Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
Elon
Baseball Wins Fourth Straight with 8-3 Win over Elon
February 22, 2015 | Baseball
Ball State's baseball team exploded for four runs in the sixth inning to win its fourth straight game with an 8-3 win over Elon in Aiken, S.C.
The win improved the Cardinals' record to 4-2 on the season and gave Ball State four wins – two over High Point and two over Elon – in a four-game set on the weekend.
"Our boys played solid baseball all weekend in sweeping two quality opponents," Ball State head coach Rich Maloney said. "When you pitch, hit and field well, you put yourself in a position to win and we did that this weekend. It was great to see so many guys contribute. This weekend's success was truly a team effort."
In the fourth, a pair of singles from Sean Kennedy and Scott Tyler started the rally, while Matt Eppers' plated two with a double down the right field line to score two and highlight the inning. Ryan Spaulding, who had tripled earlier in the game, grounded out to short to score Alex Maloney, who recorded a bases loaded walk and Ball State led 8-3 after six innings.
The Cardinals started the scoring with one run in the first and two in the second, but Elon battled back with two runs of its own in the first two innings. Ball State's first run of the game came after Spaulding's triple and he scored on an Elbert Devarie ground out. In the second inning, Kennedy manufactured a run with a walk, advancing to second on a passed ball and scoring on a throwing error by Elon.
Matt Haro started the game on the mound for the Cardinals and pitched 2.2 innings, allowing only one earned run and striking out one. Brendan Burns came on in relief for the Cardinals and lasted 5.1 innings, allowing only one hit and one earned run, while striking out five to earn the victory and improve to 1-0 on the season. B.J. Butler pitched the ninth and allowed only one hit, while striking out one to finish off the Phoenix.
Caleb Stayton led the Cardinals offensively with a 3-for-4 performance and two runs scored. Devarie managed two hits in five at-bats with one run-batted-in. Eppers was 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored.
Ball State will travel to the Chanticleer Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Friday through Sunday. The Cardinals will face Illinois Friday at 2 p.m., and battle Illinois and West Virginia Saturday. Ball State will complete the tournament with a Sunday 1 p.m. game against the host Coastal Carolina.
