Saturday, April 13
Muncie, Ind.
12 p.m.
Ball State University
23-11, 7-2
11
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Eastern Michigan
7-27-1, 2-9
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Eastern Michigan
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Ball State
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Photo by: [Billy Hardiman Photography]
Cardinals Win Weekend Series Before Key Stretch
April 13, 2019 | Baseball
BSU at Indiana, Miami in the coming week
MUNCIE - Just a game out of first in the MAC standings and unbeaten at home, Ball State had a lot on the line this weekend against Eastern Michigan. The Cardinals won the series, splitting Saturday's doubleheader while scoring 16 runs on 26 hits for the day.
Ball State (23-12, 7-3 MAC) won the Saturday noon game 11-5 before EMU answered in the nightcap 7-5.
For the day, William Baker had 4 hits, 3 RBIs and scored 3 runs. Noah Powell and Chase Sebby each had 4 hits, doubled twice and scored twice for the Cardinals. Defensively, John Ricotta made several scoops at 1st base as well as a nice play down the line and another in foul territory. Justin Conant also made a diving play at 2nd base.
John Baker improved to 4-1 on the year with a winning effort in the opening game, which was finished with 4 shutout innings from Nick Floyd. Floyd earned his first save of the season.Â
The 3-1 week at home - Ball State also won over Butler on Tuesday - leads the Cardinals for a high-profile stretch over the next 10 days. Rich Maloney's squad will play at Indiana Tuesday, April 16 before a MAC series at Miami. Then the Cardinals will be the home team against Indiana at Victory Field on April 23. Ball State is now 2 games out of 1st, but just 1 in the loss column behind Miami.
Here's what happened in Saturday's games:
BALL STATE 11, EASTERN MICHIGAN 5 (Box Score | Twitter Thread)
Baker and Floyd did the job on the mound and the Cardinals hit 3 home runs to turn an early 3-1 deficit into a resounding victory. John Ricotta belted a home run to key a 3-run bottom of the 3rd that gave the Cardinals a lead that Baker and Floyd would bring home. With the scored tied 5-5 in the 5th, Will Baker pulled a high blast out to left for a 2-run shot and Sebby added an RBI single in the 6th.Â
A 2-run, no doubt homer to right by Tim Blankenberger keyed a 3-run 7th inning that put the game away and clinched the series for Ball State.
Baker punched out 7 over 5 innings, but did allow 5 runs. Floyd then protected the lead with an efficient 53 pitches to get 12 outs. It was Floyd's longest outing since May 2018.
Nate Jones led EMU in the early game with 4 RBIs, coming on a 2-run homer in the 3rd and a 2-run single in the 5th.
EASTERN MICHIGAN 7, BALL STATE 5Â (Box Score | Twitter Thread)
Ball State jumped out to an early 2-0 lead but Eastern Michigan scored 6 runs (2 unearned) over a 3-inning span to take a 6-3 lead. Zach Owings, EMU's big bat who didn't play Friday, doubled in the 1st and homered in the 4th as the Eagles seemed to stay one step ahead of the Cardinals.
A misplayed ball with 2 outs in the top of the 3rd inning resulted in 2 runs and the Cardinals would see their rally fall short.
Trailing 7-5 in the 9th inning, Ball State had the tying run on 1st base after Sebby doubled and Ricotta reached on an error. The Cards ran out of outs and EMU managed to salvage the final game of the weekend.
Ross Messina had 2 singles and an RBI groundout while Powell had 2 hits and a walk. Mike Pachmayer and Lukas Jaksich each threw 2 shutout innings of relief for the Cards. Ball State relievers allowed just 1 run over 8 innings on the day.
Ball State (23-12, 7-3 MAC) won the Saturday noon game 11-5 before EMU answered in the nightcap 7-5.
For the day, William Baker had 4 hits, 3 RBIs and scored 3 runs. Noah Powell and Chase Sebby each had 4 hits, doubled twice and scored twice for the Cardinals. Defensively, John Ricotta made several scoops at 1st base as well as a nice play down the line and another in foul territory. Justin Conant also made a diving play at 2nd base.
John Baker improved to 4-1 on the year with a winning effort in the opening game, which was finished with 4 shutout innings from Nick Floyd. Floyd earned his first save of the season.Â
The 3-1 week at home - Ball State also won over Butler on Tuesday - leads the Cardinals for a high-profile stretch over the next 10 days. Rich Maloney's squad will play at Indiana Tuesday, April 16 before a MAC series at Miami. Then the Cardinals will be the home team against Indiana at Victory Field on April 23. Ball State is now 2 games out of 1st, but just 1 in the loss column behind Miami.
Here's what happened in Saturday's games:
BALL STATE 11, EASTERN MICHIGAN 5 (Box Score | Twitter Thread)
Baker and Floyd did the job on the mound and the Cardinals hit 3 home runs to turn an early 3-1 deficit into a resounding victory. John Ricotta belted a home run to key a 3-run bottom of the 3rd that gave the Cardinals a lead that Baker and Floyd would bring home. With the scored tied 5-5 in the 5th, Will Baker pulled a high blast out to left for a 2-run shot and Sebby added an RBI single in the 6th.Â
A 2-run, no doubt homer to right by Tim Blankenberger keyed a 3-run 7th inning that put the game away and clinched the series for Ball State.
Baker punched out 7 over 5 innings, but did allow 5 runs. Floyd then protected the lead with an efficient 53 pitches to get 12 outs. It was Floyd's longest outing since May 2018.
Nate Jones led EMU in the early game with 4 RBIs, coming on a 2-run homer in the 3rd and a 2-run single in the 5th.
EASTERN MICHIGAN 7, BALL STATE 5Â (Box Score | Twitter Thread)
Ball State jumped out to an early 2-0 lead but Eastern Michigan scored 6 runs (2 unearned) over a 3-inning span to take a 6-3 lead. Zach Owings, EMU's big bat who didn't play Friday, doubled in the 1st and homered in the 4th as the Eagles seemed to stay one step ahead of the Cardinals.
A misplayed ball with 2 outs in the top of the 3rd inning resulted in 2 runs and the Cardinals would see their rally fall short.
Trailing 7-5 in the 9th inning, Ball State had the tying run on 1st base after Sebby doubled and Ricotta reached on an error. The Cards ran out of outs and EMU managed to salvage the final game of the weekend.
Ross Messina had 2 singles and an RBI groundout while Powell had 2 hits and a walk. Mike Pachmayer and Lukas Jaksich each threw 2 shutout innings of relief for the Cards. Ball State relievers allowed just 1 run over 8 innings on the day.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Baker, John (4-1)
L: COOK, Holden (1-4)
S: Floyd, Nick (1)
Batting:
2B: OWINGS, Zachary 1
3B: TIMKO, Jeff 1
HR: JONES, Nate 1
RBI: TIMKO, Jeff 1 ; JONES, Nate 4
Base Running:
RUNS: TIMKO, Jeff 1 ; OWINGS, Zachary 1 ; JONES, Nate 1 ; PEGGS, Drake 2
CS: KAUFFMAN, Jared 1 ; RENSEL JR, John 1
HBP: RENSEL JR, John 1
Batting:
2B: Sebby, Chase 1 ; Conant, Justin 1 ; Powell, Noah 1
HR: Ricotta, John 1 ; Baker, William 1 ; Blankenberger, Tim 1
RBI: Sebby, Chase 1 ; Messina, Ross 1 ; Ricotta, John 1 ; Baker, William 2 ; Powell, Noah 1 ; Blankenberger, Tim 3
SF: Messina, Ross 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Sebby, Chase 1 ; Messina, Ross 1 ; Ricotta, John 2 ; Baker, William 2 ; Conant, Justin 2 ; Powell, Noah 2 ; Blankenberger, Tim 1
SB: Simpson, Aaron 1
HBP: Ricotta, John 1
Game Leaders
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4
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RBI
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4
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H
2
RBI
1
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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