Ball State University
28-18, 13-6
Eastern Michigan
17-26, 8-8
Cardinals Rally for 10-7 Win Over Eastern Michigan
May 06, 2016 | Baseball
MUNCIE, Ind. – Senior Ryan Spaulding and freshman Maverick Bacon combined for eight RBIs to lead the Ball State baseball team to a 10-7 win over Eastern Michigan Friday afternoon at Ball Diamond.
The Cardinals (28-18, 13-6 MAC) faced a 6-2 deficit after the top of the fourth inning, but responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame and four more in the fifth to take the lead for good.
Bacon came through in the clutch with the bases loaded in both of Ball State's big innings. In the fourth, the designated hitter singled to left field to score a pair of runs. One inning later, Bacon roped a two-out single to right field to bring home two more Cardinals and even the score at 7-all. After a wild pitch allowed Ball State to plate the go-ahead run, junior Matt Eppers capped the inning with an RBI single to left field to make the score, 9-7.
Ball State's bullpen would make that lead hold up. Senior lefty Matt Haro pitched 4.1 innings of relief and held Eastern Michigan (17-26, 8-8) to two runs to earn his fifth win. Junior BJ Butler worked out of a jam in the eighth to notch his ninth save. Butler has now made nine straight appearances in MAC games without allowing a run.
Spaulding finished 3-for-5 at the plate with a pair of RBI doubles. He also put the Cardinals on the board in the first inning with a two-run single. Meanwhile, Bacon went 2-for-4 with a career-high four RBIs. Junior catcher Jarett Rindfleisch scored three times.
For the Eagles, John Montgomery went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, including a solo home run in the fifth inning.
The two teams will continue their three-game series tomorrow, May 7, with first pitch set for 1 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: Haro, Matt (5-1)
L: MARSINEK, Michael (2-3)
S: Butler, BJ (9)
Batting:
2B: WILLIAMS, Brennan 1 ; MCGEEIN, Mitchell 1 ; RENSEL JR, John 1
HR: MONTGOMERY, John 1
RBI: MCGEEIN, Mitchell 1 ; MONTGOMERY, John 2 ; RENSEL JR, John 2
SH: LETT, David 1
Base Running:
RUNS: WILSON, Austin 1 ; GILL, Marquise 1 ; WILLIAMS, Brennan 1 ; MONTGOMERY, John 2 ; MIODUSZEWSKI, Mike 1 ; RENSEL JR, John 1
SB: GILL, Marquise 1 ; MONTGOMERY, John 1
HBP: STIDHAM, Jeremy 1
Batting:
2B: Spaulding, Ryan 2
RBI: Spaulding, Ryan 4 ; Bacon, Maverick 4 ; Eppers, Matt 1
SH: Eppers, Matt 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Call, Alex 1 ; Stayton, Caleb 1 ; Rindfleisch, Jarett 3 ; Spaulding, Ryan 1 ; Baisa, Roman 2 ; Kennedy, Sean 1 ; Bacon, Maverick 1
SB: Call, Alex 2 ; Eppers, Matt 2
CS: Spaulding, Ryan 1
HBP: Rindfleisch, Jarett 1 ; Baisa, Roman 1 ; Kennedy, Sean 1
