Ball State University
37-17
Northern Illinois
19-35
Cardinals Advance Past NIU
May 23, 2019 | Baseball
Powell hits late homer to break game open
The No. 2 seed Cardinals (37-17) will now play top seed Central Michigan Friday night for a shot at to be 2-0 on Saturday. CMU won 18-9 over Ohio Thursday afternoon in the game before BSU-NIU.
??: Ball State's @CoachMaloney on tonight's victory over NIU. #ChirpChirp #MACtion pic.twitter.com/HMkFZ2llkr
— #MACtion (@MACSports) May 24, 2019
Powell's blast came with BSU leading 6-4 in the bottom of the 8th. He pushed a high fly ball opposite field on a 3-2 pitch and it landed over the fence. It was his first homer of the season and stretched the lead to 9-4. Powell finished the game 3-for-4 with 3 RBIs and 2 runs. Ross Messina, Chase Sebby and William Baker each had a pair of hits.Â
??: What do you have to say about that three-run jack @NoahPowell2016?! #ChirpChirp #MACtion pic.twitter.com/rOyVSjtOir
— #MACtion (@MACSports) May 24, 2019
Drey Jameson (6-3) earned the win, working 6 innings and striking out 10. Nick Floyd worked the final 3 frames and didn't allow a run for his 6th save.
"Drey didn't quite have his best day, but I told him we needed a couple zeroes and he delivered in the 5th and the 6th. That was very important," Maloney said. "And Nick Floyd was outstanding."
MAC TOURNEY CENTRAL
Northern Illinois, the tourney's No. 5 seed, struck in the top of 1st with a pair of runs off Jameson. Quickly, the Cardinals answered with a 3-spot keyed by a 2-run double by Sebby. Ball State wouldn't trail again, scoring 2 more in the 2nd inning and another in the 5th when Sebby doubled again and scored.
A PAIR OF STRIKEOUT RECORDS
Jameson moved to 146 strikeouts on the season, setting both the school and conference record. Bryan Bullington's BSU record of 139 was set in 2002 and the conference mark held by Joe Murray (Kent State) was 141. Jameson entered the game 5th in the country in strikeouts (4th in Ks per 9 innings).
MARQUEE MATCHUP
Friday night's game is expected to showcase a pair of All-MAC pitchers in John Baker and Central Michigan's Cam Brown. They were the starters for BSU and CMU oon April 6, which was a 5-0 CMU win. Brown threw 7.2 shutout innings and Baker was scoreless through 6 innings.
Ball State will play Central Michigan Friday, scheduled for 6 p.m. Fans can follow on social media at @BallStateBB or listen HERE.Â
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jameson, Drey (6-3)
L: HEDMARK (3-7)
Batting:
2B: DUNHAM 1
RBI: LONTEEN 1 ; DUNHAM 1 ; DROBUSHEVICH 1
SF: LONTEEN 1
Base Running:
RUNS: JOYCE 2 ; SZCZASNY 1 ; LONTEEN 1
CS: MUTTER 1
Batting:
2B: Baker, William 1 ; Messina, Ross 1 ; Sebby, Chase 2 ; Powell, Noah 1
HR: Powell, Noah 1
RBI: Baker, William 2 ; Messina, Ross 1 ; Sebby, Chase 2 ; Hulecki, Griffin 2 ; Powell, Noah 3
SH: Conant, Justin 1
SF: Hulecki, Griffin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Simpson, Aaron 2 ; Baker, William 2 ; Messina, Ross 1 ; Ricotta, John 1 ; Sebby, Chase 1 ; Hulecki, Griffin 1 ; Powell, Noah 2
HBP: Ricotta, John 1
