Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
Northern Illinois
Nielsen's Walk-Off Home Run Lifts Baseball Over Northern Illinois
May 14, 2010 | Baseball
MUNCIE, Ind. - Sophomore first baseman Ian Nielsen (La Porte, Ind./La Porte) hit a walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning Friday afternoon to propel the Ball State baseball team to a 7-6 come-from-behind victory over Northern Illinois at Ball Diamond. The victory keeps the Cardinals alone in first place the Mid-American Conference with a 16-6 record and improves them to 11-2 at home this season.
Ball State (25-24, 16-6 MAC) entered the bottom of the ninth inning trailing the Huskies by a 6-4 margin and was facing the MAC-save leader Andy Deain who entered the game with 11 saves. Deain quickly recorded the first out of the inning before freshman Blake Beemer (Clayton, Ohio/Northmont) ripped a double over the center fielder's head to start the rally.
Junior second baseman Kolbrin Vitek (Bryan, Ohio/Bryan) followed and worked the count full before roping a run-scoring double down the left field line to pull the Cardinals within one at 6-5. Senior catcher Zach Dygert (Angola, Ind./Angola) came within inches of ending the game in his at-bat as he flew out to the wall in left field for the second out of the inning set the stage for the walk-off drama.
Nielsen quickly ended the game as he crushed the first pitch he saw off the scoreboard in left center field to send the team into a frenzy and secure a 7-6 walk-off victory. The home run was his ninth of the season and marked the second walk-off victory on a Friday at Ball Diamond in as many games as Vitek hit a three-run walk-off home run against Eastern Michigan two weekends ago (April 30).
Northern Illinois (20-29, 9-13 MAC) opened the scoring against redshirt sophomore Perci Garner (Dover, Ohio/Dover) in the top of the first inning. The first three Huskies reached base to lead off the game, courtesy of two singles and a walk. Garner limited the damage to just two runs as he induced a pair of sacrifice flies before striking out Dave Reynolds to end the inning.
Ball State narrowed the gap to 2-1 with a run in the bottom of the first inning against NIU left-hander Chuck Lukanen. Junior T.J. Baumet (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) led off the inning as he lined the first pitch he saw down the left field line for a double. After Baumet stole third base, Lukanen uncorked a wild pitch to plate the Cardinals' first run of the game.
After NIU scored an unearned run in the second inning to take a 3-1 the Cardinals tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Freshman Kirby Campbell (Muncie, Ind./Cowan) started the rally with a one-out single while sophomore Mitch Widau (Richmond, Ind../Richmond) followed with a single to put two board.
Beemer came through with a two-out base hit as he lined a single over the first baseman's head to score Campbell. NIU right fielder Jake Hermsen booted the ball on the play which allowed Widau to score the tying run at 3-3.
Northern Illinois retook the lead in the top of the sixth inning to chase Garner from the game. Dave Reynolds started things off as he doubled into right center field with one out. Brett Frantini drove in the go ahead run as he dropped a single down the right field line but was thrown out at second trying to advance an extra base.
Ball State answered right back in the bottom half of the sixth inning. Campbell quickly tied the game at 4-4 as he crushed his second career home run to straight away center field.
Northern Illinois responded once again and took the lead right back in the top of the eighth inning against junior Derek Grabner (Fort Wayne, Ind./Lincoln Trail). The Huskies took advantage of a hit by a pitch and a walk to put two aboard. Reynolds picked up the big hit as he singled to right field to plate Jordin Hood and make it a 5-4 contest.
The Huskies added an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning as they struck together three hits to load the bases. Hood drew a bases loaded walk to make it a 6-4 game with just one out. Grabner buckled down and struck out two straight batters to nullify the threat as he stranded the bases loaded to set the stage for the Cardinals' ninth inning heroics.
Grabner (3-1) picked up the victory in relief as he went 3.1 innings and allowed two runs on four hits while striking out six batters. Garner got a no decision as he went 5.2 innings and was charged with three runs on six hits while tying his career-high with nine strike outs. The Cardinals struck out a season-high 15 batters in the victory, marking the most in a single game for Ball State since it tallied 16 against Indiana Tech April 10, 2007.
Deain (3-3) was charged with the loss as he allowed three runs on three hits in just 0.2 innings of work. Lukanen was strong in the no decision as he lasted 7.1 innings and limited the Cardinals to four runs on nine hits while throwing 137 pitches.
Ball State and Northern Illinois will continue its three-game series Saturday afternoon. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Ball Diamond with sophomore right-hander Cal Bowling (Muncie, Ind./Yorktown) set to take the hill for the Cardinals.
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