Ball State University
25-18-1
NC State
25-16
Baseball Can't Find Big Inning in Series Finale Setback at NC State
April 28, 2024 | Baseball
The Wolfpack (25-16) scored three times in the first via an RBI triple and a two-run home run for the early 3-0 edge. NC State later put crooked numbers on the board in the fourth (three runs) and eighth (four) on its way to clinching the series sweep.
The Cardinals (25-18-1) got an RBI single in the second inning by Nick Gregory that scored Houston King, but left the bases loaded as Hunter Dobbins just missed a bases clearing double as his line drive on a full count pitch was snagged by the third baseman.
Ball State put up a tally again in the third with Blake Bevis scoring on a wild pitch to make the score 3-2, but the visitors had runners on second and third before that and could only score once. Gregory again hit an RBI safety in the sixth, this time scoring Husovsky, but the Cardinals had the bases loaded with one away and left the bases juiced.
Gregory went 2-for-4 with the pair of RBI, and Dylan Grego collected a pair of knocks and walked once for a Ball State offense that collected six hits and six walks on the day.
NC State's Carson Kelly (1-0) was credited with the win after striking out three and allowing a run on two hits in an inning of work. Ball State's Nate Blain (0-4) suffered the loss after allowing seven runs in 3.2 frames.
The Cardinals will be off midweek games for Finals Week before returning to Mid-American Conference play with a series at Northern Illinois beginning on Friday in DeKalb.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Carson Kelly (1-0)
L: Blain, Nate (0-4)
Batting:
RBI: Gregory, Nick 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Bevis, Blake 1 ; Husovsky, Nick 1 ; King, Houston 1
HBP: Scheffler, Decker 1 ; Husovsky, Nick 1
Batting:
2B: Eli Serrano III 1 ; Alec Makarewicz 1 ; Brandon Butterworth 1
3B: Jacob Cozart 1
HR: Jacob Cozart 1 ; Brandon Butterworth 1
RBI: Garrett Pennington 1 ; Alec Makarewicz 2 ; Jacob Cozart 3 ; Brandon Butterworth 3 ; Matt Heavner 1
SH: Matt Heavner 2
SF: Garrett Pennington 1 ; Alec Makarewicz 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Eli Serrano III 2 ; Garrett Pennington 1 ; Jacob Cozart 3 ; Brandon Butterworth 1 ; Chase Nixon 1 ; Drew Lanphere 2 ; Matt Heavner 1
SB: Brandon Butterworth 1
CS: Luke Nixon 1
HBP: Garrett Pennington 1
