Ball State University
1-3
UAB
4-2
Baseball Drops 1-0 Pitcher's Duel In 12 Innings
February 26, 2012 | Baseball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Despite allowing just four hits, the Ball State baseball team suffered its second straight heart-breaking walk-off defeat of the weekend as the Cardinals dropped a 1-0 contest to UAB in 12 innings Saturday afternoon at Young Memorial Field. Ball State suffered a 4-3 walk-off win in the bottom of the ninth yesterday afternoon to the Blazers
The two teams went toe-to-toe on the mound throwing zeros on the scoreboards as they combined to allow just eight hits while striking out a combined 21 batters in the game. The game's only run was an unearned run scored in the bottom of the 12th inning.
Sophomore left-hander Nestor Bautista (New York, N.Y./George Washington) had the best outing of his young career as he worked 7.0 shutout innings and limited the Blazers to just two hits while striking out a career-high seven batters.
Junior right-hander Chris Marangon (Maple Valley, Wash./Edmunds CC) came on and gave the Cardinals 4.0 shutout innings of relief only allowing one hit. Junior right-hander Miles Moeller (Phoenix, Ariz./Glendale) picked up the loss as he allowed an unearned run in 0.1 innings.
UAB (4-2) countered on the mound with Ben Bullard and Ryan Nance who combined to throw 12 shutout innings. Bullard went 7.0 innings and allowed just two hits while striking out nine batters. Vance worked the final 5.0 innings and limited the Cardinals to just two hits while striking out four batters to earn the victory.
Ball State's best scoring chance of the afternoon came in the top of the 12th inning. Sophomore T.J. Weir (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) led off the inning with a single into center field. Sophomore Sean Godfrey (New Albany, Ind./New Albany) laid down a sacrifice bunt but Weir beat the throw to second base putting the first two batters aboard.
The Cardinals tried another sacrifice bunt but this time UAB was able to throw out Weir at third base for the first out of the inning. Nance worked his way out of the jam as he got a fly ball to center field before notching a strike out to strand two aboard in the 12th inning.
UAB finally was able to get a break in the bottom half of the inning as Tyler Mims reached on a BSU fielding error on a pop fly allowing the leadoff batter to reach base. After a fielder's choice, Patrick Palmeiro tripled off the left center field wall allowing the game-winning run to cross the plate for the walk-off victory.
The Cardinals and Blazers will wrap up the three-game series Sunday afternoon. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. (CT) with Weir set to take the hill for the Cardinals in his first start of the season.
####
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: NANCE (1-0)
L: Moeller, Miles (0-1)
Batting:
SH: Godfrey, Sean 1
Base Running:
SB: Godfrey, Sean 1
Batting:
3B: PALMEIRO 1
RBI: PALMEIRO 1
SH: PRINZING 1
Base Running:
RUNS: BUSBY 1
SB: BUSBY 1
