Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
Miami
Baseball Claims Second Straight Win Over Miami, 11-7
April 03, 2010 | Baseball
Sophomore right-hander Cal Bowling (Muncie, Ind./Yorktown) earned his first victory of the season as he tossed a career-high 7.0 strong innings. Bowling allowed only three run on four hits, while striking out four batters to improve to 1-3 on the season.
Ball State once again got strong production from the middle of the order as junior Kolbrin Vitek (Bryan, Ohio/Bryan) and senior Zach Dygert (Angola, Ind./Angola) combined for seven of the Cardinals' 11 RBI. Vitek tallied two hits and drove in four runs while Dygert drove in three runs and reached base twice.
Miami struck first against Bowling with two runs in the top of the second inning. Kyle Weldon got the inning going as he reached on a single up the middle and Jordan Jankowski put Miami in front with an opposite field two-run home run for his fourth home run of the season.
Ball State answered right in the bottom half of the second inning against Miami started Brooke Fiala. Dygert and Kory Benbow (Muncie, Ind./Cowan) set the table as they both induced four-pitch walks. Freshman third baseman Stephen Claypool (Dearborn, Mich./Divine Child) gave the Cardinals their first lead as he crushed the first pitch he saw over the right field wall for his first career home run to put BSU in front 3-2.
Ball State broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth inning as it scored six runs and sent 10 batters to the plate to chase Fiala from the game. Claypool led off the inning with his second straight extra base hit as he doubled off the center field wall. After an out, sophomore Mitch Widau (Richmond, Ind./Richmond) reached on an infield single and junior T.J. Baumet (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Freshman Blake Beemer (Clayton, Ohio/Northmont) drove in Claypool with a single to right field and Vitek followed with a two-run single into right field to put the Cardinals in front 6-2 and chase Fiala from the game. Dygert welcomed reliever Matt Rosinski abruptly as he crushed a three-run home run over the left field wall for his second home run in as many games to put BSU in the lead 9-2.
The Cardinals added two more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning after waiting through a 21-minute rain delay. Freshman Kirby Campbell (Muncie, Ind./Cowan) drew a two out walk and came home to score as Vitek pounded his team-leading sixth home run of the season over the right field wall to put the Cardinals in front 11-3.
Miami made a final push in the top of the ninth inning as the RedHawks scored four runs and had the potential game-tying run in the on deck circle. Miami tallied four hits and the inning and took advantage of one BSU error to aid the comeback attempt. The rally was thwarted as Baumet snared a line drive off the bat of Ryan Brenner with two runners aboard to end the game.
Fiala (2-2) was charged with the loss as he allowed eight runs on six hits in 3.1 innings of work while walking three batters. Reliever Sam Dawes tossed 4.1 solid innings and held the Cardinals to just one run on one hit.
Ball State and Miami will wrap up the three-game series Sunday afternoon with first pitch set for 1 p.m. at Ball Diamond. Vitek is set to take the hill for the Cardinals against Miami right-hander Mac Thoreson.
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