Ball State University
Long Island
Baseball Defeats Long Island, Falls To Coastal Carolina
March 08, 2008 | Baseball
CONWAY, S.C. -- The Ball State baseball team split a pair of games Saturday in the Springmaid Beach Resort Tournament hosted by Coastal Carolina.
The Cardinals opened the day with an 8-7 win over Long Island before dropping the second game to the host and 24th-ranked Chanticleers, 6-1.
With the split of Saturday's games, Ball State maintains its .500 record at 5-5 through the first 10 games of the season.
The Caridnals' final game of the weekend tournament -- another match-up with Coastal Carolina -- is scheduled for Sunday at 2 p.m.
Ball State vs. Long Island Recap
After starting the first eight games of the season, Ball State second baseman Jeremy Hazelbaker came off the bench for the first time Saturday against Long Island. The sophomore notched a pinch-hit single in the eighth inning and then came to the plate again in the bottom of the ninth inning with the game on the line.
With one out and runners on first and second, Hazelbaker bounced a single through the left side of the infield to bring home the winning run in an 8-7 Ball State victory.
Hazelbaker was the only player to record multiple hits in the game for the Cardinals, who were out-hit 13-6 by Long Island.
After three scoreless innings to open Saturday's first game, Long Island took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning on a leadoff, solo home run from center fielder Johnnie Neckar.
Ball State quickly responded with seven runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take the lead. The Cardinals sent 13 batters to the plate in the inning. Following a single from shortstop Dean Anna and a double from designated hitter Kolbrin Vitek, seven of the next eight batters reached on walks. The other batter during that stretch was hit by a pitch.
In windy conditions, the teams combined to walk 16 batters.
Long Island later managed a big inning of its own in the sixth. The Blackbirds scored six runs, highlighted by a pair of by two-RBI singles from left fielder Frank Dimasi and shortstop Greg Desantis, to tie the game 7-7.
Ball State had a chance to take the lead in the eighth inning. The Cardinals loaded the bases with one out but were unable to produce the go-ahead run. In the ninth inning, Vitek reached on a walk and right fielder Kory Benbow singled to put runners on first and second with one out before Hazelbaker's game-winning hit.
Heath Riley earned the win on the mound for Ball State after allowing one run in 3.2 innings of relief. Brenden Stines made the start for the Cardinals and allowed two runs while striking out four batters over 5.0 innings.
Long Island's Dimasi led all players in the game with four hits.
The game had been scheduled for Friday night, but rain moved it back to Saturday at Noon.
Ball State vs. Coastal Carolina Recap
Coastal Carolina -- ranked 24th in the latest National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association poll -- used four home runs to power past Ball State 6-1 in the Cardinals' second game Saturday.
Chanticleers' catcher Dock Doyle hit a two-run home run, while designated hitter Tommy Baldridge, right fielder Adam Rice and shortstop Tyler Bortnick each blasted solo shots as Coastal Carolina built a 5-1 lead through four innings.
The Cardinals' lone run also came via a home run -- a solo blast from first baseman Matt Stoeklen in the top of the fourth inning. Stoeklen led the Cardinals at the plate with a 2-for-4 effort, an RBI and a run scored.
Ball State had scoring opportunities again in the sixth and eighth innings but was unable to cut into the Coastal Carolina lead.
In the sixth inning, right fielder Justin Rogers and Stoeklen recorded back-to-back singles to put runners on first and second base with one out, but they were stranded following a foul out and a fly out.
In the eighth, Rogers and Anna drew consecutive walks to start the inning. Stoeklen then came to the plate and ripped a line drive up the middle, but Coastal Carolina second baseman Rico Noel snagged it, stepped on second base and threw on to first for a triple play to end that scoring threat.
Coastal Carolina then tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth.
Austin Fleet earned the win on the mound for the Chanticleers after allowing one run and striking out six batters in 6.0 innings. Tyler Pritchard took the loss for Ball State. He allowed five runs and struck out seven in 6.0 innings.
Coastal Carolina's Doyle and Bortnick led all players in the game with three hits apiece.
