Saturday, May 27
Kent, Ohio
12:30 p.m.
Ball State University
36-21
12
at
9
Kent State
42-16
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Ball State
2
0
3
2
1
0
0
0
4
12
14
0
Kent State
1
0
1
0
0
0
5
2
0
9
12
1
The Cardinals are headed to the NCAA Tournament
Photo by: Chad Smith
Tellier Earns MAC Tournament MVP, Cardinals Win MAC Tournament Championship
May 27, 2023 | Baseball
KENT, Ohio – The Ball State baseball team returned to Schoonover Stadium for the final day of the Mid-American Conference Tournament on Saturday against Kent State. Adam Tellier lifted the Cardinals to a 12-9 victory with a grand slam in the top of the ninth inning.
With two outs in the top of the ninth, Justin Conant recorded a double to left field. Ryan Peltier followed with a four-pitch walk. Decker Scheffler drew a five-pitch walk to load the bases. Tellier had a 1-1 count against the nation's save leader in Mitchell Scott. Tellier crushed the third pitch over the left field wall and put the Cardinals on top 12-9.
History repeats itself, as the Cardinals win the MAC Tournament 17 years to the date of the last MAC Tournament. Saturday, May 27, 2006, was the date the Ball State defeated Kent State for its last NCAA Tournament appearance and the Cardinals do it once against on the Golden Flashes' field in 2023. Ball State won its second MAC Tournament title in program history.
Peltier led off the game with a six-pitch walk. Scheffler followed with a single to right field and an error by the right fielder allowed Peltier to score from first. Tellier dropped down a sac bunt to third and moved Scheffler to third on the play. Hunter Dobbins drew a four-pitch walk to give the Cardinals runners on the corners with one out. Jalen Martinez grounded out to first base but drove in Scheffler from third. BSU took a 2-0 lead into the home half of the first.
The Golden Flashes answered with a run on one hit and cut the deficit to 2-1 after one inning of play.
Dobbins drew his second walk of the game to get things started in the top of the third. He advanced to second on a wild pitch. Martinez singled and moved Dobbins to third. Bevis launched a three-run homer over the left center wall. The Cardinals extended their lead to 5-1.
Kent State was able to score a run in the bottom of the third on one hit and made the score 5-2 after three innings in the books.
Peltier led off the top of the fourth with a single through the pitcher's legs. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and moved into scoring position. Scheffler singled up the middle and scored Peltier from second. Tellier reached on a fielder's choice as Scheffler was out at second. Dobbins notched a single through the right side and moved Tellier to third. Martinez reached on a fielder's choice and plated Tellier from third. The Cardinals extended their lead to 7-2 in the top of the fifth.
Flood led off the top of the fifth with a solo blast to left center and gave the Cardinals an 8-2 lead as the game headed to the bottom of the fifth.
The Golden Flashes produced a five-run inning in the bottom of the seventh on six hits. Kent cut the deficit to 8-7. Kent State took its first lead of the game on a two-run home run by Justin Miknis, which made the score 9-8, as the game headed to the ninth inning.
Jacob Hartlaub closed out the game and the Cardinals claimed their first MAC Tournament Championship since 2006.
Ty Weatherly got the start on the mound for the Cardinals and went six innings. He gave up three runs, two earned, on four hits. He struck out one batter. Sam Klein went a 1/3 of an inning and surrendered four earned runs on four hits. Ryan Brown faced two batters. Hartlaub picked up the win in 2 2/3 innings of relief. He surrendered two earned runs on three hits. He struck out three batters and moved to 4-2 on the year.
Ben Cruikshank started on the hill for Kent State. He went two innings and gave up five runs, four earned. He struck out one batter. Peyton Cariaco went 2 2/3 innings in relief. He gave up three earned runs on four hits. He added one strikeout. Calvin Bickerstaff went 1 1/3 inning with three strikeouts. Ciaran Caughey tossed a scoreless inning with one strikeout. Scott got the loss and fell to 2-2 on the season. He gave up four earned runs on four hits and had one strikeout. Jaden Varner closed the game with a 1/3 of an inning.
Tellier was named the MAC Tournament MVP. He was joined by Peltier, Scheffler, and Trennor O'Donnell on the MAC All-Tournament Team.
The Cardinals punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament and will find out where they are headed on Monday, May 29, at noon for the NCAA Baseball Selection Show on ESPN2.
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With two outs in the top of the ninth, Justin Conant recorded a double to left field. Ryan Peltier followed with a four-pitch walk. Decker Scheffler drew a five-pitch walk to load the bases. Tellier had a 1-1 count against the nation's save leader in Mitchell Scott. Tellier crushed the third pitch over the left field wall and put the Cardinals on top 12-9.
History repeats itself, as the Cardinals win the MAC Tournament 17 years to the date of the last MAC Tournament. Saturday, May 27, 2006, was the date the Ball State defeated Kent State for its last NCAA Tournament appearance and the Cardinals do it once against on the Golden Flashes' field in 2023. Ball State won its second MAC Tournament title in program history.
Peltier led off the game with a six-pitch walk. Scheffler followed with a single to right field and an error by the right fielder allowed Peltier to score from first. Tellier dropped down a sac bunt to third and moved Scheffler to third on the play. Hunter Dobbins drew a four-pitch walk to give the Cardinals runners on the corners with one out. Jalen Martinez grounded out to first base but drove in Scheffler from third. BSU took a 2-0 lead into the home half of the first.
The Golden Flashes answered with a run on one hit and cut the deficit to 2-1 after one inning of play.
Dobbins drew his second walk of the game to get things started in the top of the third. He advanced to second on a wild pitch. Martinez singled and moved Dobbins to third. Bevis launched a three-run homer over the left center wall. The Cardinals extended their lead to 5-1.
Kent State was able to score a run in the bottom of the third on one hit and made the score 5-2 after three innings in the books.
Peltier led off the top of the fourth with a single through the pitcher's legs. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and moved into scoring position. Scheffler singled up the middle and scored Peltier from second. Tellier reached on a fielder's choice as Scheffler was out at second. Dobbins notched a single through the right side and moved Tellier to third. Martinez reached on a fielder's choice and plated Tellier from third. The Cardinals extended their lead to 7-2 in the top of the fifth.
Flood led off the top of the fifth with a solo blast to left center and gave the Cardinals an 8-2 lead as the game headed to the bottom of the fifth.
The Golden Flashes produced a five-run inning in the bottom of the seventh on six hits. Kent cut the deficit to 8-7. Kent State took its first lead of the game on a two-run home run by Justin Miknis, which made the score 9-8, as the game headed to the ninth inning.
Jacob Hartlaub closed out the game and the Cardinals claimed their first MAC Tournament Championship since 2006.
Ty Weatherly got the start on the mound for the Cardinals and went six innings. He gave up three runs, two earned, on four hits. He struck out one batter. Sam Klein went a 1/3 of an inning and surrendered four earned runs on four hits. Ryan Brown faced two batters. Hartlaub picked up the win in 2 2/3 innings of relief. He surrendered two earned runs on three hits. He struck out three batters and moved to 4-2 on the year.
Ben Cruikshank started on the hill for Kent State. He went two innings and gave up five runs, four earned. He struck out one batter. Peyton Cariaco went 2 2/3 innings in relief. He gave up three earned runs on four hits. He added one strikeout. Calvin Bickerstaff went 1 1/3 inning with three strikeouts. Ciaran Caughey tossed a scoreless inning with one strikeout. Scott got the loss and fell to 2-2 on the season. He gave up four earned runs on four hits and had one strikeout. Jaden Varner closed the game with a 1/3 of an inning.
Tellier was named the MAC Tournament MVP. He was joined by Peltier, Scheffler, and Trennor O'Donnell on the MAC All-Tournament Team.
The Cardinals punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament and will find out where they are headed on Monday, May 29, at noon for the NCAA Baseball Selection Show on ESPN2.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hartlaub, Jacob (4-2)
L: Mitchell Scott (2-2)
Batting:
2B: Bevis, Blake 1 ; Conant, Justin 1
HR: Tellier, Adam 1 ; Bevis, Blake 1 ; Flood, Logan 1
RBI: Scheffler, Decker 1 ; Tellier, Adam 4 ; Martinez, Jalen 2 ; Bevis, Blake 3 ; Flood, Logan 1
SH: Tellier, Adam 1 ; Flood, Logan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Peltier, Ryan 3 ; Scheffler, Decker 2 ; Tellier, Adam 2 ; Dobbins, Hunter 1 ; Martinez, Jalen 1 ; Bevis, Blake 1 ; Flood, Logan 1 ; Conant, Justin 1
SB: Tellier, Adam 1
HBP: Conant, Justin 1
PO: Lane, Zach 1
Batting:
2B: Collin Mathews 1 ; Michael McNamara 2 ; Jake Casey 1 ; Josh Mrozek 2
HR: Justin Miknis 1
RBI: Collin Mathews 1 ; Justin Miknis 2 ; Aidan Longwell 2 ; Michael McNamara 2 ; Kyle Jackson 1 ; Josh Mrozek 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Collin Mathews 3 ; Justin Miknis 2 ; Aidan Longwell 1 ; Michael McNamara 1 ; Jake Casey 1 ; Josh Mrozek 1
HBP: Collin Mathews 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
3
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
4
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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