Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
UAB (DH)
Baseball Suffers Two Losses at UAB Saturday
February 28, 2010 | Baseball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- A day after posting a victory over UAB, Ball State's baseball team suffered a pair of losses in a Saturday doubleheader against the Blazers.
With the losses, the Cardinals fall to 2-4 overall, while UAB evened its overall record at 2-2.
Ball State suffered a 6-0 loss in the first game and then lost a 12-inning heartbreaker to the Blazers by a 10-9 margin in the nightcap.
In the first game, the Cardinals mustered only three hits -- a double in the first inning by Ryan Chenoweth, a single in the seventh by Stephen Claypool and a double in the ninth by Ian Nielsen. Cal Bowling took the loss after starting the game for the Cardinals and pitching four and two thirds innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out four batters. Morgan Coombs came on in relief and went three and a third innings, allowing only one earned run and striking out two.
After UAB opened the bottom half of the first with one run, a pitching duel ensued with neither team scoring any additional runs through the top of the fifth. In the bottom of the fifth, the Blazers were able to put another run on the board to take a 2-0 lead with four innings to play. UAB added three runs in the bottom half of the seventh to take a commanding 5-0 lead, and then put up another in the eighth to make it 6-0.
In the nightcap, Ball State tallied 14 hits and allowed the Blazers only eight in the 12 innings, but walked eight batters and hit two additional hitters in the loss.
Jon Cisna suffered the loss after pitching the final two and two thirds innings and allowing on unearned run. Scott Brothers started the game for the Cardinals and pitched six innings, allowing six hits and two earned runs, while striking out two and walking only one.
Cody Elliott and Kolbrin Vitek both hit homeruns in the game, and five batters notched two hits apiece.
After taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the third, UAB responded with two in its bottom half of the third. The game stayed 2-2 until the Cardinals racked up two more in the sixth inning after a Stephen Claypool RBI single and a T.J. Baumet RBI single put the Cardinals ahead 4-2.
Elliott's first homerun of the season was a solo shot in the seventh and gave Ball State a 5-2 lead. But UAB responded with its biggest inning of the day - a five run seventh - to take a 7-5 lead.
The Cardinals responded with three more in the top of the eighth to take an 8-7 lead. A Zach Dygert double followed by a Claypool RBI single started the scoring in the eighth. Wes Winkle pinch ran for Claypool and advanced to second on a wild pitch before scoring on a Kirby Campbell double to left field. Campbell later scored on a wild pitch and Ball State had the lead.
After holding the Blazers scoreless in the bottom of the eighth, Ball State added a run in the ninth and took the two-run lead into the final at bat for UAB. But the Blazers extended the game with a pair of runs and added one in the bottom of the 12th. The game winning run came after a fielding error, a walk, a hit by pitch and a fielder's choice RBI.
Ball State will conclude the four game series with UAB with a 1 p.m. (CT) Sunday game at Young Memorial Field.
