Ball State University Athletics
Belmont 3, BSU 0
March 07, 2006 | Baseball
Ball State Baseball Drops 3-0 Decision at Belmont
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Ball State baseball team (2-7) dropped a 3-0 decision to Belmont University (8-4) Tuesday afternoon at Greer Stadium, extending the Bruins' win streak to six games.
Freshman Jay Broughton (Indianapolis, Ind./Triton Central), who has made three relief appearances this season and amassed seven strikeouts in 6.1 innings of work, made his first career start for Ball State.
After a walk and a third-strike wild pitch in the bottom of the first inning, Belmont's Kane Simmons lined one just out of the reach of Ball State senior second baseman Kyle Dygert (Angola, Ind./Angola) to drive in Wilson Tucker for the game's opening run.
A single by the Bruins' Tucker drove in a run during the third inning after a double by Ben Petsch to right-center, moving the score to 2-0 in favor of Belmont after three innings.
Senior catcher Jon Byerly (Merrillville, Ind./Merrillville) singled to left field for his first hit of the year in the top of the fifth inning.
In the top of the sixth, Dygert managed his second triple of the year by driving a shot into the right field gap, but two consecutive popouts and a groundout ended the Cardinals' threat.
Senior Jeff Michael (Elkhart, Ind./Concord) relieved Broughton, who went five innings with two earned runs, four strikeouts and one walk, in the bottom of the sixth.
Belmont's Simmons knocked a double off the centerfield wall to drive in Derek Wiley and give the Bruins a 3-0 lead after six.
Michael, who went two innings on the mound with two strikeouts, one earned run and one walk, was replaced by redshirt-sophomore Ben Snyder (Bellevue, Ohio/Bellevue) in the bottom of the eighth.
In the top of the ninth inning, Ball State loaded the bases as senior third baseman C. J. Webb (Mascoutah, Ill./Mascoutah) reached on an error, junior Matt Gard (Muncie, Ind./Central) walked and senior Chris Pestle (Lafayette, Ind./McCutcheon) singled past the shortstop, but BSU couldn't get anyone to reach the plate and erase the 3-0 deficit.
Snyder went one inning of relief with one strikeout and allowed one hit.
Belmont's Ben Meador pitched 8.2 innings with three strikeouts, one walk and seven hits allowed for the win, while Chris Manning came in with two outs in the ninth for the save. Broughton (0-1) took the loss for the Cardinals.
The Cardinals play the University of Evansville Purple Aces tomorrow at noon in Evansville, Ind.
