Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, April 15
Varsity Field
3 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
16-23, 0
1
vs
0
Ball State
18-24, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Ball State
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
7
2
Eastern Michigan
0
0
0
0
0
1
X
1
5
1
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Miranda Blanks Ball State, 1-0, in Series Opener
4/15/2016 5:25:00 PM | Softball
Brandice Olmos drove in the winning run in the sixth
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - Freshman Nicolle Miranda (Wilmington, Calif.-Port of Los Angeles) tossed her first career shutout Friday, April 15, at Varsity Field, leading the Eastern Michigan University softball team to a 1-0 blanking of Ball State University. The Eagles (16-23, 6-6 MAC) recorded the game's lone run in the sixth inning to take the Mid-American Conference series opener over the Cardinals (18-24, 4-9 MAC).
Miranda turned in an exceptional performance, picking up the first shutout by an EMU freshman since April 6, 2012 when Lindsay Rich held Northern Illinois without a run in a 2-0 win. The Wilmington, Calif. product fanned four over 7.0 innings while allowing just six hits on her way to her eighth win of the season.
With a pitching duel on hand as Miranda and Ball State's Bicole Steinbach went toe-to-toe in the circle, neither team mustered any offense through the first five innings. Despite the lack of runs, the Eagles had a runner on second in the second, third, fourth, and fifth innings but ultimately stranded them 120 feet short of the plate.
Things changed in the sixth, as the Cardinals broke the frame open with a single. The next batter sliced a fading liner to right. Junior Michelle Kriegshauser (New Lenox, Ill.-Lincoln Way Central) attempted to make the play, laying out for the sinking liner but could not make the catch. Unable to make the initial putout however, Kriegshauser was quick to her feet and delivered a bullet to second, getting the lead runner via force out. The defensive play by Kriegshauser turned momentum in favor of the Green and White. Feeding off the energy, Miranda induced a fly out before coming back to stun a Ball State batter with an off-speed pitch on the inside part of the plate for her fourth strikeout of the game.
The punchout brought the Eagles to the plate in the sixth with the heart of the order due up. Freshman Amanda Akles (La Habra, Calif.-La Habra) blooped a single to left before fellow freshman, Sam Saporito (Eastvale, Calif.-Eleanor Roosevelt) entered to pinch run. A sacrifice bunt was followed by a walk by senior Abi Clark (Clinton, Mich.-Clinton), putting two on with one out. After advancing on a wild pitch, sophomore Brandice Olmos (Riverside, Calif.-Grand Terrace) ripped a grounder to the left side. The ball was kept in the infield on a diving effort by BSU's shortstop but Olmos beat out the through at first, allowing Saporito to score. The RBI single by Olmos provided all the run support the Eagles needed as Miranda shut the door in the seventh.
The Cardinals moved the tying run to third with two outs but Miranda remained focused, inducing a game-ending pop up to the circle. Pulling down the mile-high fly, Miranda sealed EMU's 1-0 victory over the Cardinals.
Eastern Michigan closes out the three-game set with Ball State tomorrow, April 16, at Varsity Field. First pitch of the twin bill is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Miranda turned in an exceptional performance, picking up the first shutout by an EMU freshman since April 6, 2012 when Lindsay Rich held Northern Illinois without a run in a 2-0 win. The Wilmington, Calif. product fanned four over 7.0 innings while allowing just six hits on her way to her eighth win of the season.
With a pitching duel on hand as Miranda and Ball State's Bicole Steinbach went toe-to-toe in the circle, neither team mustered any offense through the first five innings. Despite the lack of runs, the Eagles had a runner on second in the second, third, fourth, and fifth innings but ultimately stranded them 120 feet short of the plate.
Things changed in the sixth, as the Cardinals broke the frame open with a single. The next batter sliced a fading liner to right. Junior Michelle Kriegshauser (New Lenox, Ill.-Lincoln Way Central) attempted to make the play, laying out for the sinking liner but could not make the catch. Unable to make the initial putout however, Kriegshauser was quick to her feet and delivered a bullet to second, getting the lead runner via force out. The defensive play by Kriegshauser turned momentum in favor of the Green and White. Feeding off the energy, Miranda induced a fly out before coming back to stun a Ball State batter with an off-speed pitch on the inside part of the plate for her fourth strikeout of the game.
The punchout brought the Eagles to the plate in the sixth with the heart of the order due up. Freshman Amanda Akles (La Habra, Calif.-La Habra) blooped a single to left before fellow freshman, Sam Saporito (Eastvale, Calif.-Eleanor Roosevelt) entered to pinch run. A sacrifice bunt was followed by a walk by senior Abi Clark (Clinton, Mich.-Clinton), putting two on with one out. After advancing on a wild pitch, sophomore Brandice Olmos (Riverside, Calif.-Grand Terrace) ripped a grounder to the left side. The ball was kept in the infield on a diving effort by BSU's shortstop but Olmos beat out the through at first, allowing Saporito to score. The RBI single by Olmos provided all the run support the Eagles needed as Miranda shut the door in the seventh.
The Cardinals moved the tying run to third with two outs but Miranda remained focused, inducing a game-ending pop up to the circle. Pulling down the mile-high fly, Miranda sealed EMU's 1-0 victory over the Cardinals.
Eastern Michigan closes out the three-game set with Ball State tomorrow, April 16, at Varsity Field. First pitch of the twin bill is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Miranda, Nicolle (8-14)
L: STEINBACH, Nicole (14-12)
Batting:
2B: McANALLY, Leigh 1
Base Running:
SB: ARNETT, Amanda 1 ; HOUCK, Rachel 1 ; MILES, Aeshia 1
CS: MILES, Aeshia 1
Batting:
RBI: Olmos, Brandice 1
SH: Kriegshauser, Michelle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Saporito, Sam 1
SB: Schilke, Angel 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
3B/1B
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
2B/SS
/ Softball
P/1B
/ Softball
OF/C
/ SoftballThank You, Team 38
Monday, May 07
Overcoming Adversity: A Lauren Holdsworth Feature
Saturday, February 24
Closing Out a Legacy: Michelle Kriegshauser
Thursday, May 18
EMU Softball Signs Alyssa Feiler
Saturday, March 25