Box Score

TEMPE, Ariz. (3/1/14) – Five Titans recorded at least two hits as the University of Detroit Mercy softball team recorded a season-high 12, but its wasn't enough as Ball State held on for a 9-6 win Saturday afternoon in the Louisville Slugger Invitational hosted by Arizona Sate.

Detroit (2-10) was trailing 5-1, before exploding with a five-run fourth inning to take a 6-5 lead. Ball State (10-2) answered back with a three-run homer in the top of the fifth and one more run in the sixth to grab the win.

The Cardinals scored one run in both the top of the first and second innings to build a early 2-0 lead, before the Titans took advantage of throwing error to get one back in the bottom of the second. Katelyn Steffel led off with a double to right center, before heading to third and scoring on a throwing error after a single from Karyn McCarty.

Ball State added two more runs in the top of the third after a walk and back-to-back doubles and followed with one more run in the fourth inning to build a 5-1 lead. 

Detroit then responded with five runs off five hits including back-to-back doubles from McCarty and Julia Maksym to take a 6-5 lead. Kat Hoffman and Christa McGahuey both recorded RBI singles in the inning as well.

Maksym started in the circle for Detroit and went two innings allowing four runs on five hits, before Hoffman came on in relief to go five innings scattering seven hits and two earned runs in the loss.

Hoffman, Maksym, McCarty, McGahuey and Katy Severson each went 2-for-4 at the plate, while Kayla Kostich went 1-for-2 to extend her hitting streak in Arizona to three games.

Detroit will conclude play at the Louisville Slugger Invitational on Sunday as the Titans face FIU with first pitch scheduled for 11:00 a.m. (ET).