Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
Buffalo
Baseball Rallies Past Buffalo, 6-5
April 17, 2010 | Baseball
MUNCIE, Ind. - The Ball State baseball team rallied from an early five-run deficit and completed a 6-5 come from behind Mid-American Conference victory over Buffalo by a 6-5 margin at Ball Diamond on a sunny Saturday afternoon. The victory moves the Cardinals into a first place tie with Central Michigan in the MAC West Division with a 9-2 record and it secures their fourth straight MAC series victory to open league play.
Left-handed reliever Derek Grabner (Fort Wayne, Ind./Lincoln Trail) combined with Heath Riley (Lafayette, Ind./Jefferson) and Aaron Hammons (Greenfield, Ind./Greenfield Central) to 5.2 shutout innings out of the bullpen as the Cardinals did not allow a run after the third inning as they limited Buffalo to just two hits in the final six innings. Grabner (2-1) picked up the victory as he worked 4.1 dominant innings of one-hit baseball as he only allowed two base runners and struck out four batters.
Buffalo (15-17, 3-8 MAC) struck first with four runs in the top of the second inning against sophomore right-hander Cal Bowling (Muncie, Ind./Yorktown). The Bulls tallied six hits in the inning including a solo home run from Adam Skonieczki and a two-run single from Brad Agustin. Buffalo tacked on another run in the top of the third after back-to-back singles, but Bowling limited the threat to just one run as he induced a ground ball double play.
The Cardinals (16-18, 9-2 MAC) answered back with three runs in the bottom of the third inning against Buffalo right-hander Pierre Miville-Deschenes. Ball State did all of its damage with two outs in the inning as junior T.J. Baumet (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) was hit by a pitch and freshman Blake Beemer (Clayton, Ohio/Northmont) doubled to center field to put two in scoring position.
After Buffalo decided to pitch around junior Kolbrin Vitek (Bryan, Ohio/Bryan) with a walk, senior catcher Zach Dygert (Angola, Ind./Angola) ripped a two-run single down the left field line. The Cardinals narrowed the gap to 5-3 as Miville-Deschenes uncorked a wild pitch to cap the inning's scoring.
The Cardinals pulled within one at 5-4 in the bottom of the fourth inning. Sophomore Cody Elliott (Florence, Ky./Beechwood) reached on a fielder's choice and moved into scoring position as sophomore Mitch Widau (Richmond, Ind./Richmond) laid down a perfect bunt single to extend his hitting streak to 12 straight games. Baumet drove in Elliott as he ripped a single over the shortstop's head to make it a 5-4 contest.
Ball State pulled even with another run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Dygert reached base on a UB fielding error and sophomore Ian Nielsen (La Porte, Ind./La Porte) drew a four-pitch walk. Senior Kory Benbow (Muncie, Ind./Cowan) smoked a run-scoring single past the UB third baseman to plate Nielsen with the game-tying run.
The Cardinals took their first lead of the afternoon in the bottom of the sixth inning against Buffalo reliever Brian Pullyblank. Elliott welcomed Pullyblank quickly as he hit his fourth home run of the season down the right field line to the 6-5 Ball State lead.
Ball State kept the Bulls at bay until UB threatened in the top of the ninth inning. Hammons quickly got two outs to open the inning before issuing a walk to Brad Cochrane and a two-out double to Charlie Karstedt that put two in scoring position. The Cardinals ended the threat as Skonieczki flew out to center field for the final out of the contest and strand the game-tying run 90 feet away. Hammons earned his third save of the season by working the scoreless ninth inning.
Bowling worked 3.1 innings in the no decision as he allowed five runs on nine hits. Miville-Deschenes also got a no decision as he allowed five runs on eight hits in 5.0 innings. Pullyblank (1-3) was charged with the loss despite allowing just one run on two hits in 3.0 innings.
The Cardinals and Bulls will wrap up the three-game series Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Ball Diamond.
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