Ball State University
3-18, 1-1
Ohio
12-10, 1-1
Rally Falls Short As Baseball Falls To Ohio, 5-4
March 26, 2011 | Baseball
MUNCIE, Ind. - The Ball State baseball team fell just short of its second straight come-from-behind victory Saturday afternoon as the Cardinals dropped a hard fought 5-4 decision to Mid-American Conference foe Ohio at Ball Diamond. The loss evens the MAC-opening weekend series between the two teams with the rubber game set for Sunday at 1 p.m.
Ball State (3-18, 1-1 MAC) opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning against Ohio left-hander Brent Choban. Sophomore Blake Beemer (Dayton, Ohio/Northmont) and freshman T.J. Weir (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) drew back-to-back one out walks.
Sophomore Wes Winkle (Muncie, Ind./Yorktown) ripped a deep fly ball to center field where Ohio center fielder Ethan Newton dropped the ball allowing Beemer to score the first run of the afternoon. Sophomore Kevin Franchetti (Highland, Ind./Andrean) put the Cardinals in front 2-0 as he lined a run-scoring single through the left side to plate Weir.
Ohio (12-10, 1-1 MAC) cut the Cardinals' lead in half in the top of the fifth inning against senior left-hander Derek Grabner (Fort Wayne, Ind./Lincoln Trail). Taylor Emody led off the inning with a single up the middle and moved into scoring position on a passed ball. After a ground ball moved Emody up 90 feet, Garrett Black poked an RBI-single over the glove of the Cardinals' second baseman to make it a 2-1 contest.
The Bobcats took their first lead of the afternoon in the top of the sixth inning as they chased Grabner from the game and took advantage of a crucial BSU fielding error. Grabner walked two batters and allowed a base bit by Trace Voshell to load the bases with one out to end his afternoon.
Sophomore left-hander Jon Cisna (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport Township) came on in relief and looked ready to get out of the inning as he induced a ground ball back to the mound. Cisna's throw home was wide allowing two runs to score as Ohio took a 3-2 lead. Cisna regrouped and got out of the inning as he induced a ground ball double play to end the threat.
Ball State responded in the bottom of the sixth inning and quickly tied the game. Junior second baseman Mitch Widau (Richmond, Ind./Richmond) led off the inning with an opposite field double and was promptly sacrificed to third. Beemer tied the game as he lined a 1-2 pitch to right field for a sacrifice fly scoring Widau.
Ohio answered back in the top of the eighth inning as Jensen Painter led off with a double down the left field line. A wild pitch moved Painter to third base and ended the afternoon for Cisna. Ohio pinch hitter Seth Streich welcome right-hander Scott Brothers Jr. (Monticello, Ind./Gulf Coast CC) with a deep sacrifice fly to center field on his first pitch to put Ohio in front 4-3.
Once again, the Cardinals came right back in the bottom half of the inning and tied the game. Redshirt freshman Billy Wellman (Portland, Ind./Portland) started things off with a one-out single before giving way to pinch runner Cameron Schooley (Mishawaka, Ind./Penn). Beemer poked a single through the right side and Schooley hustled all the way to third base.
Weir welcomed Ohio reliever Tyler Stage with a run-scoring single through the left side plating Schooley to tie the game at 4-4. The Cardinals tried for a big inning but were thwarted by an inning-ending double play on an attempted hit-and-run as Weir was doubled off at first base.
Ohio came right back in the top of the ninth inning and quickly loaded the bases courtesy of an error and a single to chase Brothers from the game. Right-hander Seth Hobbs (Marseilles, Ill./Seneca) came on and quickly hit the first batter he faced to load the bases with nobody out. Kory Burkhart drove in the go-ahead run as he reached on a single that BSU shortstop T.J. Baumet (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) was able to knock down with a dive to keep multiple runs from scoring. Hobbs buckled down the got out of the inning with only one run scoring to keep the Cardinals within striking distance at 5-4.
Ball State tried for its second come-from-behind victory in the bottom of the ninth inning. Freshman Kenny Mahala (Highland, Ind./Andrean) led off the inning with a pinch hit single against Stage. Ohio got the next two outs before junior Cody Elliott (Florence, Ky./Beechwood) dropped a single over the shortstop's head to put two on base. Widau came up and worked a full count before ripping a ground ball down the first base line that Ohio first baseman Tyler Backstrom was able to corral for the final out of the game.
Brothers (0-2) was charged with the loss as he allowed an unearned run on 1.0 inning of relief work. Grabner got the no decision as he allowed three runs, one earned, in 5.1 innings of work while walking a season-high four batters. Stage (2-0) picked up the victory in relief working 1.1 shutout innings while Matt Robin posted his first save.
The Cardinals and Bobcats will battle for the series victory Sunday afternoon in the rubber game at Ball Diamond. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. with senior right-hander Morgan Coombs (West Terre Haute, Ind./Lincoln Trail) set to take the mound for Ball State.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: STAGE, Tyler (2-0)
L: Brothers Jr., Scott (0-2)
S: ROBIN, Matt (1)
Batting:
2B: PAINTER, Jensen 1
RBI: BURKHART, Kory 1 ; STREICH, Seth 1 ; BLACK, Garrett 1
SF: STREICH, Seth 1
Base Running:
RUNS: PAINTER, Jensen 2 ; VOSHELL, Trace 1 ; EMODY, Taylor 1 ; BLACK, Garrett 1
HBP: BARNES, Bryan 2
Batting:
2B: Widau, Mitch 1 ; Campbell, Kirby 1
RBI: Beemer, Blake 1 ; Weir, T.J. 1 ; Franchetti, Kevin 1
SH: Wellman, Billy 1
SF: Beemer, Blake 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Widau, Mitch 1 ; Schooley, Cameron 1 ; Beemer, Blake 1 ; Weir, T.J. 1
SB: Campbell, Kirby 1
CS: Widau, Mitch 1 ; Winkle, Wes 1
PO: Baumet, T.J. 1 ; Elliott, Cody 1
