Ball State University
Bowling Green
Vitek Remains Undefeated, Baseball Takes Finale From BG
April 13, 2008 | Baseball
By Andrew Lentz
ballstatesports.com
MUNCIE, Ind. ? The Ball State baseball team used a strong performance Sunday to avoid the series sweep versus Bowling Green with a 9-7 victory at Ball Diamond.
The Falcons took two out of three in the series, but the Cardinals were able to pick up a key win and keep pace in Mid-American Conference play.
"After three weekends, we're 7-2 in the conference," said head coach Greg Beals. "Throw out our sweeps of Kent State and Buffalo and throw out this weekend. The bottom line is we're 7-2."
The Cardinals used a solid pitching performance from Kolbrin Vitek, who stayed undefeated on the year with his fifth win. Vitek allowed just five hits and struck out seven Falcons 6.1 innings.
"Kolbrin was able to use all four of his pitches today to get strikes, and that was the difference in his success today," said Beals.
Vitek allowed just one earned run in the game. Bowling Green fought back from an 8-1 deficit with six runs in the seventh inning, but all of those runs were unearned because of two Ball State errors in the inning.
BSU was led offensively by center fielder Wayne Bond Jr., left fielder Kory Benbow and designated hitter Nate Fields. Bond and Benbow tallied two hits apiece and combined to score five of the Cardinals' nine runs. Fields led Ball State with three RBI, while Benbow tallied two RBI.
Ball State (19-11, 7-2 MAC) held an 8-1 advantage through six innings against the Falcons (15-13, 6-3 MAC) before Bowling Green's big seventh inning.
Bowling Green used four hits and two errors in the rally, which was highlighted by a three-run double from Falcons' centerfielder Andrew Foster.
The Cardinals tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh inning, and closer Kyle Heyne pitched the final 2.1 innings to earn his sixth save of the season.
Bowling Green threatened in the ninth, moving runners to second and third base with two outs. But Heyne induced a ground ball back to the mound and threw on to first base for the final out of the game.
Outfielder Mark Galvin led the Falcons with two hits in the game, while Foster's three RBI were a team-high. Brett Browning took the loss on the mound.
After a Bowling Green run in the top of the fifth inning tied the game 1-1, Ball State built its seven-run lead with three runs in the bottom of the fifth and four more in the sixth.
The Cardinals' fifth inning runs came via a bases-loaded walk by catcher Zach Dygert and a two-RBI single from Fields. The sixth-inning scoring was highlighted by an RBI single from Benbow and an RBI double from Fields.
Ball State is off Monday before Indiana State visits Ball Diamond on Tuesday. First pitch for that contest is slated for 3 p.m.
