Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
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Western Michigan (TH)
Baseball Wins Seventh Straight MAC Weekend Series
May 10, 2010 | Baseball
KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Ball State baseball team notched its seventh straight Mid-American Conference weekend series victory and took over sole possession of first place in the MAC by winning two out of three games against Western Michigan in a Sunday afternoon tripleheader at Robert J. Bobb Stadium.
The Cardinals claimed game one by a 4-3 score and won game two 10-5 before falling in the series finale 6-1. The Cardinals sit alone in first place in the MAC with a 15-6 record and hold a one-game lead over Central Michigan, Toledo and Bowling Green. Ball State ends the weekend 24-23 overall on the year while Western Michigan finishes the series 12-35 overall.
Game One - Ball State 4, Western Michigan 3
The Cardinals took home a hard fought 4-3 victory over Western Michigan in the first game of the tripleheader Sunday. The game started Friday afternoon and WMU held a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning before the game was called because of heavy rain in the Kalamazoo area.
Ball State and Western Michigan finally resumed the suspended game Sunday at noon with WMU holding a 1-0 lead as Chris Lewis hit a solo home run Friday afternoon. The Cardinals started their rally from the beginning against right-hander Troy Forton. Freshman Blake Beemer (Clayton, Ohio/Northmont) concluded his at-bat to open the suspended game as he took ball four to lead off the afternoon.
Junior Kolbrin Vitek (Bryan, Ohio/Bryan) followed with a single into right center field to put two aboard. Forton followed with back-to-back walks to Zach Dygert (Angola, Ind./Angola) and Ian Nielsen (La Porte, Ind./La Porte) to tie the game at 1-1. Senior Kory Benbow (Muncie, Ind./Cowan) gave the Cardinals the lead as he ripped a bases-clearing double over the left fielder's head to put BSU in front 4-1.
Western Michigan answered back in the bottom of the fifth inning as Vitek hit the first two batters of the inning. After a sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position, Zach Thoma dropped a two-run single over the second baseman's head to narrow the BSU advantage to 4-3.
The Broncos threatened in the bottom of the seventh inning as they put runners on first and second with one out. Vitek worked out of the inning as he induced a ground ball double play from Brooks Beilke to end the inning.
The Ball State defense came through once again in the bottom of the eighth inning as Brent Simotes doubled to center field with one out. Lewis ripped a line drive into the gap in right center field but Beemer made a diving catch for the second out of the inning and quickly threw to second base to throw out Simotes who did not tag up on the play.
Vitek closed out the victory in the bottom of the ninth as he worked around a one-out single by inducing back-to-back fly balls to end the contest. Vitek worked the final 6.0 innings to earn his first career save as he allowed two runs on five hits.
Senior Brad Piatt (Galveston, Ind./Lewis Cass) picked up the victory as he tossed 2.0 innings Friday before the game was suspended to improve to 3-3 on the year. Forton (1-4) was charged with the loss as he allowed four runs on six hits in 6.0 innings as he walked six batters.
Game Two - Ball State 10, Western Michigan 5
Ball State claimed the weekend series victory with a 10-5 win in game two of the doubleheader against the Broncos. The Cardinals broke the game open with a seven-run fifth inning and junior left-hander Derek Grabner (Fort Wayne, Ind./Lincoln Trail) tossed 4.0 shutout innings of relief to earn his first career save.
Ball State opened the scoring quickly in the top of the first inning against WMU right-hander Eric Heckaman. After two quick outs, Vitek fell behind in the count before working it back to even at 2-2. He made the work pay off as he crushed the seventh pitch of the at-bat high over the center field wall for his team-leading 15th home run of the year and a 1-0 BSU lead.
The Cardinals added two more runs in the top of the second inning as Benbow drew a leadoff walk. Sophomore Cody Elliott (Florence, Ky./Beechwood) followed with a double off the right field wall to put two in scoring position. After a walk to sophomore Mitch Widau (Richmond, Ind./Richmond) loaded the bases, junior T.J. Baumet (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) reached on a WMU fielding error that allowed Benbow to score. Beemer drove in the Cardinals' third run of the game as he reached on a fielder's choice to put BSU in front 3-0.
Western Michigan answered back in the bottom of the third against sophomore right-hander Cal Bowling (Muncie, Ind./Yorktown). Thoma led off the inning with a single through the left side and advanced on a sacrifice bunt. Jimmy Martinez followed with his seventh home run of the season down the right field line to make it a 3-2 contest.
The Cardinals broke the game open with seven runs in the top of the fifth inning to chase Heckaman from the game. Dygert started things off as he was hit by a pitch and sophomore Ian Nielsen (La Porte, Ind./La Porte) singled to put two aboard. After a wild pitch moved the runners into scoring position, Benbow ripped a two-run single into left field.
Freshman Stephen Claypool (Dearborn, Mich./Divine Child) followed with a double down the left field line to put two in scoring position once again. Elliott reached on a fielding error to plate Benbow and make it a 6-2 game. The Cardinals scored four more runs in the inning, three of which came on wild pitches from Heckaman and reliever Derek Mosher to take a 10-2 lead.
The Broncos answered back with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning against Bowling as they took advantage of a BSU fielding error to make it a 10-5 game. Grabner came on in the sixth inning and only allowed two hits while striking out seven batters in the final 4.0 innings.
Bowling (5-3) picked up the victory as he allowed three earned runs on five hits in 5.0 innings of work. He is now 5-0 in MAC play this season in seven starts. Heckaman (0-8) was charged with the loss as he allowed nine runs on six hits in 4.1 innings of work.
Game 3 - Western Michigan 6, Ball State 1
Ball State fell short of the weekend series sweep as it dropped game three of the tripleheader by a 6-1 score to the Broncos. Western Michigan jumped out to an early 3-0 lead and held on for the victory as the Cardinals broke up the shutout with a run in the ninth inning.
Western Michigan opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning against redshirt sophomore right-hander Perci Garner (Dover, Ohio/Dover). Garner was making his second start of the weekend after going one inning Friday before the first rain delay. The Broncos led off the inning as Martinez singled to right field and Lewis followed with a run-scoring double. After a ground ball moved Lewis to third, Garner uncorked a wild pitch to give WMU an early 2-0 lead.
The Broncos added a single run in the third inning and a run in the sixth inning to take a 4-0 lead. Lewis added his second solo home run of the series in the sixth inning. Western Michigan took a 6-0 lead with two more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning against the BSU bullpen. Jack Scanlon drove in a run with a single and Patrick Duncan drove in the Broncos' sixth run as he reached on a fielding error.
The Cardinals broke the shutout in the top of the ninth inning against WMU closer Tim Mowry. Senior Ryan Chenoweth (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) reached on a wild pitch and moved to second on a passed ball. Baumet drove in the Cardinals' lone run as he ripped a single into left field to cap the game's scoring at 6-1.
Garner (5-2) picked up the loss as he allowed three runs on four hits in 4.0 innings. WMU starter Chris Bossenberry (2-4) picked up the victory by throwing 6.2 shutout innings of five hit baseball. Mowry earned his third save as he went 2.1 innings and allowed one run on two hits.
Ball State returns to action Tuesday afternoon as it hosts Big Ten foe Purdue. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. at Ball Diamond.
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