Ball State University
23-20
Ohio State
28-14
What a Comeback! Baseball Scores Nine Straight to Knock Off Ohio State, 12-11
May 02, 2018 | Baseball
Ball State (23-20) used the long ball and several highlight-reel defensive plays to earn its third straight win over Ohio State (28-14). Five Cardinals tallied a home run – junior Chase Sebby, along with seniors Jeff Riedel, Seth Freed, Colin Brockhouse and Justin Kirkpatrick. The five home runs were the most by Ball State in a game since recording five home runs on April 15, 2017 against Bowling Green.
A two-out, three-run home run from Riedel in the bottom of the fourth sparked the rally and closed the deficit to 11-8.
Brockhouse led off the bottom of the fifth with a mammoth blast over the left field fence to bring the Cardinals within two runs. The next inning, Freed ripped a two-run home run to right center field to even the score at 11-all. Freed nearly hit a home run in the bottom of the first inning as well, but Ohio State right fielder Dominic Canzone made a leaping catch at the top of the fence.
The Buckeyes threatened to retake the lead in the top of the seventh as the Buckeyes loaded the bases with nobody out. However, Ball State escaped without giving up a run. The inning ended when junior John Ricotta made a terrific snare on a one-hop blast from Tyler Cowles. Ricotta stepped on first base for one out and threw home to get Noah McGowan trying to score from third base.
Ricotta then supplied the game-winning hit in the bottom of the seventh. He laced a single to the right center field gap and a hustling Zach Milam scored all the way from first base.
Ball State avoided danger again in the eighth inning due in large part to Seth Freed's defensive gem. With runners on first and second, and nobody out, Freed made a diving stop of Canzone's sharply hit ground ball up the middle. Freed tossed on to shortstop Noah Powell at second base to start the 4-6-3 double play. Reliever T.J. Baker, who picked up the win, ended the inning with a strikeout.
Sophomore pitcher Nolan Gazouski induced a fourth double play in the ninth inning to earn the save. Baker, Gazouski and sophomore Lukas Jaksich held Ohio State off the scoreboard in the final five innings to give the Cardinals a chance to complete the comeback. The trio limited the Buckeyes to six hits.
This was Ball State's third win over a Big Ten program this spring. The Cardinals downed Iowa on Feb. 24 and Purdue on April 10. This was also Ohio State's first visit to Muncie since 1970.
The Cardinals return to league action this weekend at Ohio. Game one is set for Friday, May 4 at 6 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: Baker, T.J. (2-0)
L: Michalik, Kyle (1-2)
S: Gazouski, Nolan (2)
Batting:
2B: Pohl, Conner 1 ; Cowles, Tyler 1 ; Barnwell, Jacob 1
RBI: Canzone, Dominic 1 ; Foppe, Kobie 2 ; McGowan, Noah 1 ; Pohl, Conner 3 ; West, Noah 2
SF: Foppe, Kobie 1 ; McGowan, Noah 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Foppe, Kobie 2 ; McGowan, Noah 1 ; Cowles, Tyler 1 ; Romans, Nate 2 ; Barnwell, Jacob 3 ; West, Noah 2
SB: Canzone, Dominic 1 ; Barnwell, Jacob 2
HBP: Barnwell, Jacob 2 ; West, Noah 1
Batting:
HR: Sebby, Chase 1 ; Riedel, Jeff 1 ; Freed, Seth 1 ; Brockhouse, Colin 1 ; Kirkpatrick, Justin 1
RBI: Powell, Noah 2 ; Sebby, Chase 1 ; Riedel, Jeff 3 ; Freed, Seth 2 ; Brockhouse, Colin 1 ; Kirkpatrick, Justin 2 ; Ricotta, John 1
SH: Baker, William 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Powell, Noah 1 ; Sebby, Chase 1 ; Riedel, Jeff 1 ; Hulecki, Griffin 1 ; Freed, Seth 1 ; Brockhouse, Colin 3 ; Kirkpatrick, Justin 2 ; Milam, Zach 1 ; Baker, William 1
CS: Riedel, Jeff 1
HBP: Riedel, Jeff 1 ; Hulecki, Griffin 1 ; Brockhouse, Colin 2
