Ball State University Athletics
Le Moyne 13, BSU 8
February 26, 2006 | Baseball
In the top of the second inning, Le Moyne designated hitter Matt Nandin opened the scoring on a grand slam, after the bases were loaded on an error, a hit and a fielder's choice to give the Dolphins a 4-0 lead. Shortstop Michael Affronti hit an RBI single to shallow left-centerfield to move the lead to 5-0.
Dolphins' first baseman Keith Connors scored on a flyout to center field by catcher Brian Hansen in the top of the fifth, followed by a solo shot from center fielder Ben Gaal to increase Le Moyne's lead to 7-0.
In the fifth inning, Ball State senior left fielder Chris Pestle (Lafayette, Ind./McCutcheon) ended Michael Falasca's bid for a no-hitter by driving his first home run of the year over the center field wall and cut the lead to 7-1. Senior centerfielder Mike Sullivan (Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso) drove in a run, while senior catcher Matt Singleton (Ft. Wayne, Ind./Homestead) reached on an error with a run scoring. Kyle Dygert (Angola, Ind./Angola), a senior second baseman, drove in two runs with a triple down the right field line to move the score to 7-5 after five innings.
Four straight walks by three Le Moyne pitchers, followed by a passed ball, allowed Ball State to tie the game at 7-7 after six innings.
In the bottom of the eighth, Sullivan doubled to left and advanced to third on an error by the left fielder. Singleton flew out to right field, but Sullivan tagged up to score Ball State's go-ahead run at 8-7.
Le Moyne tied the game up on a single to right field in the top of the ninth, after the initial runner reached on an error and stole second. The Dolphins added five runs to regain a 13-8 lead.
Ball State couldn't manage a comeback in the ninth, falling 13-8.
Junior pitcher Ryan DeGeeter (Warsaw, Ind./Warsaw) made his second start of the season, going 2.0 innings with one strikeout and one walk, surrendering five hits and five runs -- zero earned runs -- against 13 batters. Sophomore Tyler Pritchard (Lebanon, Ohio/
Senior Jeff Michael (Elkhart, Ind./Concord) came in during the fifth inning to pitch one inning. He gave up two earned runs and two hits with one walk and one strikeout. Freshman Jay Broughton (Indianapolis, Ind./Triton Central) came in at the start of the sixth inning and pitched 2.0 innings, posting three strikeouts, while allowing two hits, one walk and no runs. Junior Richie Fralick (Springfield, Ohio/Shawnee) pitched a scoreless eighth inning, walking just one batter.
Redshirt-sophomore Kyle Heyne (Coldwater, Ohio/Coldwater) came in at the top of the ninth and pitched 0.2 innings, giving up five hits and five runs -- all unearned -- with one strikeout. Senior Kory Bucklew (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) came in to close out the ninth inning.
The win went to Le Moyne's A.J. Lindsey, while the loss fell on BSU's Heyne (1-2).
The Cardinals begin their spring trip March 3-5 at Vanderbilt, then continue March 7 at Belmont and March 8 at Evansville, concluding the trip March 10-12 at the Metrodome Tournament in Minneapolis, Minn. BSU will face Illinois State, Minnesota and Vermont at the Metrodome Tournament.
