Ball State University
Kent State
Baseball Earns Second Straight Win Over Kent State, 6-5
March 30, 2008 | Baseball
KENT, Ohio -- The Ball State baseball team defeated Kent State for the second straight day Saturday, earning a 6-5 road win at Schoonover Stadium.
Kent State rallied with a pair of unearned runs in the ninth inning to close the gap, but Ball State closer Kyle Heyne picked up the final out on a strikeout to secure the win.
Ball State shortstop Dean Anna and catcher Zach Dygert each recorded a pair of hits in the game. Center fielder Wayne Bond Jr. collected three RBI, bringing his total for the weekend to eight.
For the second consecutive day, the Cardinals started the scoring in the top of the first inning. Anna led the game off with a triple to deep center field and came home to score on an RBI groundout from Bond.
Ball State (11-9, 2-0 MAC) extended its lead in the fourth inning with four runs, all of which came with two outs. The Cardinals loaded the bases on a single from left fielder Nate Fields and a pair of walks. Anna then singled to plate two runs, and Bond followed with a double to score two more.
Kent State (8-12, 0-2 MAC) clawed back with three runs in the fourth inning to cut Ball State's lead to 5-3. The Golden Flashes scored on RBI singles from designated hitter Ben Klafczynski and catcher Cory Hindel and an RBI groundout by third baseman Brett Weibley.
After scoring the three runs, Kent State still had the bases loaded with just one out, but Brad Piatt came out of the Ball State bullpen to end the threat. It took Piatt just three pitches to get out of the inning as he induced two straight fly ball outs to preserve the Ball State lead.
Ball State then built its lead back up to 6-3 in the sixth inning on a solo home run from right fielder Ryan Chenoweth. It was the third homer in three games for Chenoweth, who homered twice in the same inning in Wednesday's win over Anderson.
The Cardinals would need that insurance run to stave off Kent State's ninth-inning comeback.
Piatt earned the win for Ball State, while Heyne picked up his second save of the season. After pitching out of the fourth-inning jam, Piatt went on to throw 3.2 scoreless innings. He struck out four batters and walked one, while improving his record to 2-0 on the season.
Kent State's Chris Carpenter took the loss after allowing five runs in five innings. Klafczynski led the Golden Flashes offensively three hits.
Ball State has not trailed through two games this weekend against Kent State. The Cardinals will go for the sweep when the teams meet for the series finale Sunday at 1 p.m.
