Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
32-24
Akron
28-30
Baseball Advances to MAC Tournament Title Game
May 24, 2015 | Baseball
In its second game of the day against Akron in the Mid-American Conference Tournament semifinals, Ball State's baseball team tallied a 9-8 win to advance to Sunday's championship game vs. Ohio.
The Cardinals will have to defeat the Bobcats twice Sunday to earn the automatic berth in the NCAA Regionals because Ohio is undefeated in the tourney. The two teams did not meet in the regular season.
The championship game appearance is Ball State's second in three years. The Cardinals won the MAC Tournament in 2006 when they defeated Kent State to advance to the Regionals.
With two outs and a full count on Brandon Estep in the bottom of the ninth, he ripped a single up the middle and the bases cleared to tie the game at 8-8. The game tying run was scored by senior Jarrett James, who entered as a pinch runner and scored from first for the Cardinals' eighth run of the game.
Scott Tyler followed up those heroics with a walk to put runners on first and second for Zach Plesac. Plesac, who had only 32 at-bats on the season, singled to right to score Estep from second and seal the victory for the Cardinals.
Alex Maloney led off the ninth inning with an infield single and with one out, Alex Call lined a single up the middle to put runners on first and second and bring up the tying run in Jarett Rindfleisch. The All-MAC Second Team selection, hit a routine fly ball to left field that was misplayed by Akron and the bases were loaded. Estep stepped to the plate and provided the ninth inning heroics to tie the game before Plesac's game-winning single.
After falling behind 5-0 through 3.5 innings, Ball State battled back with five runs in the fourth and fifth innings to close the gap to 6-5 before adding the four runs in the ninth to win the contest.
The victory marked the 700th career win for Ball State head coach Rich Maloney and improved the Cardinals to 33-24 on the season.
Rindfleisch was 2-for-5 in the game with one run-batted-in and one run scored. Estep tallied four RBI, while Plesac was 2-for-5 with one RBI.
Matt Haro, who came on in relief and pitched the final 3.1 innings, was credited with the win after allowing no runs and striking out three. Haro improved to 2-0 on the season.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Haro, Matt (2-0)
L: JENSEN (1-2)
Batting:
2B: IERO 1
3B: MOSBARGER 1
RBI: REMBIELAK 1 ; MOSBARGER 1 ; SALEM 4 ; WASHINGTON 1
SH: REMBIELAK 1
SF: SALEM 1 ; WASHINGTON 1
Base Running:
RUNS: MAMARELLA 1 ; LEES 1 ; ROHAN 2 ; IERO 3 ; MOSBARGER 1
HBP: IERO 1
Batting:
RBI: Call, Alex 1 ; Rindfleisch, Jarett 1 ; Estep, Brandon 4 ; Tyler, Scott 1 ; Plesac, Zach 1
SF: Call, Alex 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Maloney, Alex 2 ; Devarie, Elbert 1 ; Call, Alex 1 ; Rindfleisch, Jarett 1 ; James, Jarrett 1 ; Spaulding, Ryan 1 ; Estep, Brandon 1 ; Eppers, Matt 1
