ALEC RUNYAN / Ball State Sports Link
From baseball in Kentucky to the return of soccer in Muncie, senior day on the hardwood, and not to mention the men’s tennis team has now won 10 straight.
We’ve got it all covered in this week’s “Cardinals In The Crowd.”
Tatiana Mason – Soccer
Junior Tatiana Mason scored a goal in each of the Cardinals first two games as the 2021 season got underway last week.
In the season opener, Mason scored in the 25th minute after beating a defender one-on-one to give Ball State the early 2-0 lead, which would also be the final score.
Despite falling 2-1 to Central Michigan in overtime on Sunday, Mason scored the Cardinals only goal in the 70th minute to tie the game 1-1.
Mason led the Cardinals attack all game with three shots on goal.
Ball State (1-1) hosts Western Michigan (2-0) Friday, March 12 at 3 p.m.
KJ Walton – Basketball
Ball State put up a season-high 100 points in a blowout win over Eastern Michigan last week in the Cardinal’s home finale for the 2020-2021 season.
In KJ Walton’s final game at Worthen Arena, the senior guard scored a career-high 32 points in only 29 minutes in the 100-65 win over Eastern Michigan.
Walton continued to do what he’s done best all season by attacking the rim and finishing at an efficient rate, going 13-of-21 (62%) from the field and a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line.
After falling to Toledo on the road in BSU’s final game of the regular season 89-70 on Friday and splitting the season series 1-1, the Cardinals (10-12) face Toledo (20-7) again in the first-round of the MAC Tournament on Thursday, March 11 at 11 a.m.
John Baker – Baseball
Ball State baseball continues to deliver after beating SEC opponent Kentucky twice in a three-game series over the weekend due to total team effort.
Veteran pitcher John Baker came in to close out both wins for the Cardinals earning his first two saves on the season.
In Friday’s game, Baker threw for two shutout innings, allowing just one hit with 3 strikeouts to close out the 3-2 victory.
The senior returned to the mound Sunday, closing out the final four innings with four more strikeouts.
Despite giving up one run in the 6th and another in the 8th to the cut it to a one run game, Baker came in clutch yet again in the final inning going three up and three down to close out the 4-3 BSU win.
The Cardinals (6-4) head to Virginia to face Old Dominion (8-3) on Friday, March 12 at 3 p.m. in a three-game series through Sunday, before preparing for the upcoming MAC schedule.
Thelma Dis Agustsdottir – Basketball
Ball State women’s basketball ended the regular season with a 76-69 win over Western Michigan on senior day.
After being down eight at halftime, the Cardinals were led by junior Thelma Dis Agustsdottir’s shooting in the second half to complete the comeback.
Agustsdottir shot an incredible 7-of-8 from the field including 5-of-6 from three to finish with a season-high 19 points and eight rebounds in the game.
The Cardinals (14-10) return to the court against Ohio (13-7) on Wednesday, March 10 at 6:30 p.m. in the first-round of the MAC Tournament.
Danilo Kovacevic – Tennis
After losing its first match of the season to Notre Dame, BSU has gone on to win 10 straight, including four matches that have ended 7-0 in the Cardinals favor.
Junior tennis player Danilo Kovacevic and the rest BSU men’s tennis team showed no signs of slowing down last week.
Kovacevic went 3-0 playing one match at No. 1 singles and two matches at No. 2 singles while winning all three matches in straight sets.
Ball State (10-1) hosts conference opponent Western Michigan (11-1) whose only loss is to Notre Dame as well this Friday, March 12 at 2 p.m.
