MUNCIE, Ind. – In a three-game series this past weekend, the Ball State softball team secured a dominating win against the Toledo Rockets. But this victory didn’t come easily—it was a hard-fought battle with the Cardinals taking the first round, losing the second, and then claiming the third. 

“There’s a lot of things that went right. I feel like our offense, finding different ways to score, and different people getting on,” said head coach Helen Pelena, talking about the team's performance. 

While the team battled offensively and defensively, first baseman Kaitlyn Gibson explained that it took something special from the team to lock in this matchup.  

"The mindset we basically took was, you know, be the grittier team. Be the team that wants to win and fight no matter what," Gibson said. 

As it’s her senior year, being able to contribute to this game meant a lot to the Cardinal.  

"It’s honestly, I have no words for it because I have just been waiting for this moment for like three years now being a senior,” Gibson shared. 

Gibson also emphasized that her standout plays wouldn’t have been possible without the support of her teammates.  

"When nothing else matters, you can drown anything out with having a team like that," Gibson said. 

When it comes to continuing their momentum through the season, Coach Pelena is confident in what has driven the team’s success. “Them having each other’s backs has been one of the biggest themes of the year. So that no matter who’s on the field, no matter who’s in the circle, they have the trust in one another to get the job done,” Pelena said. 

Contact Emma Deaton with comments at emma.deaton@bsu.edu.