Ball State University
IPFW
Baseball Downs IPFW, 10-3
April 29, 2009 | Baseball
Redshirt freshman Perci Garner (Dover, Ohio/Dover) picked up his first career victory as he pitched three scoreless innings of relief. Garner struck out five batters and only allowed one walk as the Cardinals held IPFW scoreless in eight of the nine innings.
Ball State struck first in the bottom of the third inning against IPFW reliever Scott Micinski. Freshman center fielder Cody Elliott (Florence, Ky./Beechwood) led off the inning with an infield single and classmate Tim Issler (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Xavier) put runners in scoring position with a double to right center field.
After a walk to senior second baseman Nate Fields (Cincinnati, Ohio/Anderson) loaded the bases, sophomore Kolbrin Vitek (Bryan, Ohio/Bryan) drove in one run with a ground ball and the Cardinals' second run came home on an IPFW throwing error.
The Mastodons took the lead with three runs in the top of the fourth inning against left-hander Eric Van Matre (Selma, Ind./Purdue). IPFW tallied six straight singles to open the inning and chase Van Matre from the game. Garner was able to come on and record three straight outs to end the inning with Ball State only trailing by one run.
The Cardinals took the lead back for good in the bottom of the fifth inning against reliever Cory Bluhm. Issler started things off with a one out single and freshman Nathan Koontz (Indianapolis, Ind./Brebeuf) singled to put two aboard. Fields ripped a double down the right field line to plate Issler and tie the game. After an intentional walk to Vitek loaded the bases, junior Kory Benbow (Muncie, Ind./Cowan) ripped a two-run single up the middle to five the Cardinals a 5-3 lead.
Ball State kept the pressure on in the bottom half of the sixth inning as redshirt freshman catcher Aaron Etchison (Pendleton, Ind./Pendleton Heights) reached on a one out single. Elliot doubled to deep left field to move two into scoring position. Issler lifted a high fly ball to right field that allowed Etchison to score. Koontz followed with his second career home run as he crushed an 0-1 pitch high over the left field wall for a 9-3 Cardinals' lead.
Ball State continued to add runs with two more in the seventh inning as Vitek led off the inning with a triple to left center field. Freshman first baseman Ian Nielsen (La Porte, Ind./La Porte) drove him in as he ripped a single to left field. Nielsen moved to second on a wild pitch and came all the way home to score on the Mastodons' second error of the afternoon to cap the scoring at 10-3.
Freshman right-hander Cal Bowling (Muncie, Ind./Yorktown) was strong in the start as he threw three scoreless innings before giving way to the bullpen. Bowling allowed just one hit as he struck out three batters in the no decision. Brenden Stines (Granger, Ind./Penn), Tom Mueller (Westfield, Ind./Westfield) and Morgan Coombs (West Terre Haute, Ind./Lincoln Trail) added three shutout innings in relief as they only allowed two hits total.
Bluhm (0-1) was charged with the loss for IPFW as he allowed six runs on six hits in just two innings of work.
Ball State will return to action this weekend as it hits the road for a three-game Mid-American Conference series at Eastern Michigan. Friday's game is set for a 6 p.m. first pitch.
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