Ball State University
17-18
Indiana
28-6
No. 8 Indiana Outlasts Ball State in 14 Innings, 9-8
April 18, 2018 | Baseball
This was the fourth straight meeting between the two teams that was decided by one run and the third consecutive time it took extra innings to decide a winner.
Ball State (17-18) jumped on top with a five-run third inning to stake a 6-1 lead. Senior Seth Freed's one-out, bases clearing triple highlighted the big inning. Freed finished a double shy of the cycle as he homered in the second inning and tallied Ball State's only hit in the extra frames – a single in the 11th inning.
The Hoosiers (28-6) chipped away at the deficit with three runs in the third, two more in the fourth and one in the sixth inning. Indiana briefly took an 8-7 lead in the seventh inning when Houston scored on a wild pitch.
The Cardinals quickly responded with a run in the eighth. Sophomore Noah Powell came through with a one-out, bases loaded infield single, pushing senior Colin Brockhouse across home plate. However, Ball State left the bases loaded as Indiana pitcher Tommy Sommer got a strikeout and ground out to escape any more damage.
From there, Ball State relievers Nolan Gazouski and T.J. Baker kept Indiana quiet from the eighth through 12th innings. Baker worked out of a bases loaded jam in the 12th by getting two straight groundouts.
The Hoosiers finally capitalized in the 14th inning behind a leadoff walk and bunt single. Junior reliever TJ Harmon fought to tally back-to-back strikeouts, but Houston ended the game with his only RBI of the evening.
This was Ball State's longest game since dropping a 15-inning affair at Indiana on April 4, 2012, 6-5. The Hoosiers have now won seven straight over the Cardinals.
The Cardinals have a quick turnaround with the first of a three-game series scheduled at league foe Bowling Green Friday afternoon. Game time is set for 3:05 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: Saalfrank, Andrew (1-1)
L: Harmon, TJ (2-1)
Batting:
2B: Hulecki, Griffin 1 ; Kirkpatrick, Justin 1
3B: Freed, Seth 1
HR: Riedel, Jeff 1 ; Freed, Seth 1
RBI: Riedel, Jeff 1 ; Powell, Noah 1 ; Baker, William 1 ; Freed, Seth 4 ; Ricotta, John 1
SH: Sebby, Chase 1
SF: Ricotta, John 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Brockhouse, Colin 1 ; Hulecki, Griffin 1 ; Riedel, Jeff 1 ; Sebby, Chase 1 ; Powell, Noah 1 ; Baker, William 1 ; Freed, Seth 2
CS: Freed, Seth 1
HBP: Riedel, Jeff 1 ; Powell, Noah 1
Batting:
2B: Gorski, Matt 1
HR: Kaletha, Logan 1
RBI: Kaletha, Logan 1 ; Gorski, Matt 2 ; Cross, Wyatt 2 ; Walker, Justin 1 ; Houston, Jeremy 1
SH: Cross, Wyatt 1 ; Walker, Justin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kaletha, Logan 3 ; Lloyd, Matt 1 ; Sowers, Logan 2 ; Eustace, Laren 1 ; Gorski, Matt 1 ; Houston, Jeremy 1
SB: Kaletha, Logan 2 ; Houston, Jeremy 2
CS: Kaletha, Logan 1
HBP: Kaletha, Logan 1 ; Cross, Wyatt 1
