Ball State University
12-11, 0-1
Miami (OH)
9-10, 1-0
Clutch Hits Leads Miami to 4-2 Win Over Ball State
March 25, 2016 | Baseball
OXFORD, Ohio – In the Mid-American Conference opener for both teams, host Miami scored single runs in the seventh and eighth innings to pull out a 4-2 win over the Ball State baseball team Friday afternoon.
Miami (9-10, 1-0 MAC) scored a pair of runs in the bottom of third to take an early lead, but Ball State (12-11, 0-1) quickly rallied with two runs in the top of the fourth to even the score.
Ball State starting pitcher Kevin Marnon worked out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth inning with a grounder to shortstop to keep the score tied.
The Cardinals then put runners on first and third with one out in the top of the seventh, only to strikeout and ground out to end the scoring threat.
Miami finally went ahead with a two-out rally in the bottom of the seventh. Steve Sada reached base on a two-out bunt single. After Tyler Harris walked, Ross Haffey came through with an RBI single to left field to put the RedHawks back in front, 3-2.
The RedHawks added an insurance run in the eighth inning, thanks to another two-out, run-producing hit, this time from Jake Romano.
Miami's Ryan Marske (2-0) earned the win as he shut down Ball State in the final 2.2 innings with five strikeouts.
Marnon (3-3) was the hard-luck loser even though he struck out a season-high eight batters in 6.2 innings. Junior Matt Eppers and redshirt freshman Roman Baisa each notched two hits for the Cardinals. Junior Caleb Stayton saw his 13-game hitting streak come to an end as he finished 0-for-3.
The two teams will be back in action tomorrow evening, March 26 with first pitch set for 6 p.m.
For the most up-to-date information on the Ball State baseball team, please follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateBB and @CoachMaloney.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: MARSKE, Ryan (2-0)
L: Marnon, Kevin (3-3)
Batting:
2B: Eppers, Matt 1
RBI: Eppers, Matt 1 ; Brockhouse, Colin 1
SH: Call, Alex 1
SF: Brockhouse, Colin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rindfleisch, Jarett 1 ; Maloney, Alex 1
SB: Maloney, Alex 1 ; Eppers, Matt 1 ; Baisa, Roman 1
HBP: Stayton, Caleb 1 ; Rindfleisch, Jarett 1 ; Maloney, Alex 1
PO: Rindfleisch, Jarett 1
Batting:
2B: HAFFEY, Ross 1 ; ROMANO, Jake 1
RBI: HARRIS, Tyler 1 ; HAFFEY, Ross 1 ; ROMANO, Jake 2
SH: YACEK, Adam 1 ; HALL, Dallas 1
Base Running:
RUNS: SADA, Steve 1 ; SEDIO, Chad 1 ; SENGER, Hayden 1 ; ROMANO, Jake 1
SB: SADA, Steve 1
CS: YACEK, Adam 1 ; ROMANO, Jake 1
HBP: ROMANO, Jake 1
PO: ROMANO, Jake 1
