Ball State University
Kent State
Beals Nets 200th Victory As Baseball Downs Kent State
March 28, 2009 | Baseball
The Ball State pitching staff combined to hold KSU to just one earned run in the victory with senior right-hander Brenden Stines (Granger, Ind./Penn) setting the pace with six strong innings. Stines (1-3) earned the victory as he allowed just one earned run on six hits while striking out three batters. Ball State held Kent State at bay for most of the afternoon as it retired 17 of the last 19 Golden Flashes, including 12 straight at one point.
The Cardinals opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning against right-hander Kyle Smith. Junior center fielder Jeremy Hazelbaker (Selma, Ind./Hazelbaker) led off the inning with a double for the second straight game. After a walk to senior second baseman Nate Fields (Cincinnati, Ohio/Anderson) put two aboard, sophomore third baseman Kolbrin Vitek (Bryan, Ohio/Bryan) ripped a run scoring single through the hole on the left side to plate Hazelbaker with the first run of the afternoon.
Ball State (12-11, 3-2 MAC) executed a perfect double steal to move the runners into scoring position with nobody out. Junior catcher Zach Dygert (Angola, Ind./Angola) gave the Cardinals a 2-0 lead was he was able to fight off a pitch and ground out to second base allowing Fields to score from third.
The Cardinals added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning as Vitek led off with his fifth home run of the season over the left center field wall to give BSU a 4-2 lead. The home run was moved Vitek into a tie for the team lead in home runs and gave him three hits on the afternoon.
Ball State's bullpen slammed the door shut as senior left-hander Tom Mueller (Westfield, Ind./Westfield) added two scoreless innings of relief while junior closer Morgan Coombs (West Terre Haute, Ind./Lincoln Trail) tossed a scoreless ninth inning to record his second save of the year.
Smith (2-1) was charged with his first loss of the season as he was tagged with four runs on eight hits in 6.1 innings of work. He had only allowed four earned runs all season before facing the Cardinals Saturday.
Hazelbaker continued his strong series as he posted two hits and reached base three times. In the first two games of the series, he has tallied six hits and reached base eight times. Freshman designated hitter Nathan Koontz (Indianapolis, Ind./Brebeuf) added two hits for the Cardinals.
Ball State will wrap up the three-game series against Kent State Sunday afternoon with the rubber game set for a 1 p.m. first pitch at Ball Diamond.
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