Ball State University
3-17, 1-0
Ohio
11-10, 0-1
Baseball Posts Walk-Off Victory In MAC Opener
March 25, 2011 | Baseball
MUNCIE, Ind. - Ball State senior shortstop T.J. Baumet (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) ripped a two-out walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning Friday afternoon to give the Cardinals a thrilling 2-1 come-from-behind victory over visiting Ohio in the Mid-American Conference opener for both teams at Ball Diamond.
Junior right-hander Cal Bowling (Muncie, Ind./Yorktown) posted his first career complete game in the victory as he tossed a two-hitter and allowed just one run. Bowling (2-1) limited Ohio to a first inning double and a sixth inning single on just 96 pitches. He worked passed the seventh inning for the first time in his career, surpassing his previous career-high of 7.0 innings (vs. Miami 4/3/10).
Bowling retired 10 straight batters from the second inning to the sixth inning and finished the game retiring nine straight in the closing three innings. He becomes the first Cardinal to toss a complete game since Kolbrin Vitek accomplished the feat last season against Northern Illinois (May 16).
Ohio right-hander Seth Streich was almost as strong as he worked into the ninth inning before giving way to the bullpen. Streich (0-2) allowed two runs on just five hits as he struck out seven batters before being charged with the loss after throwing 135 pitches.
Ohio (11-10, 0-1 MAC) opened the scoring in the top of the first inning. Ethan Newton led off the inning with a double into the right center field before Bowling quickly walked two batters to load the bases with nobody out.
Streich put the Bobcats up 1-0 as he lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Newton. Bowling was able to limit the damage to just one run as he induced another fly ball and struck out Trace Voshell to strand two in scoring position.
Ball State (3-17, 1-0 MAC) threatened in the bottom of the second inning as it loaded the bases with one out. Sophomore Blake Beemer (Dayton, Ohio/Northmont) led off with a double to right field and the Cardinals took advantage of a walk and a hit by pitch. Streich was able to work out of the inning as he induced a pop fly in foul territory and got Baumet to line out to the shortstop.
The Cardinals threatened in the bottom of the eighth inning as sophomore Kirby Campbell (Muncie, Ind./Cowan) led off with a double into the left center field gap. Baumet put down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Campbell to third base with one out but Streich got the final two outs of the inning to keep the Bobcats in the lead.
Ball State was down to its final three outs after Bowling posted eight straight zeros on the scoreboard to set the table for the Cardinals' comeback. Redshirt freshman Billy Wellman (Portland, Ind./Jay County) led off the inning with a double down the left field line. Beemer quickly tied the game as he ripped a run-scoring double off the right field wall to plate Wellman with the game-tying run and chase Streich from the game.
Junior Tim Issler (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Xavier) dropped down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Beemer to third base with just one out against reliever Tyler Stage. Ohio elected to intentionally walk the next two batters to load the bases with one out.
Stage was able to record the second out of the inning with a strikeout of Campbell to set up the final at-bat drama. Baumet quickly fell behind Stage 0-2 before buckling down and ripping a walk-off single into the right center field gap to plate Beemer with the game-winning run.
Beemer finished the game with three of the Cardinals' five hits, including a pair of doubles. His three hits ties his career high while his two doubles are a new career-high for one of Ball State's team captains.
The Cardinals and Bobcats will continue their three-game series Saturday afternoon. Senior left-hander Derek Grabner (Fort Wayne, Ind./Lincoln Trail) will take the mound for Ball State at 1 p.m. at Ball Diamond.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Bowling, Cal (2-1)
L: STREICH, Seth (0-2)
Batting:
2B: NEWTON, Ethan 1
RBI: STREICH, Seth 1
SF: STREICH, Seth 1
Base Running:
RUNS: NEWTON, Ethan 1
SB: NEWTON, Ethan 1 ; PAINTER, Jensen 1
HBP: BARNES, Bryan 1
Batting:
2B: Wellman, Billy 1 ; Beemer, Blake 2 ; Campbell, Kirby 1
RBI: Baumet, T.J. 1 ; Beemer, Blake 1
SH: Baumet, T.J. 1 ; Issler, Tim 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Catanzarite, Dominick 1 ; Beemer, Blake 1
HBP: Overley, Mitch 1
