Baseball Falls At Middle Tennessee, 7-4

Saturday, March 10

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

2 p.m. (CT)

Ball State University

3-8

Middle Tennessee

9-6

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Ball State	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	1	4	8	0
Middle Tennessee	0	0	0	0	1	2	0	4	X	7	11	2

Baseball Travels To UAB For Three-Game Series

March 11, 2012 | Baseball

Box Score

By: Ball State Athletics

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The Ball State baseball team suffered a hard fought 7-4 loss to Middle Tennessee Saturday afternoon as Reese Smith Jr. Field. The Cardinals rallied to tie the game in the top of the eighth inning only to see the Blue Raiders answer back with four runs in the bottom of the eighth. The Cardinals and Blue Raiders will play the rubber game of the three-game series Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. (CT).

Sophomore right-hander T.J. Weir (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) picked up the loss for the Cardinals despite working into the eighth inning. Weir went 7.1 innings and allowed five runs on nine hits, including three solo home runs.

Middle Tennessee (9-6) opened to a 3-0 lead after six innings all courtesy of the long ball. Matthew Drake, Hank LaRue and Ethan Williams hit solo home runs with LaRue and Williams posting back-to-back hits in the sixth inning.

Ball State broke through against Johnathan Frebis in the top of the seventh inning as Blake Beemer (Dayton, Ohio/Northmont) reached on a MTSU fielding error. Freshman Brandon Estep (Selma, Ind./Wapahani) followed with a double down the right field line to put two in scoring position. Sophomore Sean Godfrey (New Albany, Ind./New Albany) lifted a sacrifice fly into right field to score Beemer and make it a 3-1 game.

Ball State tied the game in the top of the eighth inning against the Middle Tennessee bullpen. Senior Mitch Widau (Richmond, Ind./Richmond) got things going with a one out single and advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt. Freshman Elbert Devarie (Kissimmee, Fla./Gateway) made it a one-run game as he lined up single up the middle to plate Widau.

After a single by Cody Campbell (Muncie, Ind./Cowan) and a hit by pitch loaded the bases, Estep drew a walk to tie the game at 3-3. Godfrey grounded out to end the threat leaving the bases loaded.

Middle Tennessee broke the game open with four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to chase Weir from the game. The Blue Raiders posted four hits in the inning, including a run-scoring double by LaRue and a two-run home run by Miller.

Ball State tried to rally in the top of the ninth inning as Wes Winkle (Muncie, Ind./Yorktown), Mitch Overley (Zionsville, Ind./Brebeuf) and Widau opened the inning with three straight singles to load the bases. Devarie drove in the Cardinals' fourth run with a sacrifice fly before Weir drew a walk to load the bases once again. Middle Tennessee closer Daniel Palo came on and ended the threat with a strike out and a ground ball to record his third save of the year.

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