Ball State University
7-22
Butler
18-15
Baseball Succumbs To Butler Rally At Victory Field
April 10, 2012 | Baseball
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The Ball State baseball team saw Butler score the final seven runs of the game, including four in the bottom of the eighth inning, as the Cardinals dropped an 8-6 non-conference affair to the Bulldogs Tuesday afternoon at Victory Field, the Triple-A home of the Indianapolis Indians.
Butler (18-15) took the early lead in the bottom of the first inning against freshman right-hander Scott Baker (Manchester, Ind./North Manchester). Baker walked two batters before Lucas Calderon reached on an infield single to load the bases. The Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead as Marcos Calderon lifted a sacrifice fly to left field. Baker ended the threat as the struck out Mike Hoscheit to strand two on base.
Ball State (7-22) jumped on Butler starter Dom Silvestri in the top of the third inning as it sent 11 batters to the plate and scored six runs on six hits taking a 6-1 lead. Senior Tim Issler (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Xavier) led off with a walk and moved to second as sophomore Mitch Overley (Zionsville, Ind./Brebeuf) battled for a two-strike single.
Junior Wes Winkle (Muncie, Ind./Yorktown) dropped down a perfect bunt single and the Butler third baseman threw the ball away allowing the game-tying run to score. Senior Mitch Widau (Richmond, Ind./Richmond) gave the Cardinals the lead with a single before T.J. Weir (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo) ripped a run-scoring double down the left field line for the 3-1 lead.
After a ground ball scored another run, junior Blake Beemer (Dayton, Ohio/Northmont) poked a single through the left side scoring the Cardinals' fifth run. Issler capped the inning off with a single in his second at-bat to give the Cardinals a 6-1 lead.
Butler scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning against Baker to make it a 6-3 contest. The Bulldogs took advantage of two Ball State fielding errors to narrow the Cardinals' lead to three.
Butler threatened in the sixth inning as it loaded the bases with one out. Pat Gelwicks ripped a line drive into left field where Beemer made a spectacular diving catch on the potential game-tying hit to limit the damage to one run. Left-hander Devin Wilburn (Selma, Ind./Wapahani) kept the Cardinals in front 6-4 as he struck out pinch hitter Bob Akin to end the inning.
Butler completed the comeback in the bottom of the eighth inning courtesy of the long ball. Gelwicks tied the game with a two-run home run over the right field wall while Jimmy Risi gave the Bulldogs an 8-6 lead as he hit his team-leading seventh home run of the season over the right center field wall.
Ball State made one last push in the top of the ninth inning as it loaded the bases against Butler closer Chase Byerly. The Cardinals took advantage of a walk and a hit by pitch surrounding an Overley single to bring the game-tying run in scoring position. Byerly buckled down getting strikeout and a ground ball to thwart the threat securing the victory.
Ross Overstreet (Mishawaka, Ind./Penn) picked up the loss in relief as he allowed three runs on one hit in just a third of an inning. Baker lasted into the sixth inning in his second career start allowing four runs on five hits while walking seven batters and striking out four. Brad Schnitzer (3-0) picked up the victory in relief as he tossed 2.0 shutout innings while Byerly posted his ninth save of the year.
Ball State returns home to Ball Diamond Wednesday afternoon as it hosts No. 18 Purdue. Game time is set for 3 p.m.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: SCHNITZER, Brad (3-0)
L: Overstreet, Ross (0-1)
S: BYERLY, Chase (9)
Batting:
2B: Weir, T.J. 1
RBI: Widau, Mitch 1 ; Weir, T.J. 1 ; Campbell, Cody 1 ; Beemer, Blake 1 ; Issler, Tim 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Winkle, Wes 1 ; Widau, Mitch 1 ; Weir, T.J. 1 ; Beemer, Blake 1 ; Issler, Tim 1 ; Overley, Mitch 1
HBP: Widau, Mitch 1 ; Devarie, Elbert 1
PO: Widau, Mitch 1
Batting:
HR: GELWICKS, Pat 1 ; RISI, Jimmy 1
RBI: GELWICKS, Pat 3 ; RISI, Jimmy 2 ; CALDERON, Lucas 1 ; CALDERON, Marcos 1
SH: RICHESON, Griffin 1
SF: GELWICKS, Pat 1 ; CALDERON, Marcos 1
Base Running:
RUNS: GELWICKS, Pat 3 ; RICHESON, Griffin 1 ; AKIN, Bob 1 ; RISI, Jimmy 1 ; HADDAD, Radley 1 ; DILLON, Jack 1
SB: CALDERON, Marcos 1
CS: CALDERON, Lucas 1
PO: CALDERON, Lucas 2
