Ball State University Athletics
Miller Sets Career HR Record, Baseball Falls Victim To Late CMU Rally
May 20, 2006 | Baseball
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Brad Miller set two more school records Saturday, but Central Michigan ruined Ball State's bid to win the Mid-American Conference West Division.
With the division title and a No. 2 seed in next week's MAC Tournament on the line, Ball State and Central Michigan combined for 35 runs and 39 hits, but the Chippewas prevailed 19-16.
The Cardinals took a 16-12 lead into the final two innings, but Central Michigan put up seven runs in the bottom of the eighth and sent Ball State down in order in the ninth to win the game and the series.
After three straight singles in the eighth, Central Michigan's Cody Allen plated two runs with another single. The next batter, Tyler Stovall doubled to score two more runs and tie the game. Later in the inning, Troy Moratti singled to bring home the go ahead run.
For the Cardinals, Brad Miller made history for the second straight day. After setting the Ball State career RBI record Friday, he moved in to the top spot by himself on the career home run list on Saturday.
With runners on the corners and one out in the top of the third inning, Miller blasted a Kurt Lauscher pitch over the left center field fence to give Ball State a 5-3 lead. Miller's homer was the 50th of his career and his 21st this season. He is now two behind Thomas Howard's single-season record of 23.
With four runs driven in Saturday, Miller now also owns the Ball State record for single-season RBI with 74.
Every player in the Cardinal lineup recorded a hit Saturday, and seven had RBI.
Mike Sullivan set a record of his own in the three-game series. The senior center fielder scored five runs Saturday to increase his career total to a Ball State record 200. Sullivan broke the record earlier in the series during Friday's victory over the Chippewas.
Sullivan went 4-for-6 at the plate with three RBI. He started the scoring for Ball State with a two-run home run in the first inning.
The Cardinals fell behind in the bottom of the first but regained the lead on Miller's home run in the third. They led by as many as many as seven runs before Central Michigan rallied to win the game.
