Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
Pittsburgh
Baseball Falls To Pittsburgh, 8-5
March 06, 2010 | Baseball
CONWAY, S.C. - The Ball State baseball team opened its spring break trip Friday night with an 8-5 loss to Big East foe Pittsburgh in the Caravelle Resort Invitational at Watson Stadium on the campus of Coastal Carolina. The loss drops the Cardinals to 2-6 on the season while the Panthers improve to 6-1 on the year.
Senior catcher Zach Dygert (Angola, Ind./Angola) was the offensive catalyst in the loss. Dygert became the first Cardinal this season to tally a multiple home run game as he notched a pair of long balls in the loss. It marks the third time in his career he has hit two home runs in a game and the first since hitting a pair April 22, 2009 at nationally ranked Ohio State.
Pittsburgh struck first against sophomore right-hander Cal Bowling (Muncie, Ind./Yorktown) in the top of the first inning as it took advantage of an early BSU error to take a 1-0 lead.
The Cardinals answered back in the bottom of the second inning against Pittsburgh starter Corey Baker. Sophomore first baseman Ian Nielsen (La Porte, Ind./La Porte) and senior Kory Benbow (Muncie, Ind./Cowan) led off the inning with back-to-back singles. After an out, junior shortstop T. J. Baumet (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) singled up the middle to score Nielsen and tie the game at 1-1.
The Panthers answered right back in the top of the third inning as they plated three runs to take a 4-1 lead. Joe Leonard and Kevan Smith hit back-to-back run-scoring doubles to highlight the inning.
Ball State got one run back in the bottom of the third inning as junior second baseman Kolbrin Vitek (Bryan, Ohio/Bryan) hit his team-leading fourth home run of the season with a solo shot to left center field. After the Panthers scored one run in the fourth inning, the Cardinals battled back and narrowed the lead to 5-4 in the bottom of the fifth inning. Vitek started things off as he drew a one-out walk and Dygert notched his second home run of the season with a two-run shot over the left center field wall.
Pittsburgh got some breathing room back in the top of the seventh inning as it loaded the bases against right-hander Perci Garner (Dover, Ohio/Dover). Garner was able to get two outs without allowing a run, but the Panthers scratched out two runs to take a 7-4 lead.
Ball State had a chance to respond back in the bottom of the seventh inning as it loaded the bases with nobody out. Pittsburgh reliever J.R. Leonardi was able to work out of the inning without allowing a run as he struck out two batters and induced an infield pop fly. The Panthers added an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning to take an 8-4 lead.
The Cardinals made a final push in the bottom of the ninth inning against Leonardi. Dygert came to the plate with the bases empty and hit his second home run of the evening as he crushed the first pitch he saw over the left field wall to narrow the gap to 8-5. Pittsburgh was able to close out the game without allowing the game-tying run to come to the plate.
Bowling (0-2) was charged with the loss after 5.0 innings of work. He allowed five runs on seven hits while striking out two batters. Garner went 3.0 innings and allowed two runs on five hits while striking out five batters.
Barker (3-0) went 6.0 innings and allowed four runs on seven hits as he struck out six Cardinal batters in the victory. Leonardi earned his second save of the year as he worked the final 3.0 innings and allowed one run while striking out six batters.
The Cardinals will continue play in the Caravelle Resort Invitational Saturday evening when they face off against Albany at 7 p.m. Senior right-hander Scott Brothers Jr. (Monticello, Ind./Gulf Coast CC) is set to make his second start of the season for the Cardinals.
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