Ball State University Athletics
Baseball Opens Friday vs. Kentucky in North Carolina
February 12, 2015 | Baseball
This Week in Ball State Baseball
Buffalo Wild Wings Battle @ the Beach
Fri. - vs. Kentucky in Wilmington, N.C. (Noon)
Probable Pitchers
Ball State - Zach Plesac (RHP)
Kentucky - Dustin Beggs (RHP)
Sat. - vs. UNCW in Wilmington, N.C. (4 p.m.)
Probable Pitchers
Ball State - Scott Baker (RHP)
UNCW - Ryan Foster (RHP)
Sun. - vs. Richmond in Wilmington, N.C. (10 a.m.)
Probable Pitchers
Ball State - TBA
Richmond - TBA
Head Coach Rich Maloney (#2)
Career Head Coaching Record: 667-430-1 (.608)/20th Season
Ball State Head Coaching Record: 326-186-1 (.637)/10th Season
Mid-American Conference Coaching Record: 178-76 (.700)/10th Season
Internet Radio -- www.ballstatesports.com -- Connor Onion (play-by-play)
Live Stats -- UNCWstats.com
National Rankings
Collegiate Baseball Preseason Poll -- 31st
National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Preseason Poll -- 39th
SERIES RECORDS: Ball State and Kentucky have met 10 times in baseball and the all-time series is tied at 5-5 . . . All 10 games were played at Kentucky . . . The two teams met three times last season with Ball State winning the series opener 10-8 (3/7/14) before Kentucky tallied 24-1 (3/8/14) and 26-3 (3/9/14) victories . . . The series began in 1985 . . . Ball State has never played UNC Wilmington or Richmond in baseball.
2014 SEASON RECAP: Ball State registered a 39-18 overall record and a 22-4 Mid-American Conference mark last season . . . The Cardinals won the MAC Regular-Season Championship, the MAC West Division and earned the No. 1 seed in the MAC Tournament with their 22-4 record in 2014 . . . The Cardinals swept five three-game series over MAC teams last season -- Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan, Kent State and Northern Illinois . . . The five MAC series sweeps are a Ball State school record.
THE MAC IN 2014: Ball State's 22-4 (.846) conference winning percentage last season was the sixth highest in the nation behind only Indiana (Big Ten), Liberty (Big South), Wright State (Horizon League), Alabama State (SWAC) and Louisiana-Lafayette (Sun Belt).
COACH MALONEY TIDBITS: Ball State head coach Rich Maloney earned his school record-setting 324th win in Ball State's 4-1 win at Northern Illinois last season (5/16), which clinched the MAC Championship for the Cardinals . . . He has 667 career wins with 326 of those coming as the Cardinals' head coach.
THE FRIENDLY CONFINES: The Cardinals were 13-2 at home last season, which was the progam's best mark at home since going 13-2 at Ball Diamond in 2010.
ZACH PLESAC'S FRESHMAN SEASON: Zach Plesac earned Mid-American Conference Freshman Pitcher of the Year honors plus was named the Collegiate Baseball National Freshman Pitcher of the Year after tallying a 12-2 record with a 2.11 earned-run average . . . Plesac struck out 67 batters and walked only 33 in 25 appearances . . . In addition, he registered six saves for the Cardinals.
JARETT RINDFLEISCH'S FRESHMAN SEASON: Jarett Rindfleisch was named the MAC Freshman Player of the Year after batting .352 with nine doubles, four home runs and 33 runs-batted-in . . . He started 35 games and played in 42 for the Cardinals in 2014.
RYAN SPAULDING'S SOPHOMORE SEASON: Ryan Spaulding was named to the All-MAC first team after batting .292 with 13 doubles, six home runs and 40 runs-batted-in for Ball State last season.
