Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
Illinois
Baseball Falls To Illinois At Caravelle Resort Classic
March 14, 2010 | Baseball
CONWAY, S.C. - The Ball State baseball team wrapped up is nine-game spring break trip with a 10-3 loss to Big Ten foe Illinois Sunday afternoon at Watson Stadium in the Caravelle Resort Classic hosted by Coastal Carolina. The loss drops the Cardinals to 5-11 on the season as they ended the 10-day trip with a 3-6 mark.
Illinois (3-7) opened the scoring in the bottom of the fourth inning against junior right-hander Kolbrin Vitek (Bryan, Ohio/Bryan). Vitek allowed a leadoff walk and then back-to-back singles as Illinois took a 1-0 lead. The Fighting Illini broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth inning as they chased Vitek from the game by scoring six runs in the inning. Illinois sent 10 batters to the plate in the inning and tallied four hits, including a solo home run from Craig Lutes and a three-run home run from Mike Giller.
Ball State scored its first run of the afternoon in the top of the sixth inning against Illinois starter Lee Zerrusen. Sophomore Ian Nielsen (La Porte, Ind./La Porte) started things off with a one out single and moved into scoring position on a ground ball. Freshman Stephen Claypool (Dearborn, Mich./Divine Child) continued his strong play as he drove in the Cardinals' first run with a run-scoring single to left center field.
The Cardinals continued to chip away at the deficit as they scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning to narrow the gap to 7-3. Sophomore Mitch Widau (Richmond, Ind./Richmond) led off the inning as he reached on a bunt single and junior T.J. Baumet (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) followed with a single to put two aboard. Vitek drove in two runs as he ripped a 2-1 pitch down the left field line to score both Widau and Baumet.
Illinois ended any thought of a Cardinals' comeback attempt as it scored two runs in the seventh inning and one run in the eighth inning for the 10-3 final. Matt Dittman tallied the big hit for the Illini as he hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning to extend the lead back to six runs.
Vitek (0-2) was charged with the loss as he allowed five runs on five hits in 4.1 innings of work. Zerrusen (1-0) earned the victory for Illinois as he held the Cardinals to just three runs in 7.0 innings while allowing six BSU hits.
Ball State continues its 23-game road swing to open the 2010 season next weekend as the Cardinals travel to No. 8 Louisville (13-1) for a three-game series at Jim Patterson Stadium. Game one of the series begins Friday afternoon with a 3 p.m. first pitch.
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