Ball State University Athletics
Baseball Takes Game One From NIU, Leads 3-0 In Suspended Second Game
May 13, 2006 | Baseball
The cold temperatures of DeKalb, Ill., could not cool the bats of the Ball State baseball team. The Cardinals defeated Northern Illinois 10-3 in game one of Saturday's doubleheader and led 3-0 when game two was suspended after five innings because of darkness.
Game two will resume Sunday at noon (1 p.m. Muncie time) and will be followed immediately by the regularly scheduled third game of the weekend series.
Ball State piled up 14 hits in Saturday's first game, including four by center fielder Mike Sullivan. In earning their ninth straight win, the Cardinals scored all of their ten runs in two innings.
Following a scoreless first inning, Ball State roughed up Northern Illinois starter Matt Jernstad for seven runs in the top of the second. After the Cardinals loaded the bases with no outs, designated hitter Matt Gard reached on an error to plate Ball State's first run. Back-to-back singles by Eric Earnhart and Sullivan scored two more runs for the Cardinals. Then, with the bases still loaded, Brad Miller came to the plate and sent a towering fly ball deep over the 370-mark in left field for a grand slam.
"That was the difference-maker in game one," Ball State coach Greg Beals said. "It busted open a 7-0 lead, and when you give Ben Snyder a 7-0 lead, we're going to be tough to beat."
Miller's grand slam was his second in as many games. The Mid-American Conference home run leader belted a grand slam as part of an eight-run second inning in Ball State's Wednesday victory over Cincinnati. Miller now has 47 career home runs, two shy of the Ball State record.
Ball State padded its lead with three more runs in the fourth inning. The Cardinals loaded the bases with two outs before Chris Pestle doubled off the center field fence to score all three runners. That was more than enough run support for Snyder.
Snyder earned the win, allowing three runs in seven innings to improve his record to 6-4. He didn't allow a Northern Illinois run until the sixth inning. Through five, he had faced just three more than the minimum.
"We've been challenging Ben to go out and win those Friday games and beat the other team's number one starter," Beals said. "Lately, he's been going out there and giving us a chance to win."
The Huskies broke through in the sixth inning on a Scott Simon RBI single and added two more runs in the seventh on an RBI double by Justin Behm and an RBI groundout by Daniel Jewett.
But Ball State reliever Jeff Michael entered in the eighth inning and pitched two scoreless innings to close the game.
In game two, both teams went scoreless through the first four innings. Matt Singleton broke the tie on an RBI groundout that scored pinch runner Nate Fields. Sullivan followed with a sacrifice fly to score Earnhart from third base. Later in the inning, after reaching on a double and advancing to third, Miller scored the third run on a wild pitch.
Tyler Pritchard got the start in game two and worked all five innings before the game was suspended, allowing three hits and no runs. He is in line for his sixth win of the season.
