SAN MARCOS, Texas – Ball State University ignited for 14 hits and the Texas A&M - Corpus Christi softball team suffered its first loss of the season 12-2, Saturday in the CenturyLink Classic, hosted by Texas State. The Cardinals (2-0) scored in the first three innings before a three-run home run by Lauren Schroeder in the fifth ended the game.
Freshman Mackinzee Griebel went 2-for-3 in her first game as an Islander. She was outstanding at the plate with two doubles and an RBI. She also had an impressive diving play in right field for her first putout of her career. Mickayla Cochran, Lindsey Lyles, Valerie Perez and Dani Tefft all added singles for the Islanders' offense. Freshman Brittney Morse added the Islanders' third double of the game in the fourth with a blast to left center.
In the opening frame, Griebel led things off with a double to right field and Cochran reached on a hit by pitch, however the Cardinals escaped the inning. Ball State followed with three runs on four hits in the bottom of the first to take a 3-0 lead. The Cardinals padded its lead to 7-0 in the second with four runs on a pair of hits and two Islanders' errors.
The Islanders got on the board in the top of the third with two runs on three hits to pull within five. Tefft led the inning with a single up the middle and scored on a Griebel double down the left field line. After a fly out, Lyles singled to right field to advance Griebel to third. J.J. Jackson followed with a RBI ground out to first to score Griebel and post the Islanders' second run of the game. A pop up by Valerie Perez capped the Islanders' scoring.
Ball State tacked on two runs on three hits and an Islanders' throwing error in the third to extend its lead back to seven. The Islanders held the Cardinals in the fourth before a three-run home run over the center field fence by Schroeder lifted Ball State to its second victory of the season.
The Islanders will continue play tonight against Southern Illinois at 7 p.m.
Live stats and video can be found HERE on the CenturyLink Classic Central Page and as always follow Islanders Softball on Twitter and Instagram (@IslandersSball) and Facebook (Islanders Softball) for the latest information.
