Ball State University
31-23
Northern Illinois
23-29
Northern Illinois Takes Opener Over Ball State, 14-8
May 20, 2016 | Baseball
DeKALB, Ill. – The Ball State baseball team held an 8-5 lead after five innings, but host Northern Illinois scored the final nine runs of the game to earn a 14-8 win over the Cardinals Thursday afternoon at Ralph McKinzie Field.
Seven of the nine starters in the Northern Illinois (23-29) lineup finished with multiple hits, including Stephen Letz who went 3-for-5 with two doubles and four RBIs. Meanwhile, Brad Wood tallied four hits, scored three runs and added two RBIs.
The Huskies utilized a five-run sixth inning to take the lead for good. Northern Illinois racked up seven hits in the decisive inning and five NIU players recorded an RBI in the frame. The home team added three more runs in the seventh and one in the eighth to pull away.
For Ball State (31-23), junior Caleb Stayton homered for the second straight game and raised his RBI total to 71. He needs five more RBIs to equal Ball State's single-season mark of 76 set by Brad Miller in 2006.
Fellow junior Jarett Rindfleisch made his return after missing six games due to an injury he suffered on May 7 against Eastern Michigan. Rindfleisch served as the designated hitter and reached base four times thanks to two singles and two walks.
The Cardinals wrap up the regular season tomorrow, May 20 with a doubleheader against Northern Illinois. Game one is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. ET (12 p.m. CT).
For the most up-to-date information on the Ball State baseball team, please follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateBB and @CoachMaloney.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: RUMFIELD, Aaron (1-3)
L: Brockhouse, Colin (3-5)
Batting:
2B: Kennedy, Sean 1
HR: Stayton, Caleb 1
RBI: Call, Alex 1 ; Spaulding, Ryan 1 ; Stayton, Caleb 1 ; Hulecki, Griffin 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Call, Alex 1 ; Stayton, Caleb 2 ; Rindfleisch, Jarett 2 ; Kennedy, Sean 1 ; Hulecki, Griffin 1 ; Eppers, Matt 1
CS: Maloney, Alex 1
HBP: Hulecki, Griffin 1
Batting:
2B: LETZ, Stephen 2 ; ZUBEK, Johnny 1
RBI: WOOD, Brad 2 ; SISLER, Brian 1 ; LETZ, Stephen 4 ; FLETCHER, Justin 1 ; MALLDER, Brandon 1 ; RUSSELL, Carl 1 ; JUMONVILLE, Joe 2 ; ZUBEK, Johnny 1
SH: FLETCHER, Justin 1
SF: WOOD, Brad 1 ; MALLDER, Brandon 1
Base Running:
RUNS: HOOK, Tommy 1 ; WOOD, Brad 3 ; SISLER, Brian 1 ; LETZ, Stephen 1 ; GASSER, Jason 1 ; FLETCHER, Justin 2 ; MALLDER, Brandon 1 ; RUSSELL, Carl 1 ; JUMONVILLE, Joe 1 ; ZUBEK, Johnny 2
CS: RUSSELL, Carl 1
