Ball State University
Chicago State (DH)
Baseball Sweeps Doubleheader Against Chicago State
March 14, 2009 | Baseball
Game One ? Ball State 3, Chicago State 2
The Cardinals took home a 3-2 game one victory in seven innings over Chicago State in dramatic fashion as junior left fielder Kory Benbow (Muncie, Ind./Cowan) threw out the potential game-tying run to end the game in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Chicago State had the game-tying run on third base with one out when Albert Carpen lifted a fly ball to left field. Benbow moved into position and after corralling the fly ball sent a bullet to home where junior catcher Zach Dygert (Angola, Ind./Angola) was able to get the tag on pinch runner Kellon McFarlin to end the game. The outfield assist was Benbow's second of the game with both assists coming on throws to home plate.
Ball State took the early lead in the bottom of the first inning against CSU left-hander Scott Balcer. Junior center fielder Jeremy Hazelbaker (Selman, Ind./Wapahani) started things off with a single through the right side and senior second baseman Nate Fields (Cincinnati, Ohio/Anderson) walked to put two aboard. After a double steal put runners in scoring position, sophomore third baseman Kolbrin Vitek (Bryan, Ohio/Bryan) and Benbow tallied back-to-back sacrifice flies to give Ball State a 2-0 lead.
Chicago State rallied to tie the game at two apiece in the top of the third inning against BSU starter Adam Quinn (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point). The Cougars took advantage of a Cardinal error to plate the first run for CSU and Preston Pires tallied a run scoring double to knot the game at 2-2. The Cougars looked ready to take the lead but Pires was gunned down at home but Benbow to end the inning.
Ball State answered right back in the bottom of the third inning as Fields led off the inning with a double to right center field. He quickly stole third base and came home on freshman first baseman Ian Nielsen's (La Porte, Ind./La Porte) single up the middle to put the Cardinals ahead for good at 3-2.
Quinn (1-1) picked up the victory as he worked five innings and allowed just one earned run on seven hits while striking out a career-high seven batters. Junior reliever Aaron Hammons (Greenfield, Ind./Greenfield Central) worked a scoreless inning of relief and senior left-hander Tom Mueller (Westfield, Ind./Westfield) tallied his first save of his career with a scoreless seventh inning. Balcer (0-5) notched the loss despite only allowing three runs in five innings as he allowed five hits.
Game Two ? Ball State 10, Chicago State 1
Ball State picked up the twin bill sweep with a 10-1 victory in game two as the Cardinals scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to break the seven-inning game open. Freshman right-hander Cal Bowling (Muncie, Ind./Yorktown) tallied his second straight victory as he worked five innings and limited Chicago State to just one run on four hits. Bowling struck out three batters and only walked one to improve to 2-0 on the season.
Ball State came out of the gate quickly with four runs in the bottom of the second inning. Shortstop T.J. Baumet (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) got things going with a one out double and came home to score on freshman Cody Elliott's (Florence, Ky./Beechwood) triple to right field. After back-to-back walks to Hazelbaker and Fields, Dygert ripped a bases clearing double down the left field line to give the Cardinals a 4-0 lead.
Chicago State added one run in the top of the fifth inning but the Cardinals ended any suspense in the game with six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 10-1 lead. Freshman Nathan Koontz (Indianapolis, Ind./Brebeuf) led off with a walk and came home on Baumet's first home run of the season. Ball State added four more runs in the inning as Dygert single in one run, Ryan Chenoweth (Ft. Wayne, Ind./Homestead) doubled in two runs and Nielsen doubled in a run.
Redshirt freshman right-hander Perci Garner (Dover, Ohio/Dover) recorded his first career save in the victory as he worked two scoreless innings. Garner came in with the Cardinals leading by only three runs and limited the Cougars to one hit while striking out four batters.
Ball State and Chicago State will wrap up its four-game series Sunday afternoon with first pitch set for 1 p.m. at Ball Diamond. Vitek is set to take the hill for the Cardinals in the series finale.
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