Ball State Storms Back for 9-8 Win Over Purdue

Tuesday, March 22

Muncie, Ind.

3:00 PM

Ball State University

12-10

Purdue

4-13

Purdue

Ball State

March 22, 2016 | Baseball

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By: Ball State Athletics

MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State baseball team trailed Purdue 7-0 after the top of the second inning, but the Cardinals fought their way back to earn a 9-8 win over the Boilermakers Tuesday afternoon at a blustery Ball Diamond.

The wind played a major factor in the game as the constant heavy breeze was blowing straight out to center field. Purdue (4-13) was the first team to capitalize on the conditions as Kyle Wood lifted a high fly ball to left field in the first that carried over the fence to give the Boilermakers an early 3-0 lead.

Kyle Johnson followed suit in the top of the second inning with the bases full of Boilermakers. Johnson lasered a grand slam home run to left field to extend the Purdue advantage to 7-0.

However, the Cardinals (12-10) began to turn things around in the bottom of the second. Junior Matt Eppers found the gap in right center to score fellow junior Alex Maloney and get Ball State on the board. Sophomore Colin Brockhouse scored Ball State's second run of the frame on a wild pitch.

A few minutes later in the third inning, Ball State erupted for five more runs to even the score. Juniors Caleb Stayton and Jarett Rindfleisch tallied back-to-back home runs to cut the deficit to three runs. Junior Sean Kennedy added an RBI single to make the score, 7-5. Junior Alex Call just missed hitting a grand slam of his own as his long fly ball to deep left center field found the top of the fence and brought home the final two runs of the five-run third inning.

The Cardinals took the lead for good in their next at-bat. Rindfleisch hit a ball all the way to the wall in the right center gap for an RBI triple to score Stayton. Seconds later, a Maloney chopper got through the infield to plate Rindfleisch and all of a sudden, Ball State found itself ahead, 9-7.

The Ball State bullpen scattered four hits over the final seven innings to secure the win. Junior Zach Plesac (1-1) was the first reliever out of the bullpen and he went three innings, struck out three batters and only allowed one hit to pick up the win. Junior BJ Butler tossed the final three innings to earn the save. Butler worked out of a jam in the seventh when Purdue managed to get two runners on base with two outs.

Maloney led the hitting barrage with three hits. Five other Cardinals recorded two hits, including Rindfleisch and junior Alex Call, who each notched two RBIs.

Ball State will now turn its attention to conference action. The Cardinals begin their MAC schedule this weekend at Miami. Game one is set for Friday, March 25 at 6 p.m.

For the most up-to-date information on the Ball State baseball team, please follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateBB and @CoachMaloney.