Ball State University
Eastern Michigan
Baseball Claims 12-11 Victory At Eastern Michigan In 10 Innings
May 02, 2009 | Baseball
Freshman first baseman Ian Nielsen (La Porte, Ind./La Porte) highlighted the Cardinals' attack as he was five-of-six on the afternoon. Nielsen tallied a career-high five singles, including a crucial run-scoring single in the top of the 10th inning as the Cardinals scored three runs in the inning.
Ball State opened the scoring in the top of the first inning against EMU right-hander Jordan Glover. Junior center fielder Jeremy Hazelbaker (Selma, Ind./Wapahani) opened the game as he drew a five-pitch walk and moved into scoring position on Glover's balk. Senior second baseman Nate Fields (Cincinnati, Ohio/Anderson) drove in Hazelbaker as he ripped a single up the middle. The Cardinals executed a perfect hit-and-run as junior catcher Zach Dygert (Angola, Ind./Angola) sent a single through the left side as Fields was running to give BSU a 2-0 lead.
Eastern Michigan responded in the bottom of the first inning against senior right-hander Brenden Stines (Granger, Ind./Penn). Kyle Road led off the inning with a double to left center field and Jim Gulliver followed with a run-scoring single to left field to narrow the BSU lead to 2-1. Stines regrouped and quickly recorded three straight outs to end the inning.
Ball State picked the run back up in the top of the second inning as freshman left fielder Cody Elliott (Florence, Ky./Beechwood) reached on a fielder's choice with one out. Fields singled for the second time in two innings to put runners on the corners with two outs. Glover helped the Cardinals out as he balked for the second time in the afternoon to allow Elliott to score from third and make Ball State's leads 3-1.
The Eagles added an unearned run in the bottom of the third inning to pull within one at 3-2. Ball State answered with four runs in the top of the fourth inning to chase Glover from the game and take a 7-2 lead. Elliott started things off as he reached on a fielder's choice with two outs. After a stolen base moved him into scoring position, Hazelbaker ripped a run-scoring single to left field to plate the first run of the inning.
Hazelbaker stole third and Fields drew a walk to put runners on the corners with two outs. Sophomore third baseman Kolbrin Vitek (Bryan, Ohio/Bryan) came through with the big hit of the inning as he welcomed reliever Tim Combs with a triple to right center field that scored both Hazelbaker and Fields. The triple was Vitek's fourth of the season and it extended his hitting streak to a career-high 16 straight games. Dygert drew a walk to put two aboard for Nielsen who ripped the first pitch he saw to left field for a run scoring single to cap the four-run inning.
After Eastern Michigan scored a run in the bottom of the fourth inning, the Cardinals came right back out in the top of the fifth and extended the lead back to five at 8-3. Sophomore shortstop T.J. Baumet (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) crushed the first pitch he saw high over the center field wall for his ninth home run of the season. Baumet has now hit six home runs in the past six games, including five in his last four MAC contests.
Eastern Michigan came back in the bottom half of the fifth inning to score three runs as it pulled within two at 8-6. Aaron Crooks led off the inning with his first home run of the season while Matt Skirving tallied a two-run home run with the wind in center field.
The Eagles tied the game for the first time in the bottom of the sixth inning against freshman reliever Cal Bowling (Muncie, Ind./Yorktown). Zack Leonard led off the inning with a single before Todd Graves hit a two-run home run to left center field to tie the game at 8-8. Senior left-hander Tom Mueller (Westfield, Ind./Westfield) came on in relief and was able to record the last out of the inning to strand two runners on base.
Ball State re-took the lead in the top of the seventh inning as Baumet drew a one out walk and stole second to move into scoring position. Elliott came through with a run-scoring double down the right field line that plated Baumet to put BSU ahead 9-8.
Eastern Michigan tied the game in the bottom of the ninth inning against junior closer Morgan Coombs (West Terre Haute, Ind./Lincoln Trail). Coombs started the inning with a walk to Gulliver while Skirving followed with a single to put two aboard with one out. Coombs was able to get two quick outs before Leonard singled to center field to drive in Gulliver with the game-tying run. The Cardinals got out of the inning as they stranded two runners on as Coombs induced an infield pop fly to end the frame.
Ball State came out in the top of the 10th inning as Hazelbaker drew a leadoff walk from reliever Bobby Henderson. Fields laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Hazelbaker into scoring position and chase Henderson from the game. EMU reliever Kevin Wammes came on and intentionally walked Vitek to put two aboard.
Dygert responded to the intentional pass and ripped a 1-0 pitch through the right side to plate Hazelbaker with the go ahead run. Nielsen followed with a run-scoring single to center field to score Vitek with an insurance run. The Cardinals added their third run of the inning as Wammes uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Dygert to score and put BSU ahead 12-9.
Eastern Michigan kept battling in the bottom of the 10th inning as Gulliver hit a two-run home run with two outs to narrow the gap to 12-11. Coombs was able to get Skirving to ground out to second base to end the game.
Coombs (3-4) picked up the victory as he worked 2.0 innings and allowed three runs. Mueller worked 1.1 innings of scoreless baseball while right-hander Aaron Hammons (Greenfield, Ind./Greenfield Central) added a perfect inning of work.
Henderson (1-2) was charged with the loss as he allowed one run on one-third of an inning in the 10th. Wammes allowed two runs on two hits, including the game-winning run on a wild pitch.
The Cardinals and Eagles will wrap up the three-game series Sunday afternoon. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Oestrike Stadium with Vitek set to take the hill for the Cardinals.
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