Ball State University
23-14, 0
Central Michigan
8-28, 0
Ball State Takes Rubber Game at Central Michigan, 4-2
April 17, 2016 | Baseball
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Two runs in the top of the ninth inning propelled the Ball State baseball team to a 4-2 win over host Central Michigan Sunday afternoon at Theunissen Stadium. With the win, the Cardinals captured their fifth consecutive weekend series.
The two teams entered the top of the ninth tied at 2-all. Junior Alex Call reached base to open the inning after getting hit by a pitch. He would score what proved to be the winning run later in the inning on junior Caleb Stayton's sacrifice fly. Stayton led the team with six RBIs in the three-game series against the Chippewas.
Ball State (23-14, 9-3 MAC) added an insurance run when junior Alex Maloney scampered home on a squeeze bunt from fellow junior Zach Plesac.
Junior pitcher BJ Butler (3-0) held Central Michigan (8-28, 3-6) off the scoreboard the final two innings to notch his second win of the weekend. The righty worked five innings over the weekend, struck out six and did not allow a run.
The Chippewas threatened in the ninth as the first two batters reached base, but catcher Jarett Rindfleisch threw out one of the base runners on a stolen base attempt and Butler struck out two batters to end the contest.
The Cardinals jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to a Stayton RBI single in the first inning and junior Sean Kennedy's RBI double in the fourth.
Central Michigan would even the score in the sixth inning behind a pair of two-out RBIs.
Maloney was the only Ball State player to record two hits in the game. The shortstop finished with a double, single and walked twice. Call scored twice and Stayton registered two RBIs.
Sophomore pitcher Brendan Burns went the first 5.2 innings and allowed both Central Michigan runs.
Ball State returns to action on Tuesday, April 19 at Purdue.
For the most up-to-date information on the Ball State baseball team, please follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateBB and @CoachMaloney.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Butler, BJ (3-0)
L: BRADLEY, Colton (0-3)
Batting:
2B: Maloney, Alex 1 ; Kennedy, Sean 1
RBI: Stayton, Caleb 2 ; Plesac, Zach 1 ; Kennedy, Sean 1
SH: Plesac, Zach 1 ; Spaulding, Ryan 1
SF: Stayton, Caleb 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Call, Alex 2 ; Maloney, Alex 1 ; Rindfleisch, Jarett 1
SB: Call, Alex 2 ; Maloney, Alex 2
CS: Maloney, Alex 1
HBP: Call, Alex 1
Batting:
RBI: ROBINSON, Daniel 1 ; SULLIVAN, Jason 1
SF: ROBINSON, Daniel 1
Base Running:
RUNS: BORGLIN, Alex 1 ; McKINSTRY, Zach 1
SB: COLE, Dazon 1
CS: SULLIVAN, Jason 1 ; HEEKE, Ryan 1
HBP: BORGLIN, Alex 1 ; SULLIVAN, Jason 1
