Ball State University
Bowling Green
Baseball Falls At Bowling Green 9-7 In 10 Innings
April 12, 2009 | Baseball
Freshman left fielder Cody Elliott (Florence, Ky./Beechwood) provided a spark for the Cardinals in the loss as he tallied two hits, reached base four times and stole two bases. Elliott also made a game-saving catch in the bottom of the ninth inning to force extra innings.
Ball State struck first in the top of the third inning against BGSU left-hander Brian Hangbers. Elliott started things off as he drew a two out walk and he moved to third as he stole second base and advanced on a wild pitch. After a walk to junior center fielder Jeremy Hazelbaker (Selma, Ind./Wapahani), senior second baseman Nate Fields (Cincinnati, Ohio/Anderson) ripped a run scoring single through the hole in the left side to plate Elliott with the first run of the afternoon.
The Cardinals extended their lead to 2-0 with another run in the top of the fourth inning. Junior designated hitter Kory Benbow (Muncie, Ind./Cowan) reached base on a fielder's choice with two outs to give the Cardinals a base runner. Sophomore shortstop T.J. Baumet (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) drove in Benbow as he ripped the first pitch he saw off of the left center field wall for a run scoring double.
Bowling Green took its first lead of the afternoon with five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to chase freshman starter Cal Bowling (Muncie, Ind./Yorktown). The Falcons took advantage of two walks, one crucial BSU error and a wild pitch surrounded by three hits to take the 5-2 lead against Bowling and reliever Perci Garner (Dover, Ohio/Dover).
Ball State pulled back within one run as it took advantage of a pair of Bowling Green errors in the top of the sixth inning. Junior catcher Zach Dygert (Angola, Ind./Angola) led off the inning with an opposite field single and freshman first baseman Ian Nielsen (La Porte, Ind./La Porte) reached on an error by the BGSU shortstop.
After a perfect sacrifice bunt by Benbow moved both runners into scoring position, Baumet drove in Dygert with a ground ball to second base. The Cardinals narrowed the deficit to 5-4 as junior right fielder Ryan Chenoweth (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) kept the inning alive as he reached on a fielding error by the second baseman that allowed Nielsen to come home and score the second run of the inning.
Bowling Green threatened in the bottom of the sixth inning as Mark Galvin and Ryan Shay had two singles to put runners on the corner with one out. Right-hander Aaron Hammons (Greenfield, Ind./Greenfield Central) came on in relief and worked his way out of the inning with a strikeout and a ground ball to strand both runners.
After Bowling Green scored an unearned run in the bottom of the eighth inning to take a 6-4 lead, the Cardinals came to bat in the top of the ninth inning looking for runs to extend the game for the second straight day. Hazelbaker and Fields started things as they drew back-to-back walks after one out. Sophomore third baseman Kolbrin Vitek (Bryan, Ohio/Bryan) drove in Hazelbaker as he singled through the left side.
The Cardinals were down to their last out for the second straight game as they had runners at first and second base. Nielsen came through with the big hit as he ripped an opposite field single to right field that plate Fields with the game-tying run off of BGSU reliever Dusty Hawk.
Kent State threatened in the bottom of the ninth inning against junior Morgan Coombs (West Terre Haute, Ind./Lincoln Trail) as Derek Spencer led off the inning with a single. After a sacrifice bunt moved him into scoring position, the Cardinals intentionally walked Hangbers to set up the double play. Ryan Schlater came up and drilled a drive deep into the corner in left field but Elliott made a running shoestring catch to prevent the game-winning hit from falling to preserve the tie. Coombs was able to get the next batter to fly out to right field to send the game into extra innings.
Ball State came out in the top of the 10th inning and quickly got things going as Baumet drew a leadoff walk. Baumet moved over the third as he stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by the BGSU catcher. After a strikeout, the Cardinals executed a perfect suicide squeeze bunt by Elliott that plated Baumet with the go ahead run at 7-6.
The Falcons battled back in the bottom of the 10th inning against Coombs as Blanton led off with a single. Ryan Shay put two in scoring position as he reached on a two-base error by Hazelbaker that put the tying run 90 feet away. Jon Berti gave Bowling Green the series sweep as he hit a 1-0 pitch over the left field wall for a walk-off three-run home run.
Coombs (2-4) was charged with his second straight loss as he allowed three runs on three hits in 1.2 innings. Charles Wooten (3-1) picked up the victory in relief for the Falcons as he worked two thirds of an inning in the top of the 10th.
The Cardinals return home to the friendly confines of Ball Diamond for 10 of their next 11 games beginning with a Tuesday afternoon contest against Huntington and a Wednesday afternoon game against Big Ten foe Indiana. Both games are slated for a 3 p.m. first pitch and admission is free.
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