Ball State University
Louisville
Baseball Falls At Louisville In 12-Inning Pitchers? Duel
April 02, 2009 | Baseball
Louisville opened the scoring with single runs in the first two innings against freshman right-hander Cal Bowling (Muncie, Ind./Yorktown). Louisville took advantage of a BSU error in the first inning to score an unearned run and scored its second run on a Tony Zych sacrifice fly in the second inning.
Ball State broke through against Louisville starter Keith Landers in the top of the third inning as sophomore shortstop T.J. Baumet (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) led off the inning with a double to left center field. After moving to third base on a ground out, junior center fielder Jeremy Hazelbaker (Selma, Ind./Wapahani) singled home Baumet to pull the Cardinals within on run.
Hazelbaker stole second base to move into scoring position and senior second baseman Nate Fields (Cincinnati, Ohio/Anderson) tied the score as he doubled over the left fielder's head to chase Landers from the game. Sophomore designated hitter Kolbrin Vitek (Bryan, Ohio/Bryan) welcomed Louisville reliever Derek Self as he doubled off of the left field wall to give the Cardinals the lead. Junior catcher Zach Dygert (Angola, Ind./Angola) put BSU ahead 4-2 as he hit the Cardinals' fourth double of the inning off of the left center field wall to score Vitek.
Louisville tied the score at 4-4 as it struck for single runs in the third and the fourth inning against BSU relievers Adam Quinn (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) and Scott Brothers Jr. (Monticello, Ind./Gulf Coast CC). Both teams settled into a pitching duel down the stretch as the Cardinals' bullpen held Louisville without a run seven straight innings while the Louisville bullpen held BSU off the board for nine straight innings.
Ball State had a chance to take the lead in the top of the ninth inning as freshman first baseman Ian Nielsen (La Porte, Ind./La Porte) reached base with a one out walk and junior right fielder Ryan Chenoweth (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) followed with a single to put two aboard against Louisville closer Tony Zych. Baumet was able to draw a walk to load the bases but Zych got out of the inning with a fly ball and a strike out.
BSU came close in the top of the 10th inning as Dygert was hit by a pitch and freshman Nathan Koontz (Indianapolis, Ind./Brebeuf) singled to right field to put runners on the corners. Nielsen got a strong swing on the ensuing pitch as he lined out to deep center field to end the inning.
Louisville led off the bottom of the 10th inning with a base runner as BSU reliever Morgan Coombs (West Terre Haute, Ind./Lincoln Trail) hit Jeff Arnold with a pitch. After a stolen base moved Arnold into scoring position, Coombs powered out of the inning as he struck out three straight to end the threat.
Ball State put the potential go ahead run on base to lead off the top of the 12th inning as Hazelbaker drew a walk from reliever Bob Revesz. Fields laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move the runner into scoring position, but Revesz was able to induce two fly balls to end the inning.
Louisville led off the bottom of the 12th inning as Phil Wunderlich drew a walk. Wunderlich moved all the way to third base on a Cardinals' throwing error on a pickoff attempt to put the game-winning run 90 feet away. Alec Lowry pinch hit with a sacrifice fly to left field that was deep enough to score the game-winning run.
Coombs (2-2) was charged with the hard luck loss as he worked 2.1 innings as the eighth pitcher for BSU. He allowed just one unearned run as he walked two and struck out three batters. Revesz (2-0) picked up the victory as Louisville's seventh pitcher of the night as he worked two thirds of an inning of shutout baseball.
Ball State will return to Mid-American Conference action this weekend as it hits the road for a three-game series at Buffalo. The series opens Friday afternoon at 3 p.m.
####
