Ball State University
0-2
Kennesaw State
2-0
Big Inning Dooms Baseball At Kennesaw State
February 19, 2011 | Baseball
KENNESAW, Ga. - The Ball State baseball team suffered its second loss of the season Saturday afternoon as the Cardinals dropped a 17-9 contest at Kennesaw State. The Cardinals held a 9-2 lead only to see the Owls posted 12 runs in the sixth inning on their way to 15 unanswered runs against the BSU bullpen.
Junior center fielder Cody Elliott (Florence, Ky./Beechwood) led the Cardinals offensively in the loss as he drove in a career-high four runs. Elliott posted a two-run single in the fifth inning and a two-run double in the sixth inning as the Cardinals built a 9-2 lead.
Kennesaw State (2-0) opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning against senior right-hander Derek Grabner (Fort Wayne, Ind./Lincoln Trail College). The Owls took advantage of a leadoff hit by pitch and a single to put two aboard early. KSU first baseman Andy Chriscaden ripped a two-run double to put the Owls in front 2-0.
The Cardinals' offense was held in check for the first four innings by right-hander Bryan Blough. Ball State finally broke through in the top of the fifth inning as it posted six runs on five hits and took advantage of two Kennesaw State errors in the inning to open a 6-2 lead.
The Cardinals picked up run-scoring singles from Mitch Widau (Richmond, Ind./Richmond), Tim Issler (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Xavier) and Kirby Campbell (Muncie, Ind./Cowan) in the inning. Elliott drove in his first two runs of the afternoon with a single up the middle to cap the inning's scoring and give the Cardinals a four-run lead.
Ball State added three more runs in the top of the sixth inning against the KSU bullpen. Senior shortstop T.J. Baumet (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) picked up the first RBI of the inning as he drew a bases loaded walk while Elliott gave the Cardinals a seven-run advantage with a double down the left field line.
Kennesaw State (2-0) broke the game open with 12 runs in the sixth inning as it took advantage of the Cardinals erratic bullpen and defense. The Owls posted just two hits in the inning as the Cardinals issued nine walks and committed four errors in the inning allowing KSU to overcome a seven-run deficit. Kennesaw State only scored four earned runs in the inning as the Cardinals defense posted four errors in the inning.
Senior right-hander Morgan Coombs (West Terre Haute, Ind./Lincoln Trail) was charged with the loss in his first appearance after missing most of last season due to Tommy John surgery. Coombs was one of seven BSU pitchers in the loss as he allowed four runs on three walks in a third of an inning as he did not allow a hit.
The Cardinals and the Owls wrap up the three-game series Sunday afternoon. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: BROWN (1-0)
L: COOMBS, Morgan (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Elliott, Cody 1
RBI: Baumet, T.J. 1 ; Elliott, Cody 4 ; Widau, Mitch 1 ; Issler, Tim 1 ; Campbell, Kirby 1
SH: Franchetti, Kevin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Beemer, Blake 1 ; Claypool, Stephen 1 ; Widau, Mitch 1 ; Weir, T.J. 1 ; Issler, Tim 2 ; Franchetti, Kevin 1 ; Campbell, Kirby 2
SB: Widau, Mitch 1
HBP: Campbell, Cody 1 ; Franchetti, Kevin 1 ; Campbell, Kirby 1
Batting:
2B: DOBBS 1 ; CHRISCADEN 1 ; HART 1 ; HOWARD 1
3B: McGOWEN 1
RBI: CHRISCADEN 3 ; FOWLKES 1 ; HART 5 ; McCLURKEN 2 ; ANDERSON 1
SH: HOWARD 1
Base Running:
RUNS: DOBBS 2 ; McGOWEN 1 ; FREEMAN 3 ; CHRISCADEN 3 ; FOWLKES 3 ; HART 2 ; McCLURKEN 2 ; ANDERSON 1
HBP: DOBBS 1 ; FREEMAN 1
