Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
Northern Illinois
Vitek's Complete Game Shutout Propels Baseball To Victory
May 15, 2010 | Baseball
MUNCIE, Ind. - Ball State junior right-hander Kolbrin Vitek (Bryan, Ohio/Bryan) tossed his first career complete game shutout Sunday afternoon to lead the Cardinals to a 2-0 Mid-American Conference victory over Northern Illinois at Ball Diamond on senior day. The Cardinals finished the home portion of the 2010 season with a 13-2 record at Ball Diamond as they out-scored opponents 156-88 in 15 games.
The win completes the Cardinals' three-game sweep of the Huskies for the second straight year and keeps Ball State in sole possession of first place in the MAC with an 18-6 record. The Cardinals' 18 MAC victories are the most in a single season for Ball State since 2001, when BSU finished with a 21-5 record to win the MAC regular season.
Vitek picked up his third win of the season as he tossed 9.0 innings of five-hit baseball without allowing a run and striking out eight batters. He lowered his season ERA to 3.39 on the year, while his ERA in MAC games fell to 2.83. He becomes the first Ball State pitcher to toss a complete game shutout since former Cardinal Ben Snyder accomplished the feat May 14, 2005 at Marshall. His eight strike outs are a season-high and the most he has recorded since notching 11 last season against Western Michigan (April, 26).
Northern Illinois (20-31, 9-15 MAC) left-hander Tom Barry was also strong on the hill as he worked through the first four innings without allowing a base runner as he retired 12 straight to open the game. Barry (4-4) picked up the loss though as he allowed two runs on four hits in 7.1 innings while walking two batters.
The Cardinals (27-24, 18-6 MAC) broke through in the bottom of the fifth inning as senior Zach Dygert (Angola, Ind./Angola) drew a leadoff walk for BSU's first base runner. Freshman Stephen Claypool (Dearborn, Mich./Divine Child) tallied the Cardinals' first hit as he roped a single through the left side to put two aboard.
Freshman Kirby Campbell (Muncie, Ind./Cowan) quickly loaded the bases as he lined a single through the right side. The Cardinals scored the game's first run as sophomore Mitch Widau (Richmond, Ind./Richmond) reached on an infield single to plate Dygert and give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead. Barry worked out of the jam as he induced an infield fly and a ground ball to keep it a one-run game.
Vitek and the Cardinals' defense came up big in the top of the eighth inning as NIU threatened to tie the game. After a leadoff single, Brett Frantini attempted to sacrifice the runner to second but Vitek jumped off the mound and fired to second base to get the lead runner for the first out of the inning. Alex Beckmann followed as he reached on a fielding error by Claypool that put runners on the corners with one out.
Northern Illinois tried a squeeze play as Jamison Wells dropped down a bunt but once again Vitek darted off the mound quickly. He fielded the bunt cleaning and flipped to home where Dygert blocked the plate and applied the tag for the second out of the inning to keep the Cardinals in front. Vitek closed out the inning with his eighth strike out of the afternoon to end the threat with two aboard.
Ball State picked up a huge insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning. Widau worked a seven-pitch at-bat before ripping a 2-2 pitch off the right field wall for a standup double. Sophomore Cody Elliot (Florence, Ky./Beechwood) dropped down a perfect sacrifice bunt with two strikes to advance Widau. Junior T.J. Baumet (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) welcomed NIU reliever Zach Oates abruptly as he lined the first pitch he saw into right field for a single to plate Widau and give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.
Vitek closed out the Cardinals' first complete game since 2006 (Snyder vs. Western Michigan May 24, 2006) with some help from his defense one again in the ninth. Alex Jones led off the inning as he ripped up ball up the middle that deflected off Vitek's leg to second baseman Widau who corralled the ball and flipped it to first base for the first out of the inning. Jordin Hood followed with a line drive into the left center field gap but Campbell made a diving catch for the inning's second out. The Cardinals completed the sweep as Joe Etcheverry grounded out to Widau to end the game.
The game was Ball State's senior day as the Cardinals recognized Ryan Chenoweth (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead), Aaron Hammons (Greenfield, Ind./Greenfield Central), Brad Piatt (Galveston, Ind./Lewis Cass) and Zach Dygert (Angola, Ind./Angola) before the game.
Ball State steps out of MAC play Tuesday evening as it travels to Ann Arbor, Mich., to take on Big Ten foe Michigan at 6:05 p.m. The Cardinals return to MAC play Thursday afternoon for the start of a pivotal three-game series at Toledo. Ball State owns a one-game lead over both Toledo and Central Michigan heading into the final weekend of the regular season.
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