Thursday, May 18
Muncie, Ind.
3 p.m.
Ball State University
33-19, 19-9
11
vs
29
Kent State
38-14, 22-6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Kent State
0
4
10
10
0
3
0
2
0
29
20
1
Ball State
0
0
3
1
4
0
2
0
1
11
13
2
Photo by: Grace Walton - BSU Creative Services
Ball State Falls to Kent State in Slugfest
May 18, 2023 | Baseball
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State baseball team returned to the Ball Diamond at First Merchants Ballpark on Thursday for a Mid-American Conference showdown with Kent State. CJ Horn and Zach Lane both hit home runs, but the Cardinals fell to the Golden Flashes 29-11.
With the loss, Ball State fell to 33-19 overall and 19-9 in MAC play. Kent State won the regular season title as the moved to 38-14 overall and 22-6 in league play.
Kent State jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a three-run homer from Jake Casey and a solo shot from Mack Timbrook. The Golden Flashes added 10 runs in the top of the third and extended their lead to 14-0.
Zach Lane led off the bottom of the third with a walk. Justin Conant followed with single to left field. Nick Gregory loaded the bases with a single to center field. Adam Tellier grounded out second and drove in Lane from third. Decker Scheffler drove in two runs with a single up the middle. The Cardinals cut the deficit 14-3 after three innings.
Kent State extended its lead to 24-3 with 10 runs on four hits and one Cardinal error in the top of the fourth.
Horn led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo homer to left field. BSU trailed 24-4 after four innings in the books.
Gregory led off the bottom of the fifth with a walk. Grant Miller pinch ran for Gregory and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Ryan Peltier drew a walk after battling to a full count. Scheffler drew a six-pitch walk and loaded the bases. Casey Turturici followed with a four-pitch walk and drove in Miller from third. Peltier scored on a wild pitch, while Turturici and Scheffler each moved up a base. Horn was hit by a pitch and loaded the bases for the Cardinals. Blake Bevis doubled left field line and drove in Turturici and Scheffler. Ball State cut the deficit to 24-8 after five innings.
The Golden Flashes added three runs on two hits in the top of the sixth to extend its lead to 27-8.
Horn recorded a one-out walk in the bottom of the seventh. Lane blasted a two-run home run to left and cut the deficit to 27-10 after seven innings.
Kent State extended its lead to 29-10 in the top of the eighth with back-to-back home runs from Timbrook and Colin Mathews.
Zac Jones produced a one-out single to center to start things in the bottom of the ninth. Lane followed with a double to left center that scored Jones from first. The Cardinals fell to the Golden Flashes 29-11.
Trennor O'Donnell got the start for Ball State. He went two innings in the loss and fell to 4-3 on the season. He gave up for earned runs on four hits and recorded two strikeouts. Logan Schulfer went a 1/3 of an inning with one strikeout. He surrendered nine runs, six earned, on six hits. Brady Owens added 2/3 of an inning of relief. He gave up five runs, two earned, on two hits. Graham Kelham tossed 2/3 of an inning with one strikeout. He gave up four unearned runs. Will Jacobson threw 3 1/3 innings of relief. He struck out a team-high three batters. He surrendered seven runs, five earned, on six hits. Matthew Rivera made his first appearance on the mound and went two innings. He struck out two batters and gave up just one hit.
Ben Cruikshank started on the mound for Kent State and went 4 1/3 innings. He gave up eight earned runs on five hits and struck out three batters. Benny Roebuck got the win and moved to 6-1 on the season. He went 3 2/3 innings with five strikeouts and surrendered two earned runs. Jaden Varner closed out the game for the Golden Flashes with an inning of relief. He gave up one earned run and had one strikeout.
Ball State and Kent State return to action on Friday for game two of the series. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.
Follow the Cardinals
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
With the loss, Ball State fell to 33-19 overall and 19-9 in MAC play. Kent State won the regular season title as the moved to 38-14 overall and 22-6 in league play.
Kent State jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a three-run homer from Jake Casey and a solo shot from Mack Timbrook. The Golden Flashes added 10 runs in the top of the third and extended their lead to 14-0.
Zach Lane led off the bottom of the third with a walk. Justin Conant followed with single to left field. Nick Gregory loaded the bases with a single to center field. Adam Tellier grounded out second and drove in Lane from third. Decker Scheffler drove in two runs with a single up the middle. The Cardinals cut the deficit 14-3 after three innings.
Kent State extended its lead to 24-3 with 10 runs on four hits and one Cardinal error in the top of the fourth.
Horn led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo homer to left field. BSU trailed 24-4 after four innings in the books.
Gregory led off the bottom of the fifth with a walk. Grant Miller pinch ran for Gregory and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Ryan Peltier drew a walk after battling to a full count. Scheffler drew a six-pitch walk and loaded the bases. Casey Turturici followed with a four-pitch walk and drove in Miller from third. Peltier scored on a wild pitch, while Turturici and Scheffler each moved up a base. Horn was hit by a pitch and loaded the bases for the Cardinals. Blake Bevis doubled left field line and drove in Turturici and Scheffler. Ball State cut the deficit to 24-8 after five innings.
The Golden Flashes added three runs on two hits in the top of the sixth to extend its lead to 27-8.
Horn recorded a one-out walk in the bottom of the seventh. Lane blasted a two-run home run to left and cut the deficit to 27-10 after seven innings.
Kent State extended its lead to 29-10 in the top of the eighth with back-to-back home runs from Timbrook and Colin Mathews.
Zac Jones produced a one-out single to center to start things in the bottom of the ninth. Lane followed with a double to left center that scored Jones from first. The Cardinals fell to the Golden Flashes 29-11.
Trennor O'Donnell got the start for Ball State. He went two innings in the loss and fell to 4-3 on the season. He gave up for earned runs on four hits and recorded two strikeouts. Logan Schulfer went a 1/3 of an inning with one strikeout. He surrendered nine runs, six earned, on six hits. Brady Owens added 2/3 of an inning of relief. He gave up five runs, two earned, on two hits. Graham Kelham tossed 2/3 of an inning with one strikeout. He gave up four unearned runs. Will Jacobson threw 3 1/3 innings of relief. He struck out a team-high three batters. He surrendered seven runs, five earned, on six hits. Matthew Rivera made his first appearance on the mound and went two innings. He struck out two batters and gave up just one hit.
Ben Cruikshank started on the mound for Kent State and went 4 1/3 innings. He gave up eight earned runs on five hits and struck out three batters. Benny Roebuck got the win and moved to 6-1 on the season. He went 3 2/3 innings with five strikeouts and surrendered two earned runs. Jaden Varner closed out the game for the Golden Flashes with an inning of relief. He gave up one earned run and had one strikeout.
Ball State and Kent State return to action on Friday for game two of the series. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.
Follow the Cardinals
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Benny Roebuck (6-1)
L: O'Donnell, Trennor (4-3)
Batting:
2B: Justin Miknis 1 ; Connor Ashby 1
HR: Collin Mathews 1 ; Kyle Jackson 1 ; Jake Casey 2 ; Mack Timbrook 2
RBI: Collin Mathews 2 ; Justin Miknis 4 ; Aidan Longwell 4 ; Michael McNamara 2 ; Kyle Jackson 4 ; Kolton Schaller 2 ; Jake Casey 7 ; Mack Timbrook 4
SF: Michael McNamara 1 ; Kyle Jackson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Collin Mathews 5 ; Justin Miknis 4 ; Aidan Longwell 3 ; Michael McNamara 2 ; Kyle Jackson 1 ; Kolton Schaller 3 ; Josh Johnson 1 ; Jake Casey 4 ; Mack Timbrook 6
HBP: Collin Mathews 1 ; Jake Casey 2 ; Mack Timbrook 1
Batting:
2B: Bevis, Blake 1 ; Lane, Zach 1
HR: Horn, CJ 1 ; Lane, Zach 1
RBI: Tellier, Adam 1 ; Scheffler, Decker 2 ; Turturici, Casey 1 ; Horn, CJ 1 ; Bevis, Blake 2 ; Lane, Zach 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Gregory, Nick 1 ; Miller, Grant 1 ; Peltier, Ryan 1 ; Scheffler, Decker 1 ; Turturici, Casey 1 ; Horn, CJ 2 ; Jones, Zac 1 ; Lane, Zach 2 ; Conant, Justin 1
CS: Wilhite, Andrew 1
HBP: Horn, CJ 1
PO: Gregory, Nick 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
2
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
pr/cf
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P/1B
/ Baseball
IF
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
P
/ Baseball
P
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
P
/ Baseball
P
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
OF/1B
/ Baseball
P
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
C/1B/OF
/ BaseballBaseball // 5 AM Workouts
Tuesday, August 26
Ball State Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell discusses the NCAA vs. House Settlement
Tuesday, July 01
Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell discusses NCAA vs. House Settlement & Bill Richards Thank You
Friday, June 27
Baseball // Day 1 MAC Tournament Recap: Win vs. EMU
Thursday, May 22