Friday, February 17
Charlotte, N.C.
4 p.m.
Ball State University
at
Charlotte
Photo by: Chad Smith
Ball State Opens Season at Charlotte
February 16, 2023 | Baseball
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State baseball team begins the 2023 campaign on Friday, Feb. 17, on the road against Charlotte. The Cardinals and the 49ers will take part in a four-game series, with a doubleheader on Saturday.
Earlier this week, the Cardinals were voted to win the Mid-American Conference regular season as well as the MAC Tournament. Despite losing all three of its starting outfielders and ace pitcher from a season ago, Ball State picked up five first-place votes and are favorites to win the MAC according to the coaches in the conference. BSU also secured five votes to win the MAC Tournament.
The Cardinals will be led by defending Gold Glove winner, Ryan Peltier, and closer, Sam Klein. Both Peltier and Klein earned Preseason All-American honors from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. Klein was named to a Preseason All-America team by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA).
BSU will have most of its starting rotation return, including Trennor O'Donnell and Ty Johnson. Ryan Brown was named the No. 49 prospect in college baseball by D1 Baseball. The Cardinals were effective as a pitching staff, striking out 559 batters, and look to continue the success on the mound this season.
Gold Glove Peltier
At the conclusion of last season, Peltier was honored as the best defensive third baseman in the NCAA and received an ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove. After being named the MAC Defensive Player of the Year and earning a spot on the All-MAC Second Team for back-to-back seasons, Peltier was awarded the first Gold Glove in BSU history. He was a 2023 Preseason All-American honoree from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
Peltier has been a highlight machine for the Cardinals at third base. He made numerous difficult plays look routine throughout the 2022 season. He posted a team-high 99 assists and added 42 putouts. He was a pivotal cog in Ball State's regular season MAC Championship with his defensive prowess at the hot corner. Offensively, he led the team with 20 doubles. He added 50 runs scored, 44 RBIs, eight home runs, and two triples.
What Can Brown Do for You
Ryan Brown was named the No. 49 prospect in college baseball by D1 Baseball. Brown was the only Mid-American Conference player selected to the top-100 list. He was also tabbed as one of the top mid-major prospects for the 2023 season. Brown also landed on the 2023 MLB Draft: Rising Righthanded Pitchers watch list.
Last season, Brown earned recognition as a Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Freshman All-American along with the MAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year. He also earned a spot on the All-MAC Second Team. He was phenomenal in his first season in Muncie and finished the season with 65 strikeouts. He finished the season with a 4-2 record in 46 1/3 innings. He held opposing hitters to a .157 batting average and had an ERA of 2.14. In MAC only contests, he had an ERA of 1.71 and held opponents to a .160 average.
Kloser Klein
Sam Klein was named a Preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and earned a spot on the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NBCWA) Preseason All-America Team. He recorded 11 saves last season, which were tied for 18th in the NCAA and led the MAC. He finished the season with a 4-3 record in 23 appearances. He posted an ERA of 3.18 in 34 innings of work. He struck out 47 batters and held opponents to a .179 batting average. Klein earned a spot on the 2022 All-MAC First Team.
Solid Staff
The Cardinal pitching staff finished last season fifth in the NCAA with 7.57 hits allowed per nine innings, which led the MAC. The Ball State pitching was tied for 11th in the NCAA and led the MAC with 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings.
All-League Returnees
Along with Peltier, Klein, and Brown, the Cardinals bring back Ty Johnson, who earned an All-MAC Second Team honor last season. Johnson finished the season with a 7-3 record. He appeared in 16 games, including 14 starts, and pitched 75 2/3 innings. He recoded 76 strikeouts, the most of any returning pitcher. He posted an ERA of 5.47.
Weekend Outlook
Trennor O'Donnell looks to get the start in game one for Ball State. Last season, he finished with a 6-2 record. He started 14 games and threw 65 2/3 innings. He tallied 74 strikeouts last season, which is second most among returners. Johnson is slated to get the start in game one of the doubleheader on Saturday.
Possible Starting Matchups (subject to change)
Friday: Trennor O'Donnell (RHP) vs. Wyatt Hudepohl (RHP)
Saturday: Ty Johnson (RHP) vs. Donye Evans (RHP)
Saturday: TBA vs. TBA
Sunday: TBA vs. TBA
Weekend Schedule
Friday: 4 p.m.
Saturday: Noon
Saturday: 4 p.m.
Sunday: 1 p.m.
*Times and locations are subject to change
Cardinals vs. 49ers: The Series
Ball State and Charlotte will meet for just the fourth time on Friday. The 49ers lead the series 2-1. The Cardinals won the first ever meeting, 7-1, on March 11, 2011.
Scouting Charlotte
The 49ers are led by Jake Cunningham, Jack Dragum, Cam Fisher, and Austin Knight as 2023 Conference USA Preseason All-Conference honorees. Dragum finished third on the squad with a .352 batting average. He produced 82 hits, 62 runs, and led the 49ers with 26 multi-hit games. Knight was a 2021 C-USA Player of the Year and earned three All-America honors. Knight is listed as the 24th ranked second baseman by D1 Baseball. Cunningham was fourth on the team last season with a .304 batting average. He was second on the team with 16 stolen bases and tied for second with 16 home runs. Fisher led the team with 18 home runs and produced a team-best 36 extra-base hits. He holds a Charlotte record with eight RBIs in a single game, a game in which he hit two grand slams.
Wyatt Hudepohl is projected to get the start in game one of the series for the 49ers. He is a transfer from Kentucky. Last season with the Wildcats, Hudepohl posted a 1-2 record with a 7.48 ERA. He appeared in 22 games, with one start, in 27 2/3 innings of work. He struck out 31 batters. Donye Evans is slated to get the start in game one of the doubleheader on Saturday. Evans is a transfer from Vanderbilt. Last season, he appeared in 14 games and had 13 strikeouts. He posted an ERA of 5.54 and he held opponents to a .196 batting average.
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Earlier this week, the Cardinals were voted to win the Mid-American Conference regular season as well as the MAC Tournament. Despite losing all three of its starting outfielders and ace pitcher from a season ago, Ball State picked up five first-place votes and are favorites to win the MAC according to the coaches in the conference. BSU also secured five votes to win the MAC Tournament.
The Cardinals will be led by defending Gold Glove winner, Ryan Peltier, and closer, Sam Klein. Both Peltier and Klein earned Preseason All-American honors from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. Klein was named to a Preseason All-America team by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA).
BSU will have most of its starting rotation return, including Trennor O'Donnell and Ty Johnson. Ryan Brown was named the No. 49 prospect in college baseball by D1 Baseball. The Cardinals were effective as a pitching staff, striking out 559 batters, and look to continue the success on the mound this season.
Gold Glove Peltier
At the conclusion of last season, Peltier was honored as the best defensive third baseman in the NCAA and received an ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove. After being named the MAC Defensive Player of the Year and earning a spot on the All-MAC Second Team for back-to-back seasons, Peltier was awarded the first Gold Glove in BSU history. He was a 2023 Preseason All-American honoree from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
Peltier has been a highlight machine for the Cardinals at third base. He made numerous difficult plays look routine throughout the 2022 season. He posted a team-high 99 assists and added 42 putouts. He was a pivotal cog in Ball State's regular season MAC Championship with his defensive prowess at the hot corner. Offensively, he led the team with 20 doubles. He added 50 runs scored, 44 RBIs, eight home runs, and two triples.
What Can Brown Do for You
Ryan Brown was named the No. 49 prospect in college baseball by D1 Baseball. Brown was the only Mid-American Conference player selected to the top-100 list. He was also tabbed as one of the top mid-major prospects for the 2023 season. Brown also landed on the 2023 MLB Draft: Rising Righthanded Pitchers watch list.
Last season, Brown earned recognition as a Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Freshman All-American along with the MAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year. He also earned a spot on the All-MAC Second Team. He was phenomenal in his first season in Muncie and finished the season with 65 strikeouts. He finished the season with a 4-2 record in 46 1/3 innings. He held opposing hitters to a .157 batting average and had an ERA of 2.14. In MAC only contests, he had an ERA of 1.71 and held opponents to a .160 average.
Kloser Klein
Sam Klein was named a Preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and earned a spot on the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NBCWA) Preseason All-America Team. He recorded 11 saves last season, which were tied for 18th in the NCAA and led the MAC. He finished the season with a 4-3 record in 23 appearances. He posted an ERA of 3.18 in 34 innings of work. He struck out 47 batters and held opponents to a .179 batting average. Klein earned a spot on the 2022 All-MAC First Team.
Solid Staff
The Cardinal pitching staff finished last season fifth in the NCAA with 7.57 hits allowed per nine innings, which led the MAC. The Ball State pitching was tied for 11th in the NCAA and led the MAC with 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings.
All-League Returnees
Along with Peltier, Klein, and Brown, the Cardinals bring back Ty Johnson, who earned an All-MAC Second Team honor last season. Johnson finished the season with a 7-3 record. He appeared in 16 games, including 14 starts, and pitched 75 2/3 innings. He recoded 76 strikeouts, the most of any returning pitcher. He posted an ERA of 5.47.
Weekend Outlook
Trennor O'Donnell looks to get the start in game one for Ball State. Last season, he finished with a 6-2 record. He started 14 games and threw 65 2/3 innings. He tallied 74 strikeouts last season, which is second most among returners. Johnson is slated to get the start in game one of the doubleheader on Saturday.
Possible Starting Matchups (subject to change)
Friday: Trennor O'Donnell (RHP) vs. Wyatt Hudepohl (RHP)
Saturday: Ty Johnson (RHP) vs. Donye Evans (RHP)
Saturday: TBA vs. TBA
Sunday: TBA vs. TBA
Weekend Schedule
Friday: 4 p.m.
Saturday: Noon
Saturday: 4 p.m.
Sunday: 1 p.m.
*Times and locations are subject to change
Cardinals vs. 49ers: The Series
Ball State and Charlotte will meet for just the fourth time on Friday. The 49ers lead the series 2-1. The Cardinals won the first ever meeting, 7-1, on March 11, 2011.
Scouting Charlotte
The 49ers are led by Jake Cunningham, Jack Dragum, Cam Fisher, and Austin Knight as 2023 Conference USA Preseason All-Conference honorees. Dragum finished third on the squad with a .352 batting average. He produced 82 hits, 62 runs, and led the 49ers with 26 multi-hit games. Knight was a 2021 C-USA Player of the Year and earned three All-America honors. Knight is listed as the 24th ranked second baseman by D1 Baseball. Cunningham was fourth on the team last season with a .304 batting average. He was second on the team with 16 stolen bases and tied for second with 16 home runs. Fisher led the team with 18 home runs and produced a team-best 36 extra-base hits. He holds a Charlotte record with eight RBIs in a single game, a game in which he hit two grand slams.
Wyatt Hudepohl is projected to get the start in game one of the series for the 49ers. He is a transfer from Kentucky. Last season with the Wildcats, Hudepohl posted a 1-2 record with a 7.48 ERA. He appeared in 22 games, with one start, in 27 2/3 innings of work. He struck out 31 batters. Donye Evans is slated to get the start in game one of the doubleheader on Saturday. Evans is a transfer from Vanderbilt. Last season, he appeared in 14 games and had 13 strikeouts. He posted an ERA of 5.54 and he held opponents to a .196 batting average.
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