Friday, February 14
Charleston, S.C.
11 AM
Ball State University
vs
Towson
Photo by: Caden Vincent
Baseball to Open Season at Swig & Swine Classic Friday
February 13, 2025 | Baseball
*Saturday game times have been pushed up an hour from the original schedule to try to avoid potential weather.
The Ball State baseball team opens its 2025 season on Friday at the Swig & Swine Classic at Shipyard Park in Charleston, S.C.
The Cardinals begin play at 11 a.m. on Friday against Towson. Saturday features games against Maryland at 11 a.m. and UMass Lowell at 3 p.m. Sunday's finale is against UAB at 10 a.m.
A video stream is available through the HiCast Sports Network, with the single user pass costing $19.99 and a family pass for up to four members costing $29.99. Additionally, AJ Swiatek will be on the call for digital radio broadcasts. Links to the video and radio streams and live stats can be found above.
Ball State is coming off a 2024 season when it went 35-23-1 (18-12 Mid-American Conference) and made a run to the MAC Tournament championship game as the No. 3 seed. The Cardinals lost the MAC
Pitcher of the Year (Merritt Beeker) and Defensive Player of the Year (Michael Hallquist) to the pros but return MAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year Keegan Johnson and Second Team All-MAC first baseman Blake Bevis.
SCOUTING TOWSON: The Tigers went 15-39 (5-20 CAA) last year in head coach Matt Tyner's six season leading the program. Towson was picked last in the 12-team Coastal Athletic Association preseason poll, while senior infielder Jordan Peyton was named to the preseason All-Conference Team.
SCOUTING MARYLAND: The Terrapins produced a 34-22 (10-14 Big Ten) record in 2024 to finish 11th in the 13-team Big Ten and missed out on the conference tournament in the first year with head coach Matt Swope in charge. Sophomore shortstop Chris Hacopian, senior third baseman Kyle McCoy and sophomore left-handed pitcher Gavin DeVooght were recently named as players to watch for Maryland.
SCOUTING UMASS LOWELL: The River Hawks finished 2024 with a 24-31 (11-12 AE) record in head coach Nick Barese's first season to finish fourth in the seven-team America East. UMass Lowell was picked fifth in this year's AE preseason poll, while outfielders Alex Luccini and Carlos Martinez and starting pitcher Michael Simes were named to the preseason All-Conference team.
SCOUTING UAB: The Blazers went 26-29 (13-14 AAC) last season in Casey Dunn's third leading the program for a fifth place finish in the 10-team American Athletic Conference. UAB was recently picked eighth in the preseason poll, while junior pitcher Colin Daniel was named the preseason AAC Pitcher of the Year.
CLOSING IN ON NO. 1,000: Head coach Rich Maloney enters the 2025 season 12 wins away from 1,000 in his career as a collegiate head coach, which is entering his 30th season.
Maloney (988) is 10th on the career wins leaderboard among active NCAA Division I coaches. The group consists of Paul Mainieri (South Carolina, 1,505 wins), Danny Hall (Georgia Tech, 1,411), Elliott Avent (NC State, 1,260), Dave Van Horn (Arkansas, 1,254), Rich Hill (Hawaii, 1,173), Steve Owens (Rutgers, 1,046), Rick Heller (Iowa, 1,041), Tim Corbin (Vanderbilt, 1,027), and Mike Bianco (Ole Miss, 1,006).
HIGH EXPECTATIONS: The 2025 Cardinals were picked to finish first in the recently released Mid-American Conference preseason poll. Ball State got six first place votes for the regular season and five to win the MAC Tournament.
The Ball State baseball program boasts the best winning percentage both overall (.636) and in conference play (.647) among MAC teams since 2019.
K'S FOR KEEGAN: Sophomore Keegan Johnson struck out 83 in 65.1 innings of work last season on his way to being named First Team All-MAC and the MAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year.
The left-handed pitcher out of Frederick, Md., posted a 4.96 ERA and 1.48 WHIP during his freshman campaign, which were both the third-best on the team. Johnson was named the MAC Co-Pitcher of the Week on March 25 and MAC Pitcher of the Week on April 8 after double-digit strikeout performances.
BEVIS BASHES: Junior Blake Bevis was named Second Team All-MAC in 2024 after accumulating 12 home runs, 16 doubles, 55 RBI, 48 runs scored and a .310/.372/.537 slash line in 59 starts as a sophomore.
The primary first baseman was named MAC Co-Player of the Week on May 20 after a big weekend at Kent State and finished the year with 22 multi-hit games.
MIX OF NEW AND OLD: Ball State's 2025 roster features 17 returning players from last year's team, seven true freshmen and 13 incoming transfers.
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The Ball State baseball team opens its 2025 season on Friday at the Swig & Swine Classic at Shipyard Park in Charleston, S.C.
The Cardinals begin play at 11 a.m. on Friday against Towson. Saturday features games against Maryland at 11 a.m. and UMass Lowell at 3 p.m. Sunday's finale is against UAB at 10 a.m.
A video stream is available through the HiCast Sports Network, with the single user pass costing $19.99 and a family pass for up to four members costing $29.99. Additionally, AJ Swiatek will be on the call for digital radio broadcasts. Links to the video and radio streams and live stats can be found above.
Ball State is coming off a 2024 season when it went 35-23-1 (18-12 Mid-American Conference) and made a run to the MAC Tournament championship game as the No. 3 seed. The Cardinals lost the MAC
Pitcher of the Year (Merritt Beeker) and Defensive Player of the Year (Michael Hallquist) to the pros but return MAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year Keegan Johnson and Second Team All-MAC first baseman Blake Bevis.
SCOUTING TOWSON: The Tigers went 15-39 (5-20 CAA) last year in head coach Matt Tyner's six season leading the program. Towson was picked last in the 12-team Coastal Athletic Association preseason poll, while senior infielder Jordan Peyton was named to the preseason All-Conference Team.
SCOUTING MARYLAND: The Terrapins produced a 34-22 (10-14 Big Ten) record in 2024 to finish 11th in the 13-team Big Ten and missed out on the conference tournament in the first year with head coach Matt Swope in charge. Sophomore shortstop Chris Hacopian, senior third baseman Kyle McCoy and sophomore left-handed pitcher Gavin DeVooght were recently named as players to watch for Maryland.
SCOUTING UMASS LOWELL: The River Hawks finished 2024 with a 24-31 (11-12 AE) record in head coach Nick Barese's first season to finish fourth in the seven-team America East. UMass Lowell was picked fifth in this year's AE preseason poll, while outfielders Alex Luccini and Carlos Martinez and starting pitcher Michael Simes were named to the preseason All-Conference team.
SCOUTING UAB: The Blazers went 26-29 (13-14 AAC) last season in Casey Dunn's third leading the program for a fifth place finish in the 10-team American Athletic Conference. UAB was recently picked eighth in the preseason poll, while junior pitcher Colin Daniel was named the preseason AAC Pitcher of the Year.
CLOSING IN ON NO. 1,000: Head coach Rich Maloney enters the 2025 season 12 wins away from 1,000 in his career as a collegiate head coach, which is entering his 30th season.
Maloney (988) is 10th on the career wins leaderboard among active NCAA Division I coaches. The group consists of Paul Mainieri (South Carolina, 1,505 wins), Danny Hall (Georgia Tech, 1,411), Elliott Avent (NC State, 1,260), Dave Van Horn (Arkansas, 1,254), Rich Hill (Hawaii, 1,173), Steve Owens (Rutgers, 1,046), Rick Heller (Iowa, 1,041), Tim Corbin (Vanderbilt, 1,027), and Mike Bianco (Ole Miss, 1,006).
HIGH EXPECTATIONS: The 2025 Cardinals were picked to finish first in the recently released Mid-American Conference preseason poll. Ball State got six first place votes for the regular season and five to win the MAC Tournament.
The Ball State baseball program boasts the best winning percentage both overall (.636) and in conference play (.647) among MAC teams since 2019.
K'S FOR KEEGAN: Sophomore Keegan Johnson struck out 83 in 65.1 innings of work last season on his way to being named First Team All-MAC and the MAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year.
The left-handed pitcher out of Frederick, Md., posted a 4.96 ERA and 1.48 WHIP during his freshman campaign, which were both the third-best on the team. Johnson was named the MAC Co-Pitcher of the Week on March 25 and MAC Pitcher of the Week on April 8 after double-digit strikeout performances.
BEVIS BASHES: Junior Blake Bevis was named Second Team All-MAC in 2024 after accumulating 12 home runs, 16 doubles, 55 RBI, 48 runs scored and a .310/.372/.537 slash line in 59 starts as a sophomore.
The primary first baseman was named MAC Co-Player of the Week on May 20 after a big weekend at Kent State and finished the year with 22 multi-hit games.
MIX OF NEW AND OLD: Ball State's 2025 roster features 17 returning players from last year's team, seven true freshmen and 13 incoming transfers.
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