Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
Eastern Michigan
Baseball Falls Saturday As Eastern Michigan Evens Series
May 03, 2008 | Baseball
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Eastern Michigan defeated the Ball State baseball team 16-7 Saturday at Ball Diamond to even the three-game weekend series between the two teams.
The Eagles built a 10-0 lead through two and a half innings and kept the Cardinals from getting any closer than six runs the rest of the way.
For the second straight day, second baseman T.J. Baumet led the Ball State offensive attack with three hits. Center fielder Wayne Bond Jr. and first baseman Justin Rogers notched a pair of hits each.
Eastern Michigan wasted no time getting started Saturday. The Eagles scored four first-inning runs to open up an early lead. Eastern Michigan second baseman Josh Ivan notched a two-RBI double in the inning, and third baseman Zack Leonard plated the other two runs with a single.
The Eagles then expanded their lead with six runs in the third inning. Right fielder Jeff Davis and catcher Andrew Marshall belted a pair of three-run home runs in the inning as Eastern Michigan opened up a 10-0 lead.
From there, Ball State (25-17, 10-7 MAC) tried to chip away. The Cardinals picked up a run in the bottom of the third on a solo home run from Baumet, his fourth of the season. Ball State then scored one run in the fifth and tacked on two more in the sixth on a two-run single from Bond, cutting the Eastern Michigan lead to 10-4.
The Cardinals, however, could have scored more in the middle innings. Ball State left a combined eight runners on base in the fourth, fifth and sixth frames. For the game, the Cardinals left 10 runners on base.
After both teams managed a run in the seventh inning, Eastern Michigan (17-28, 12-5 MAC) put the game away with three runs in the eighth and two in the ninth.
Davis and Marshall led Eastern Michigan offensively with three hits and three RBI each. Ivan also added three RBI for the Eagles. Eastern Michigan's Matt Shoemaker earned the win on the mound, allowing five runs on eight hits in seven innings.
For the second day in a row, the wind was blowing out at Ball Diamond. After Friday's game saw eight home runs, the teams combined for six more in Saturday's game. Catcher Zach Dygert added his eighth home run of the year for Ball State. The teams also combined for seven doubles, including two from Baumet.
With Saturday's win, Eastern Michigan maintains its position atop the MAC West standings. The Cardinals and Eagles will meet for the third and final game of the weekend series Sunday at 1 p.m.
