series with Miami (Ohio), only losing one of the three games. The series took place from May 12-14. The Cardinals dropped the first game and won the last two to take the series. 

The Wapahani Raiders pose with their trophy May 13 after the Delaware County Championship Game at Yorktown High School. Zach Carter, DN.

DELAWARE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL 5/14/2023, 10:09am

Wapahani wins 13th Delaware County Title in program history

By Zach Carter

During the top of the sixth inning of the 2023 Delaware County Championship, the Wapahani Raiders and Delta Eagles were tied at one apiece. Wapahani senior Daniel Blevins, a former Delta student, stepped up to the plate. Until this point, he was zero-for-two on the day. But he would end the contest one-for-three as he destroyed a two-run home run to left field. This helped the Raiders capture their 13th Delaware County Title in program history as they downed the Eagles 4-1. 

First-year sprinter Taylor Hickman sprints down the track in a race for the Ball State Track and Field We Fly Challenge on April 15 at the University Track at Briner Sports Complex. Katelyn Howell, DN.

Track and Field 5/13/2023, 8:07pm

Ball State Track and Field wins the outdoor Mid-American Conference Championship

By Staff Reports

On their final day of competition, the women’s track and field team scored 70 points on Saturday to take the Mid-American Conference Outdoor Championship title. This is the first MAC Outdoor title since 2001 and the program’s fifth overall. Sophomore Moriah Johnson, freshman Alana Springer, freshman Lindsey Steele and sophomore Jenna Oriani combined for a MAC Championship record time of 44.93 to win in the 4x100m relay. 

Multiple Ball State players huddle on the pitching mound during the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament May 12 at Miami University. Zach Carter, DN

Softball 5/12/2023, 8:11pm

Ball State ends season with second MAC Tournamnet loss

By Zach Carter

After falling to No. 1 seed Miami (Ohio) in the first game, the Cardinals needed a win against Central Michigan (29-25, 18-11 MAC) to stay alive in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament. But after falling 4-1, they go down as the first team to be eliminated. 

Former Ball State Women's Basketball player Ty’Ronda Benning poses for a picture as the new Girls' Basketball head coach at Delta High School. Delta Athletics, phot provided

New Delta Head Coach 5/12/2023, 11:00am

Former Ball State Cardinal now leading Delta Girls' Basketball

By Zach Carter

After being a standout basketball player for Muncie Southside High School, Ty’Ronda Benning played two seasons of women’s basketball at Lincoln Trail Community College. But at the end of her second year, she wanted to return to her hometown. She decided to transfer to Ball State University. Years later, she hopes to bring that mentality to her new job as Delta High School’s girls’ varsity head basketball coach. 

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.