Ball State University Athletics
Ball State to Face Western Michigan in MAC Tourney Opener
May 23, 2016 | Baseball
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State baseball team will open the 2016 Mid-American Conference Tournament against Western Michigan Wednesday, May 25 at 1 p.m. The top eight teams in the MAC will play for an automatic bid to the NCAA Regionals at All Pro Freight Stadium in Avon, Ohio.
Ball State, the MAC West Division champion for the second time in the last three years, concluded the regular season with a 32-24 overall record and 15-9 league mark to earn the No. 2 seed. Western Michigan, also out of the MAC West, enters the tournament as the No 7 seed at 18-31 overall and 11-13 in the league.
Ball State swept the three-game series against the Broncos in early April by scores of 7-2, 21-1 and 13-3. Junior Caleb Stayton went 9-for-15 (.600) in the series with a home run, three doubles, a triple and 10 RBIs.
Also on Ball State's half of the bracket are No. 3 Miami and No. 6 Central Michigan. The Cardinals took two of three games from each of those teams this spring.
The Cardinals advanced to last year's title game before falling to Ohio, 6-2. Ball State's lone MAC Tournament championship came 10 years ago when the Cardinals also began tournament play against Western Michigan.
The MAC Tournament runs from Wednesday, May 25 through Sunday, May 29.
For the most up-to-date information on the Ball State baseball team, please follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateBB and @CoachMaloney.
2016 MAC Baseball Championship Schedule Of Events
Wednesday, May 25thGame 1 - No. 3 Miami vs. No. 6 Central Michigan, 9:30 a.m.
Game 2 - No. 2 Ball State vs. No. 7 Western Michigan, 1 p.m.
Game 3 - No. 1 Kent State vs. No. 8 Eastern Michigan, 4:30 p.m.
Game 4 - No. 4 Northern Illinois vs. No. 5 Toledo, 8 p.m.
Thursday, May 26th
Game 5 - Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser, 9:30 a.m.
Game 6 - Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Loser, 1 p.m.
Game 7 - Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner, 4:30 p.m.
Game 8 - Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner, 8 p.m.
Friday, May 27th
Game 9 - Game 5 Winner vs. Game 8 Loser, 1 p.m.
Game 10 - Game 6 Winner vs. Game 7 Loser, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 28th
Game 11 - Game 7 Winner vs. Game 9 Winner, 9:30 a.m.
Game 12 - Game 8 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner, 1 p.m.
*Game 13 - Game 11 Winner vs. Game 11 Loser, 4:30 p.m. (if necessary)
**Game 14 - Game 12 Winner vs. Game 12 Loser, 8 p.m. (if necessary)
Sunday, May 29th
MAC Baseball Championship Game
Game 15 - Game 11/13 Winner vs. Game 12/14 Winner, Noon
#Game 16 - Championship Game Replay (if necessary)
* Game 13 will be necessary if the winner of Game 9 also wins Game 11
** Game 14 will be necessary if the winner of Game 10 also wins Game 12
# If both teams have one loss after Game 15, a second championship game will be played approx. 40 minutes following game 15.
