Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
#8 Ohio
Baseball Downs Ohio 13-10; Advances In MAC Tournament
May 27, 2010 | Baseball
CHILLICOTHE, Ohio - The Ball State baseball team kept its 2010 season alive Thursday afternoon as the fourth-seeded Cardinals picked up a 13-10 victory over eighth-seeded Ohio in the Mid-American Conference Tournament at VA Memorial Stadium. The victory was the Cardinals' first in MAC Tournament play since 2008.
The victory in the elimination game advances the Cardinals in the loser's bracket. Ball State will play Friday morning against No. 5 Bowling Green at 9 a.m. With the loss, Ohio was eliminated in the double-elimination tournament.
Senior Zach Dygert (Angola, Ind./Angola) paced the offensive attack that pounded out 18 hits as he went 5-for-5 at the plate and reached base six times in the victory. Dygert, the team captain, drove in three runs and scored four runs to lead the offense.
Ball State (29-28) opened the scoring in the top of the second inning against Ohio right-hander Rex Ingham. Dygert led off the inning as he ripped a single through the left side. Freshman Stephen Claypool (Dearborn, Mich./Divine Child) drove in the game's first run as he doubled into the right center field gap to plate Dygert all the way from first base.
Sophomore Cody Elliott (Florence, Ky./Beechwood) put the Cardinals in front by two as he followed with a triple off the left center field wall to plate Claypool. Ball State extended its lead to three as sophomore Mitch Widau (Richmond, Ind./Richmond) reached on an infield single that brought home Elliott for a 3-0 BSU lead.
Ohio (20-35) answered right back against sophomore right-hander Cal Bowling (Muncie, Ind./Yorktown) in the bottom half of the frame as it plated two runs to narrow the lead to 3-2. Bowling opened the inning by walking Robert Maddox before Tyler Backstrom doubled down the left field line to put two in scoring position. Seth Streich drove in the Bobcats' first run as he singled up the middle and Wesley O'Neil made it a one run game with a sacrifice fly to right field to cap the scoring in the inning.
Ohio threatened in the bottom of the third inning as Jerod Yakubik led off the inning with a single. Gauntlett Eldemire followed with a double off the center field wall but Elliott played the carom perfectly and got the ball into junior T.J. Baumet (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) who gunned down Yakubik at home for the first out of the inning. Bowling quickly worked his way out of the inning with a strike out and a ground ball to keep the Cardinals in the lead.
Ball State carried the momentum from its defense to the plate in the top of the fourth inning. Senior Ryan Chenoweth (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) began the rally as he dropped down a perfect bunt single with two outs. Baumet followed and hit the first pitch he saw over the right field wall for his eighth home run of the season and his second in the past two games to give the Cardinals a 5-2 lead.
Ball State chased Ingham from the game in the top of the fifth inning. Junior Kolbrin Vitek (Bryan, Ohio/Bryan) led off the inning a lined a ball down the right field line where Yakubik dropped the ball for a three-base error. Dygert followed with a double off the left field wall to plate Vitek with the Cardinals' sixth run. After a walk and a hit by pitch loaded the bases, Chenoweth reached on an infield single driving in Dygert to give the Cardinals a 7-2 lead.
Ohio came right back in the bottom of the fifth inning and chased Bowling from the game. Eldemire started the rally as he hit his 16th home run of the season off the scoreboard in left field to make it a 7-3 game. The Bobcats added their fourth run with two singles and a walk to narrow the BSU lead to 7-4 before junior left-hander Derek Grabner (Fort Wayne, Ind./Lincoln Trail) came on in relief with two aboard.
McDonough welcomed Grabner abruptly as he doubled into the left center field gap for a two-run double to trim the BSU lead to 7-6. Grabner settled down the quickly got a fly ball to center field and a strike out of O'Neill to keep the tying run at second base.
Ball State responded to the adversity in the top of the sixth inning and chase Streich from the game. Freshman Blake Beemer (Dayton, Ohio/Northmont) led off the inning with a walk and Dygert dropped a single into right center field for his fourth base hit of the afternoon. Sophomore Ian Nielsen (La Porte, Ind./La Porte) put the Cardinals ahead 10-6 as he crushed his 11th home run of the season into the trees in left field for a three-run home run.
Ohio once again answered back as it scored one run and threatened for more before Grabner worked his walk out of the inning. Keen and Yakubik led off the inning with back-to-back singles before Eldemire grounded out to second base. Bryan Barnes made it a 10-7 game as he reached on an infield single that Nielsen knocked down with a diving attempt to keep Yakubik at third. Grabner worked out of the inning as he got Maddox to strike out before getting pinch hitter Adam Gecewich to fly out to center field to end the inning.
The Cardinals got the run back in the seventh inning as Chenoweth and Baumet drew back-to-back walks. Beemer put the Cardinals in front 11-7 as he reached on a single through the left side to plate Chenoweth. Ball State loaded the bases with another walk but Ben Trimbur induced a ground ball double play to end the threat.
Ohio tried to make some noise in the bottom of the eighth inning as Keen led off with a single. Freshman left-hander Jon Cisna (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport Township) came on in relief and induced a ground ball double play from Yakubik before striking out Barnes to end the inning.
Ball State got some much needed insurance runs in the top of the ninth inning. Vitek led off the inning with a single through the left side. Dygert put the Cardinals in front 13-7 as he crushed his 12th home run of the season over the light pole in left field for his fifth hit of the afternoon.
Ohio made one final push in the bottom of the ninth inning as it plated three runs on four hits, including an RBI double by pinch hitter Doug Holmes. The Bobcats brought the game-tying run to the plate as Eldemire walked up with runners on first and second with two outs in the contest. The Cardinals turned to Vitek out of the bullpen and he quickly struck out Eldemire to end the game and record his third save of the year.
Grabner (5-3) picked up the victory as he was one of six Ball State pitchers in the victory. He worked 1.2 innings of one-run baseball and allowed four hits while striking out two batters. Bowling got a no decision as he lasted just 4.1 innings and allowed six runs on 10 hits but left with the Cardinals in the lead. Ingham (2-1) was charged with the loss as he allowed seven runs on 10 hits in 4.2 innings of work while walking two batters.
Ball State continues its run in the 2010 MAC Tournament Friday morning as it will face No. 5 Bowling Green in an elimination game at 9 a.m.
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