Friday, May 10
Muncie, Ind.
3 p.m.
Ball State University
31-17, 15-5
4
vs
2
Ohio
16-28, 10-11
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Ohio
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
8
0
Ball State
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
0
X
4
6
0
Photo by: [Billy Hardiman Photography]
Cardinals Explode In 7th, Beat Ohio
May 10, 2019 | Baseball
Saturday's game moved up to noon
MUNCIE - Noah Powell didn't think he would play on Friday. He did, though, seeing a single pitch when he pinch hit in the 7th inning.Â
That's all it took for the junior shortstop to collect the game-winning hit, a 3-run double that led Ball State to a 4-2 win over Ohio. Powell, BSU's starting shortstop and an All-MAC player last year, hadn't played due to injury for 2 weeks but he stayed ready when he was called upon in a key spot.
"I heard my name called and I was excited to be in the game," Powell said. "I wanted to get it done for the guys. First pitch strike, he hung a slider and I did what I had to do for the team."
Head coach Rich Maloney and the Ball State coaching staff stress for everyone to stay ready. Every day there's a new hero.
"I had no idea (that he would play)," Powell said. "Every day they say be ready because you don't know who's going to be the guy. Luckily today, I was the guy and it was good for the team."
Ball State trailed 2-0 for much of the afternoon and only had 1 hit through 6 innings before the game-changing bottom of the 7th. After Ross Messina singled and scored, John Ricotta singled and Chase Sebby doubled with 1 out. The Cards couldn't find a sac fly - which is strange because BSU is 2nd in the nation with 33 sac flies - and with 2 outs Griffin Hulecki drew a 2-out walk to load the bases. Ball State sent another pinch hitter, Tim Blankenberger, to the plate, prompting a pitching change by Ohio. OU coach Rob Smith wanted a lefty-lefty matchup in a tight spot and leading 2-1.
Blankenberger was checked in, got into the batter's box, and was subbed out to get the probability back in Ball State's favor. Powell came into the game and ripped the 1st pitch he saw down the left-field line, clearing the bases and putting BSU ahead 4-2.
"Noah hasn't played in a few weeks and he laced a rocket into the corner," Maloney said. "Their pitcher was outstanding, kept us off-balance. We had to really fight to win this game but we stayed the course and that's what good teams do."
The rest of the day belonged to Nick Floyd, who improved to 6-0 on the season with a masterful 4 innings of work. He didn't allow a run and struck out a career-high 8 batters to put finish the win.
"Nick Floyd was outstanding. Simply marvelous," Maloney said. "That's a senior stepping up when he needed to step up. But what I liked most about today was it was a total team win."
Ohio (16-28, 10-11 MAC) was the tough luck loser, getting a strong start from Eddie Kutt. He took a 1-hitter into the 7th and had 7 strikeouts before the Cardinals rallied. Ohio had 8 hits to Ball State's 6, led by Rudy Rott's 2-for-3 day with a walk.
Messina was the only Card with multiple hits. Drey Jameson started and struck out 8 over 5.0 innings. Maloney was impressed with the way he battled and gave his team a chance to win.
"Drey competed well even though he didn't have his best stuff," Maloney said.
RECORD WATCH
Jameson ran his strikeout total to 128, just 11 shy of the single-season school record set in 2002 by Brian Bullington. Jameson entered the game 3rd in the nation in both strikeouts and Ks per 9 innings.
TOTAL TEAM EFFORT
Maloney also praised the play of reserve Langston Ginder, who scored a run as a pinch runner in the 7th and promptly assisted on a forceout in the 8th inning while playing 3rd base.
The MAC's ERA leader, John Baker, will go Saturday for the Cardinals. The game has been moved up to noon as there is rain in the forecast. Fans can follow on social media at @BallStateBB or listen to the game on Muncie's Sports Station 102.9 FM/1340 AM.
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That's all it took for the junior shortstop to collect the game-winning hit, a 3-run double that led Ball State to a 4-2 win over Ohio. Powell, BSU's starting shortstop and an All-MAC player last year, hadn't played due to injury for 2 weeks but he stayed ready when he was called upon in a key spot.
"I heard my name called and I was excited to be in the game," Powell said. "I wanted to get it done for the guys. First pitch strike, he hung a slider and I did what I had to do for the team."
Head coach Rich Maloney and the Ball State coaching staff stress for everyone to stay ready. Every day there's a new hero.
"I had no idea (that he would play)," Powell said. "Every day they say be ready because you don't know who's going to be the guy. Luckily today, I was the guy and it was good for the team."
Ball State trailed 2-0 for much of the afternoon and only had 1 hit through 6 innings before the game-changing bottom of the 7th. After Ross Messina singled and scored, John Ricotta singled and Chase Sebby doubled with 1 out. The Cards couldn't find a sac fly - which is strange because BSU is 2nd in the nation with 33 sac flies - and with 2 outs Griffin Hulecki drew a 2-out walk to load the bases. Ball State sent another pinch hitter, Tim Blankenberger, to the plate, prompting a pitching change by Ohio. OU coach Rob Smith wanted a lefty-lefty matchup in a tight spot and leading 2-1.
Blankenberger was checked in, got into the batter's box, and was subbed out to get the probability back in Ball State's favor. Powell came into the game and ripped the 1st pitch he saw down the left-field line, clearing the bases and putting BSU ahead 4-2.
"Noah hasn't played in a few weeks and he laced a rocket into the corner," Maloney said. "Their pitcher was outstanding, kept us off-balance. We had to really fight to win this game but we stayed the course and that's what good teams do."
The rest of the day belonged to Nick Floyd, who improved to 6-0 on the season with a masterful 4 innings of work. He didn't allow a run and struck out a career-high 8 batters to put finish the win.
"Nick Floyd was outstanding. Simply marvelous," Maloney said. "That's a senior stepping up when he needed to step up. But what I liked most about today was it was a total team win."
Ohio (16-28, 10-11 MAC) was the tough luck loser, getting a strong start from Eddie Kutt. He took a 1-hitter into the 7th and had 7 strikeouts before the Cardinals rallied. Ohio had 8 hits to Ball State's 6, led by Rudy Rott's 2-for-3 day with a walk.
Messina was the only Card with multiple hits. Drey Jameson started and struck out 8 over 5.0 innings. Maloney was impressed with the way he battled and gave his team a chance to win.
"Drey competed well even though he didn't have his best stuff," Maloney said.
RECORD WATCH
Jameson ran his strikeout total to 128, just 11 shy of the single-season school record set in 2002 by Brian Bullington. Jameson entered the game 3rd in the nation in both strikeouts and Ks per 9 innings.
TOTAL TEAM EFFORT
Maloney also praised the play of reserve Langston Ginder, who scored a run as a pinch runner in the 7th and promptly assisted on a forceout in the 8th inning while playing 3rd base.
The MAC's ERA leader, John Baker, will go Saturday for the Cardinals. The game has been moved up to noon as there is rain in the forecast. Fans can follow on social media at @BallStateBB or listen to the game on Muncie's Sports Station 102.9 FM/1340 AM.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Floyd, Nick (6-0)
L: KUTT, Eddie (3-4)
Batting:
2B: HAFNER, Trevor 1
HR: LEVY, Aaron 1
RBI: LEVY, Aaron 1 ; FUNDERBURG, Treyben. 1
SH: MALLOTT, Nathan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: LEVY, Aaron 1 ; ROTT, Rudy 1
HBP: ROTT, Rudy 1
Batting:
2B: Sebby, Chase 1 ; Powell, Noah 1
RBI: Sebby, Chase 1 ; Powell, Noah 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Messina, Ross 1 ; Ricotta, John 1 ; Sebby, Chase 1 ; Ginder, Langston 1
HBP: Sebby, Chase 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
RHP
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C
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RHP
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INF
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OF/RHP
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