Photo by: Ball State Athletics
Cardinals Play Their Way into Contention for MAC Title
April 30, 2021 | Men's Golf
BSU sits tied for second, eight shots back entering final round at Sycamore Hills
FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- The Ball State men's golf team is in the hunt for a conference title.
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The wind gusted, the greens ran speedy and scores were high Friday, but the Cardinals held it together as well as almost anyone on the 36-hole day at the MAC Championships.
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Ball State led after the morning round at Sycamore Hills, hung in there in the afternoon and will enter Saturday's final round trailing only four-time defending champion Kent State. The Cardinals are eight shots back, tied with Northern Illinois, at the head of the chasing pack.
BSU features three of the top 12 on the leaderboard through two rounds, led by Joey Ranieri. The junior carded rounds of 76 and 75 to find himself just one stroke off the individual lead shared by Kent State's Chris Vandette and Bowling Green's Nick Hofland.
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CJ Jones was steady with rounds of 78 and 77 to end day one in a tie for ninth place, while Joey Wiseman posted scores of 76 and 80 to sit tied for 12th.
Jack Cunningham's opening-round 75 led the Cardinals to a team score of 305 that had them up one over NIU and three over Kent State. BSU shot 10 strokes higher in the afternoon but did enough to keep itself in contention.
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Three years ago it was Ball State that held the lead entering the final round before being chased down by Kent State. Now the Cardinals will look to return the favor.
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Saturday's tee times for BSU and the other lead teams are set to begin at 9:36 ET.
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Top Teams
1. Kent State, 612 (+36)
T2. Ball State, 620 (+44)
T2. Northern Illinois, 620 (+44)
4. Bowling Green, 621 (+45)
5. Miami, 626 (+50)
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Ball State Scores
T3. Joey Ranieri, 151 (+7): 76-75
T9. CJ Jones, 155 (+11): 78-77
T12. Joey Wiseman, 156 (+12): 76-80
29. Jack Cunningham, 160 (+16): 75-85
N/A. Sterling McIlravy, DNP-83
N/A. Tyler Green, 84-DNP
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The wind gusted, the greens ran speedy and scores were high Friday, but the Cardinals held it together as well as almost anyone on the 36-hole day at the MAC Championships.
Â
Ball State led after the morning round at Sycamore Hills, hung in there in the afternoon and will enter Saturday's final round trailing only four-time defending champion Kent State. The Cardinals are eight shots back, tied with Northern Illinois, at the head of the chasing pack.
BSU features three of the top 12 on the leaderboard through two rounds, led by Joey Ranieri. The junior carded rounds of 76 and 75 to find himself just one stroke off the individual lead shared by Kent State's Chris Vandette and Bowling Green's Nick Hofland.
Â
CJ Jones was steady with rounds of 78 and 77 to end day one in a tie for ninth place, while Joey Wiseman posted scores of 76 and 80 to sit tied for 12th.
??? Trophy on the line. All the sights from the @MACSports Championships at @SycamoreHillsFW. #WeComing | #MACtion pic.twitter.com/TeDBoMobGW
— Ball State Golf (@BallStateMGolf) April 30, 2021
Jack Cunningham's opening-round 75 led the Cardinals to a team score of 305 that had them up one over NIU and three over Kent State. BSU shot 10 strokes higher in the afternoon but did enough to keep itself in contention.
Â
Three years ago it was Ball State that held the lead entering the final round before being chased down by Kent State. Now the Cardinals will look to return the favor.
Â
Saturday's tee times for BSU and the other lead teams are set to begin at 9:36 ET.
Â
Top Teams
1. Kent State, 612 (+36)
T2. Ball State, 620 (+44)
T2. Northern Illinois, 620 (+44)
4. Bowling Green, 621 (+45)
5. Miami, 626 (+50)
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Ball State Scores
T3. Joey Ranieri, 151 (+7): 76-75
T9. CJ Jones, 155 (+11): 78-77
T12. Joey Wiseman, 156 (+12): 76-80
29. Jack Cunningham, 160 (+16): 75-85
N/A. Sterling McIlravy, DNP-83
N/A. Tyler Green, 84-DNP
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Players Mentioned
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