Ball State University
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Western Michigan
Baseball Takes Series Opener From Western Michigan, 8-6
April 24, 2009 | Baseball
Ball State opened the scoring quickly against WMU right-hander Billy Morrison as it scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Junior center fielder Jeremy Hazelbaker (Selma, Ind./Wapahani) led off the game as he reached on a throwing error by the catcher and stole second to move into scoring position.
Sophomore third baseman Kolbrin Vitek (Bryan, Ohio/Bryan) continued his torrid hitting as he ripped a 2-2 pitch high over the center field wall for a two-run home run. The home run was Vitek's team-leading ninth of the season. Freshman first baseman Ian Nielsen (La Porte, Ind./La Porte) kept things going with a two out double to left field. Junior designated hitter Kory Benbow (Muncie, Ind./Cowan) gave the Cardinals a 4-0 lead as he crushed the first pitch he saw high over the left field wall for his seventh home run of the year.
The Cardinals added their fifth run in the bottom of the second inning as freshman left fielder Cody Elliott (Florence, Ky./Beechwood) reached on a fielder's choice. Elliot stole second base and moved to third on Hazelbaker's long fly ball. Senior second baseman Nate Fields (Cincinnati, Ohio/Anderson) drove in Elliott as he doubled to right center field.
Western Michigan (10-25, 5-11 MAC) broke through against junior right-hander Brad Piatt (Galveston, Ind./Lewis Cass) in the top of the third inning. Kyle Galbraith led off the inning with a solo home run before Pedro Dager doubled to center field. Jamie Simpson singled to right field to drive in Dager to narrow the gap to 5-2.
The game was halted in the middle of the third inning for 57 minutes due to lightening in the area. When the game resumed, Piatt did not return due to the delay and left-hander Eric Van Matre (Selma, Ind./Purdue) was able to work out of the inning.
The Broncos took the lead from the Cardinals with four runs in the top of the fifth inning. Western Michigan took advantage of three straight walks to load the bases and chased Van Matre from the game. Junior right-hander Scott Brothers Jr. (Monticello, Ind./Gulf Coast CC) came on and allowed a sacrifice fly and two run-scoring singles before getting out of the inning with WMU leading 6-5.
Ball State battled back in the bottom half of the fifth as Hazelbaker singled up the middle. He moved all the way to third as Morrison threw the ball away on a pickoff attempt. Vitek drove in his third run of the afternoon as he reached on an infield single to knot the game up at 6-6.
Ball State added an insurance run off of WMU reliever John Navage in the seventh inning without recording a hit as it took an 8-6 lead. Junior catcher Zach Dygert (Angola, Ind./Angola) and Benbow were both hit by pitches before Ryan Chenoweth (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) drew a walk to load the bases. Navage uncorked a two out wild pitch that allowed Dygert to scamper home for the two-run lead.
Junior closer Morgan Coombs (West Terre Haute, Ind./Lincoln Trail) came on in relief in the eighth inning and slammed the door shut on the Broncos. Coombs struck out four batters and capped his team-leading fourth save of the season as he started the game-ending ground ball double play.
Piatt worked just 2.2 innings as he fell victim to the lengthy delay as he had allowed just two runs on five hits. Brothers (1-1) picked up the victory as he was one of four Cardinals relievers. He worked 1.2 innings and allowed one run on two hits. Morrison (2-7) was charged with the loss as he allowed seven runs on 11 hits in 6.0 innings of work.
The Cardinals and Broncos will continue their series Saturday afternoon. Game two is set for a 1 p.m. first pitch at Ball Diamond with right-hander Brenden Stines (Granger, Ind./Penn) set to take the hill for the Cardinals.
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