Ball State University
Indiana
Hazelbaker Homers in Ninth as Baseball Beats Indiana
February 28, 2009 | Baseball
Ball State junior outfield Jeremy Hazelbaker tallied his first home run of the season and the eighth of his career in the bottom of the ninth inning to lead the Cardinals to a 5-4 win over Indiana University in the first game of the Austin Peay Invitational Friday morning in Clarksville, Tenn.
With the win, Ball State improved to 3-2 on the season, while the Hoosiers evened their record at 2-2 on the season.
After falling behind 4-0 after three innings, the Cardinals scored their first run of the game on back-to-back doubles from Zach Dygert and Kory Benbow. Benbow's third double of the year knocked in his fifth run of the season. Dygert's double was his first extra base hit of the season.
Freshman pitcher Justin Warrington came in to pitch for Ball State after four innings and held the Hoosiers scoreless for two innings. After giving up back-to-back walks to start the seventh inning, junior pitcher Aaron Hammons came in with runners on first and second and struck out the first batter he faced while forcing a fly out to center for the final out of the inning.
Still trailing 4-1 in the bottom of the seventh, the Cardinals T.J. Baumet, a sophomore shortsop, led off with an infield single. After a fly out, Hazelbaker walked to put runners at first and second with one out. Following the second out of the inning, Ball State managed a double steal to put runners on second and third with sophomore Kolbrin Vitek at the plate. Vitek hit a hard grounder right up the middle for a two RBI single and closed the gap to 4-3 after seven innings.
Hammons completed his day after pitching 3 2/3 innings and giving up no earned runs. In addition, he has yet to yield a hit in his three appearances and 6 2/3 innings this season.
Ian Nielsen, a freshman who was named the Mid-American Conference West Division Player of the Week last week, tied the game for the first time with a home run over the right field fence in the bottom of the eighth. It marked his third homer of the season and gave him his third 3-hit game of the year.
Senior Tom Mueller and junior Morgan Coombs combined to hold the Hoosiers scoreless in the top half of the ninth and gave the Cardinals a chance to finish off the victory in the game's final frame.
Coombs was the pitcher of record and improved to 2-1 on the season. The Cardinals bullpen managed five innings of relief, allowing only two hits and no runs.
Ball State will face Cleveland State at 11 a.m. Saturday and complete its tournament play with a 2:30 p.m. Sunday game vs. the host Austin Peay Governors.
