Ball State University
3-13, 0
Akron
7-13, 0
Baseball Drops MAC Opener At Akron, 4-0
March 23, 2012 | Baseball
AKRON, Ohio - The Ball State baseball team opened Mid-American Conference play Friday afternoon with a 4-0 loss to MAC East foe Akron at Canal Park, the Double-A home of the Akron Aeros. The Cardinals are now 16-6 in MAC season-opening series over the past eight seasons.
Akron right-hander Andrew Brown tossed a complete game three-hit shutout to lead the Zips to victory. Brown needed just 90 pitches to record his first complete game of the season and sixth of his career as he limited the Cardinals to just three singles, a walk and a hit by pitch while striking out seven.
Senior right-hander Cal Bowling (Muncie, Ind./Yorktown) fell to 2-2 on the season as he allowed four runs on seven hits in 6.1 innings of work. Bowling struck out nine batters in the loss while only walking two. Sophomore left-hander Devin Wilburn (Selma, Ind./Wapahani) tossed the final 1.2 innings of shutout relief as he struck out three and limited Akron to two hits.
Akron (7-13, 1-0 MAC) opened the scoring in the bottom of the fourth inning as it posted a leadoff single and double to put two in scoring position. Bowling limited the damage to just one run as he struck out two batters but allowed a run-scoring ground ball for the game's first run.
The Zips capped the game's scoring in the bottom of the fifth inning as it ran off four straight hits, including an RBI-triple by Samuel Tresaco. Bowling stranded Tresaco at third base as he struck out the final two batters of the inning.
Ball State (3-13, 0-1 MAC) had its best chance of scoring in the top of the sixth inning against Brown. Junior Blake Beemer (Dayton, Ohio /Northmont) was hit by a pitch and senior Mitch Widau (Richmond, Ind./Richmond) drew a walk to put two aboard for the first time all game. Brown worked out of the jam as he got a ground ball to strand two on base for the Cardinals.
The Cardinals and the Zips will continue their three-game series Saturday afternoon. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Canal Park with sophomore right-hander T.J. Weir (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) taking the hill for Ball State.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: BROWN, A. (3-3)
L: Bowling, Cal (2-2)
Base Running:
SB: Winkle, Wes 1
HBP: Beemer, Blake 1 ; Campbell, Cody 1
PO: Winkle, Wes 1
Batting:
2B: GAMBY, K. 1
3B: BEGUN, T. 1 ; TRECASO, S. 1
RBI: BEGUN, T. 1 ; WATKINS, S. 1 ; TRECASO, S. 1 ; WINTER, B. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: AHART, D. 1 ; BEGUN, T. 1 ; WATKINS, S. 1 ; TRECASO, S. 1
SB: AHART, D. 1 ; BEGUN, T. 1
HBP: BEGUN, T. 1
