Friday, February 26
Normal, Ill. - Corn Crib
6 p.m. (5 CT)
Ball State University
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Photo by: Mike Janes Photography
Shutdown Pitching Gets Cards DH Sweep
February 27, 2021 | Baseball
NORMAL, Illinois - On one day's notice before the series was set, Ball State went to Normal and won twice. BSU swept a doubleheader vs. Bradley Friday night 4-3 behind John Baker and 5-0 behind Chayce McDermott.
Game 1 - Ball State 4, Bradley 3 (10 Innings)
It was a vintage Johnny B Friday night for the Cardinals as Baker pitched into the 9th inning and struck out 12. After winning at Arizona last weekend, Baker made his first start of the season and allowed two hits and one earned run and Ball State led the entire game before Bradley tied it in the bottom of the 9th. With a runner already placed on base in extras, Noah Navarro smacked a double to start extra innings for BSU and Ross Messina delivered the big blow. Messina pulled a 2-run single to left to make it 4-2. Bradley got a run back in the bottom of the 10th but Andre Orselli slammed the door shut to record the win.
"Baker was sensational in game one and Ross came up with the big 2-run single, and Orselli was solid as well," head coach Rich Maloney said. "We threw strikes and made routine plays. When you get timely hits, you will win a lot of games and we did that today."
Messina was the only Cardinal with two hits in the game as many players contributed. Ball State had eight hits against a strong Bradley pitching effort that struck out 11 in its season debut. Bradley's lone run off Baker came on a home run on a 1-2 pitch in the 4th inning, then Baker answered by striking out four of the next five batters.
After two outings, Baker has allowed one earned run over 12.2 innings with 19 strikeouts.
Game 2 - Ball State 5, Bradley 0Â (7Â Innings)
Chayce McDermott followed Baker's gem with one of his own, pitching five shutout innings with seven strikeouts in a 5-0 win. Ball State capitalized on Bradley freebies, as Navarro delivered a 3-run triple after the Cards drew several walks and that was more than enough as McDermott and Tyler Schweitzer handled the 7-inning game with little trouble.
"Chayce and Tyler were excellent in game two and Navarro's triple was the difference," Maloney said.
Justin Conant drove in two runs in the nightcap with an RBI walk in the big inning and an RBI single in the 6th inning. Decker Scheffler scored two runs and Messina hit a double as Ball State led early and pitching led the way in a shortened game win.Â
For the day, Messina had three hits (two doubles) and Navarro had a team-best three RBIs.Â
Ball State and Bradley will play again Saturday night in Normal starting at 9 p.m. ET (8 local). Â
Game 1 - Ball State 4, Bradley 3 (10 Innings)
It was a vintage Johnny B Friday night for the Cardinals as Baker pitched into the 9th inning and struck out 12. After winning at Arizona last weekend, Baker made his first start of the season and allowed two hits and one earned run and Ball State led the entire game before Bradley tied it in the bottom of the 9th. With a runner already placed on base in extras, Noah Navarro smacked a double to start extra innings for BSU and Ross Messina delivered the big blow. Messina pulled a 2-run single to left to make it 4-2. Bradley got a run back in the bottom of the 10th but Andre Orselli slammed the door shut to record the win.
"Baker was sensational in game one and Ross came up with the big 2-run single, and Orselli was solid as well," head coach Rich Maloney said. "We threw strikes and made routine plays. When you get timely hits, you will win a lot of games and we did that today."
Messina was the only Cardinal with two hits in the game as many players contributed. Ball State had eight hits against a strong Bradley pitching effort that struck out 11 in its season debut. Bradley's lone run off Baker came on a home run on a 1-2 pitch in the 4th inning, then Baker answered by striking out four of the next five batters.
After two outings, Baker has allowed one earned run over 12.2 innings with 19 strikeouts.
Game 2 - Ball State 5, Bradley 0Â (7Â Innings)
Chayce McDermott followed Baker's gem with one of his own, pitching five shutout innings with seven strikeouts in a 5-0 win. Ball State capitalized on Bradley freebies, as Navarro delivered a 3-run triple after the Cards drew several walks and that was more than enough as McDermott and Tyler Schweitzer handled the 7-inning game with little trouble.
"Chayce and Tyler were excellent in game two and Navarro's triple was the difference," Maloney said.
Justin Conant drove in two runs in the nightcap with an RBI walk in the big inning and an RBI single in the 6th inning. Decker Scheffler scored two runs and Messina hit a double as Ball State led early and pitching led the way in a shortened game win.Â
For the day, Messina had three hits (two doubles) and Navarro had a team-best three RBIs.Â
Ball State and Bradley will play again Saturday night in Normal starting at 9 p.m. ET (8 local). Â
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: McDermott, Chayce (1-0)
L: King, N. (0-1)
Batting:
2B: O'Brien, C. 1 ; Rawlinson, E 1
Base Running:
HBP: Rawlinson, E 1 ; Delgado, L. 1
Batting:
2B: Navarro, Noah 1 ; Messina, Ross 1
RBI: Navarro, Noah 2 ; Conant, Justin 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Scheffler, Decker 2 ; Christianson, Adam 1 ; Simpson, Aaron 1 ; Conant, Justin 1
SB: Scheffler, Decker 1
HBP: Christianson, Adam 1 ; Simpson, Aaron 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
2
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
RHP
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IF
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RHP
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IF-OF
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IF
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RHP
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LHP
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