Friday, April 6
Ypsilanti, Mich.
2:30 p.m.
Ball State University
14-14, 3-4
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Eastern Michigan
8-18, 4-3
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Ball State
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Eastern Michigan
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Photo by: Mike Janes Photography
Ball State Comes Up On Short End of 1-0 Loss to Eastern Michigan
April 06, 2018 | Baseball
YPSILANTI, Mich. – Eli Gora came through with an RBI double in the bottom of the eighth inning to propel host Eastern Michigan to a 1-0 win over the Ball State baseball team Friday afternoon.
The loss spoiled another outstanding performance from Ball State (14-14, 3-4 MAC) starting pitcher John Baker. The sophomore tossed all eight innings, struck out 12 batters and only allowed three hits. This was Baker's fourth consecutive quality start and the fourth time this season he has struck out at least 10 batters. The only run he allowed was unearned. In three league starts, Baker is 1-1 with a 0.82 ERA.
Gora's game-winning hit came with two outs in the eighth. Eastern's Kolton Schenker had reached second base via a leadoff single and error. Gora took Baker's 1-1 pitch down the right field line to plate Schenker.
Eastern Michigan (8-18, 4-3) starting pitcher Justin McMurtrey was just as effective as Baker on the mound. The righty went 8.0 innings, struck out seven and held Ball State to four hits.
Ball State had two quality scoring chances. Freshman Rhett Wintner hit a long fly ball to left field that nearly left the park in the third inning. In the seventh inning, junior Chase Sebby's double put runners on second and third with two outs. However, junior John Ricotta flied out to end the inning.
This was Ball State's first 1-0 loss since falling to Coastal Carolina on Feb. 24, 2017.
The two teams will play game two of the series tomorrow, April 7, at 2 p.m.
For the most up-to-date information on the Ball State baseball team, please follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateBB and @CoachMaloney.
The loss spoiled another outstanding performance from Ball State (14-14, 3-4 MAC) starting pitcher John Baker. The sophomore tossed all eight innings, struck out 12 batters and only allowed three hits. This was Baker's fourth consecutive quality start and the fourth time this season he has struck out at least 10 batters. The only run he allowed was unearned. In three league starts, Baker is 1-1 with a 0.82 ERA.
Gora's game-winning hit came with two outs in the eighth. Eastern's Kolton Schenker had reached second base via a leadoff single and error. Gora took Baker's 1-1 pitch down the right field line to plate Schenker.
Eastern Michigan (8-18, 4-3) starting pitcher Justin McMurtrey was just as effective as Baker on the mound. The righty went 8.0 innings, struck out seven and held Ball State to four hits.
Ball State had two quality scoring chances. Freshman Rhett Wintner hit a long fly ball to left field that nearly left the park in the third inning. In the seventh inning, junior Chase Sebby's double put runners on second and third with two outs. However, junior John Ricotta flied out to end the inning.
This was Ball State's first 1-0 loss since falling to Coastal Carolina on Feb. 24, 2017.
The two teams will play game two of the series tomorrow, April 7, at 2 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: MCMURTREY, Justin (3-4)
L: Baker, John (3-3)
S: HOUSE, Thomas (1)
Batting:
2B: Riedel, Jeff 1 ; Sebby, Chase 1
Base Running:
SB: Navarro, Noah 1
Batting:
2B: GORA, Eli 1
RBI: GORA, Eli 1
Base Running:
RUNS: SCHENKER, Kolton 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
RHP
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