Ball State University
17-12, 5-7
Ohio
8-16, 4-8
Ball State Offense Stays Hot to Sweep Ohio
March 30, 2024 | Baseball
The Cardinals (17-12, 5-7 Mid-American Conference) trailed the Bobcats (8-16, 4-8 MAC) by two runs after the top of the first inning and by three runs after the top of the second but responded with a
crooked number in the bottom half of each frame to stay in the game. Ball State won the middle innings 8-0 and cruised to its fifth straight win.
Decker Scheffler hit a two-run triple and scored on an RBI grounder from Nick Husovsky to give the Cardinals a 3-2 edge after the first. Nick Gregory smoked a solo home run and Scheffler knocked an RBI double to make the score 6-5 in Ohio's favor after the second frame. After the Bobcats plated a tally in the third, the hosts got a two-run homer from Michael Hallquist in the fourth inning to tie the game at 7-7 and a go-ahead single from Husovsky that plated Scheffler for what proved to be the game-winning run.
Ball State tacked on four runs in the fifth inning highlighted by an RBI single from Hallquist and a two-run safety by Blake Bevis to increase the edge to 12-7. Hunter Dobbins and Matthew Kamins hit solo
homers in the sixth and eighth innings, respectively, for Ball State insurance runs.
Scheffler went 5-for-6 with three RBI and three runs scored in the first five-hit day for a Ball State player since 2018 (Jeff Riedel on March 9 against Western Carolina). Hallquist put together a 4-for-6 day at the plate with three RBI and four runs while finishing a triple short of the cycle.
Bevis took three hit by pitches, tying the Ball State record which happened twice previously (Jon Byerly in 2006 and Ryan Read in 1995).
Jacob Hartlaub (2-2) tossed 4.1 innings of 1-run ball out of the bullpen, striking out three, to be credited with the win, while Sam Klein struck out six in 3.0 shutout frames to collect his second save of the season. The Ball State pitching staff didn't allow a run in the final six innings of the game.
"Our boys put together a solid weekend to earn a much-needed sweep," head coach Rich Maloney said. "It was a total team effort with so many players making contributions. I'm very pleased with our bullpen today holding Ohio scoreless over the last six innings."
Ohio starting pitcher Blake Gaskey gave up eight runs in 4.0 innings to drop his record to 0-5.
Ball State's next scheduled game is on Tuesday 3 p.m. at Bellarmine in Louisville.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hartlaub, Jacob (2-2)
L: B Gaskey (0-5)
S: Klein, Sam (2)
Batting:
2B: A Finney 1 ; G Antle 1 ; J Cauthron 1
HR: JR Nelson 1 ; N Dolan 1
RBI: JR Nelson 1 ; G Antle 1 ; B Smith 1 ; AJ Rausch 1 ; N Dolan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: JR Nelson 2 ; A Finney 1 ; G Antle 2 ; J Cauthron 1 ; N Dolan 1
SB: AJ Rausch 1
Batting:
2B: Hallquist, Michael 1 ; Scheffler, Decker 1
3B: Scheffler, Decker 1
HR: Gregory, Nick 1 ; Hallquist, Michael 1 ; Dobbins, Hunter 1 ; Kamins, Matthew 1
RBI: Gregory, Nick 1 ; Hallquist, Michael 3 ; Scheffler, Decker 3 ; Bevis, Blake 2 ; Husovsky, Nick 2 ; Dobbins, Hunter 1 ; Kamins, Matthew 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gregory, Nick 3 ; Hallquist, Michael 4 ; Scheffler, Decker 3 ; Dobbins, Hunter 1 ; Hutchinson, Connor 1 ; Kamins, Matthew 1 ; King, Houston 1
HBP: Gregory, Nick 1 ; Bevis, Blake 3
