Ball State University Athletics
Notre Dame 6, BSU 4
April 05, 2006 | Baseball
Notre Dame shortstop Greg Lopez tripled down the right field line in the bottom of the second inning to drive in the first two runs of the game, following a walk and a single of the previous two batters.
Junior shortstop Eric Earnhart (Urbana, Ohio/Urbana) posted Ball State's first hit of the game with a single to right field in the top of the third. Earnhart stole second base and advanced on a groundball to the right side, but was stranded at third.
The Fighting Irish left runners on second and third in the fourth as BSU freshman pitcher Ryan Schmidt (Decatur, Ind./Bellmont) posted two consecutive strikeouts to end the threat.
In the fifth, BSU senior second baseman Kyle Dygert (Angola, Ind./Angola) singled to right field followed by a walk of senior left fielder Chris Pestle (Lafayette, Ind./McCutcheon), but the inning ended without either crossing the plate after a popout and back-to-back strikeouts.
Schmidt finished four complete innings with four strikeouts, but gave up five hits and two earned runs with two walks.
Sophomore Tyler Pritchard (Lebanon, Ohio/Lebanon) took the mound in the fifth and gave up a run on an RBI double by Jeremy Barnes off the right centerfield wall, scoring Craig Cooper who singled up the middle. The run gave gave UND a 3-0 lead.
In the sixth, senior third baseman C.J. Webb (Mascoutah, Ill./Mascoutah) singled down the right field line to drive in senior center fielder Mike Sullivan (Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso), who walked and stole second. Webb's hit moves his hitting streak to eight games.
Senior Kory Bucklew (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) entered the game in the sixth and, after a single off of his foot, retired the next three batters.
Redshirt-sophomore Justin Rogers (St. Paris, Ohio/Graham) singled to shallow left field to start a three-run seventh inning. Earnhart was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second. Junior designated hitter Matt Gard (Muncie, Ind./Central) laid down a sac bunt to move them over and Sullivan singled up the middle to drive them both home.
After Sullivan stole second, senior catcher Matt Singleton (Ft. Wayne, Ind./Homestead) singled off the pitcher's mound, with the deflection fooling the second baseman and allowing Sullivan to score and give BSU its first lead of the game at 4-3. Singleton was ruled out because of runner's interference. Senior first baseman Brad Miller (Muncie, Ind./Central) and Webb also added singles late in the inning. Both Rogers and Miller extended their hitting streaks to nine games with their singles.
The Irish tied the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the seventh with a double over Pestle's outstretched glove in left field by Matt Bransfield to score Danny Dressman. UND took a two-run lead in the next at bat as Ross Brezovsky drilled a two-run home run over the right field wall.
Bucklew (3-1), who finished two innings with one strikeout, three hits, three earned runs and one walk, suffered the loss.
Redshirt-sophomore Kyle Heyne (Coldwater, Ohio/Coldwater) took the mound in the eighth and retired the side in order.
With a 15-12 edge, Notre Dame leads the all-time series that dates back to a 9-0 Ball State win in 1976.
The Cardinals, who are 5-1 in the Mid-American Conference, continue their MAC schedule this weekend with a three-game series against the Ohio Bobcats (8-12, 2-4 MAC). Friday's first pitch is slated for 3 p.m. at Ball Diamond.
