Cardinals Walk off to Sweep Doubleheader from Western Michigan

MUNCIE, Ind. -- The Ball State baseball team won both ends of a Saturday doubleheader from Western Michigan in decidedly different ways.

One by mercy rule. One in the last at bat.

Pitching was a constant with Chayce McDermott and Lukas Jaksich combining to strike out 23 and largely shut down the Western Michigan hitters in what was scheduled as two seven-inning games. The BSU bats had a breakout performance in a 13-1 victory in game one and came alive again late in a 3-2 win in game two.

Adam Tellier went 4-for-5 with four RBIs in game one, coming up just a double shy of the cycle in only six innings and hitting the Cardinals' first home run of the season. Trenton Quartermaine drove in three runs over the two games and had the walk-off hit in the bottom of the seventh inning in game two.

"You've got to win them all different ways," BSU head coach Rich Maloney said. "The kids battled and our pitching was outstanding, so I'm really happy for our guys. Our offense really got going late (in game one) which was good to see because runs have been really hard to come by for us. We finally broke out of it."

Ball State (9-7, 3-0 MAC) secured the series victory over Western Michigan (0-9, 0-3 MAC) in this opening weekend of league play. The Cardinals will go for the sweep Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. at First Merchants Ballpark Complex.

Based on guidance surrounding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, general public attendance is not permitted at First Merchants Ballpark Complex this season.

This is how we walk off!!! ?? ?@tylerruetschle? pic.twitter.com/cuVJdlL0Gc — Ball State Baseball (@BallStateBB) March 20, 2021
Game 1 | BSU 12, WMU 1 (6 innings)
McDermott struck out 11 batters in five innings before turning it over to Tyler Schweitzer out of the bullpen for a scoreless sixth.

The Cardinals scored five runs off WMU starter Brady Miller to lead 5-1 through five innings and then got after the Broncos' bullpen with eight runs in the sixth.

Tellier, who had homered one inning earlier, came to the plate twice in the sixth. He drove in Noah Navarro with a triple to start the scoring that innings and capped it later with a two-RBI single that ended the game by mercy rule (MAC play this season features mercy rules of 12 runs after five for seven-inning games and 10 runs after seven for nine-inning games).

Game 2 | BSU 3, WMU 2
Jaksich went the distance for a seven-inning complete game, striking out 12. He allowed two runs in the second, as Western Michigan grabbed an early lead, but no more.

Ball State scored one run in each of the final three innings to come from behind for the win. Navarro singled home Justin Conant in the fifth and then Chase Sebby hit a solo home run in the sixth to tie it up.

Mack Murphy led off the bottom of the seventh with a pinch-hit single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and then came home to score when Quartermaine went the opposite way, lacing a ball to deep left field for the game-winning hit.

?? @CoachMaloney takes you through a doubleheader sweep of Western Michigan that included wins in two decidedly different fashions. pic.twitter.com/a2L1bK9faG — Ball State Baseball (@BallStateBB) March 20, 2021

Cardinals Walk off to Sweep Doubleheader from Western Michigan

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Team Stats

Adam Tellier

Noah Navarro

Ross Messina

Trenton Quartermaine

Players Mentioned

Justin Conant

Lukas Jaksich

Chayce McDermott

Mack Murphy

Noah Navarro

Trenton Quartermaine

Tyler Schweitzer

Chase Sebby

Adam Tellier

Players Mentioned

Justin Conant

Lukas Jaksich

Chayce McDermott

Mack Murphy

Noah Navarro

Trenton Quartermaine

Tyler Schweitzer

Chase Sebby

Adam Tellier