Ball State University Athletics
BSU 4, Vermont 1
March 12, 2006 | Baseball
Vermont opened the top of the first with a single up the middle by Jason Carey on the third pitch of the game, but the BSU defense cleared the bases on a double play and ended the inning with a strikeout of the third batter.
In the bottom of the first, senior center fielder Mike Sullivan (Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso) singled up the middle, but a double play ended the Cardinals' inning. Senior third baseman C.J. Webb (Mascoutah, Ill./Mascoutah) singled to right in the next inning for BSU's second hit of the game.
The Catamounts' Kyle Massie singled up middle in the third, but was picked off on an attempted steal at second by senior catcher Matt Singleton's (Ft. Wayne, Ind./Homestead) throw.
Singleton drove in two runs during the bottom of the third by doubling off the left field wall. He scored junior DH Matt Gard (Muncie, Ind./Central), who walked, and Sullivan, who doubled to left-center.
Vermont loaded the bases in the top of the fourth, but failed to get a runner across the plate.
Ball State added two hits in the bottom of the fourth – a Webb single to left and an Eric Earnhart (Urbana, Ohio/Urbana) looper into shallow left-center – but didn't add to its 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, Sullivan posted his third hit of the game on a single to center and then stole second base. Singleton hit a single to center field, driving Sullivan home and notching his third RBI of the game. Singleton then stole second base and advanced to third on a botched pickoff move, finally scoring on senior first baseman Brad Miller's (Muncie, Ind./Central) groundout to second base.
The Catamounts got their first run on the board in the top of the sixth with an RBI groundout by pitcher Brian Rembisz, scoring Jason Carey from third for Vermont's only run of the game.
Junior pitcher Ryan DeGeeter (Warsaw, Ind./Warsaw) made his fourth start (1-2) and finished 7.0 innings with five hits, one earned run, two walks and a career-high eight strikeouts in the victory. Vermont's Rembisz took the loss.
Senior Jeff Michael (Elkhart, Ind./Concord) entered in the top of the eighth inning, giving up a double but retiring the side.
Redshirt-sophomore Kyle Heyne (Coldwater, Ohio/Coldwater) took the mound in the ninth and got two groundouts and a strikeout for his second save of the season.
The Cardinals have a four-game series at Louisville (5-10) March 17-19, beginning Friday at 3 p.m., continuing with a doubleheader Saturday starting at noon, and concluding Sunday with a 1 p.m. game time.
