Ball State University
30-13, 16-3
Central Michigan
16-26, 8-11
Cardinals Beat Chippewas 9-6 in Friday's Opener at CMU
April 25, 2025 | Baseball
The Cardinals (30-13, 16-3 Mid-American Conference) got out to a 5-0 lead over the Chippewas (16-26, 8-11 MAC) after Ben Giovannetti and Gavin Balius hit RBI singles and Richter followed with a three-run homer in the second inning. Clay Jacobs extended the edge to 6-0 with an RBI bunt to score Blake Bevis in the fifth frame.
Central got on the board with a single tally in the bottom half of the fifth, but Ty Davis responded with a two-run blast in the seventh inning to put the visitors ahead 8-1. The hosts plated four runs in the sixth and two in the eighth, but Lucas Letsinger came on with two runners on base and the Cardinals up three to get a strikeout and get out of the jam in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Richter's second home run of the day was of the solo variety and gave the Cardinals a 9-4 advantage in the top of the eighth. The senior finished the day with two home runs and four RBI and took possession of the team lead with 14 homers so far this year.
Owen Quinn entered the game with a runner on and nobody out in the ninth inning and was facing a bases loaded with one out situation when he induced a double play to clinch the win and be rewarded with his third save of the season.
Ball State starting pitcher Keegan Johnson (7-1) got the win and struck out eight in six innings of one-run ball.
Joining Richter with two hits on the day for the Cardinals were Davis, Bevis, Balius, Dylan Grego and Garrett Arnold. Bevis crossed home plate three times.
Ball State has now reached at least 30 wins in 12 straight completed seasons and all 19 of head coach Rich Maloney's campaigns in Muncie.
"Our boys stayed the course despite losing the freebie war," Maloney said. "Alex Richter's two home runs and Ty Davis' long balls led our offense. Owen Quinn closed up shop for us with Dylan Grego's unassisted double play. Good team win in a tough battle."
Chippewas' starter Alejandro Espinoza (2-7) surrendered nine hits and five runs in two innings to suffer the loss.
Ball State and CMU are set to play the middle game of the set at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Johnson, Keegan (7-1)
L: Alejandro Espinoza (2-7)
S: Quinn, Owen (3)
Batting:
2B: Arnold, Garrett 1
HR: Richter, Alex 2 ; Davis, Ty 1
RBI: Richter, Alex 4 ; Davis, Ty 2 ; Giovannetti, Ben 1 ; Jacobs, Clay 1 ; Balius, Gavin 1
SH: Jacobs, Clay 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Richter, Alex 2 ; Bevis, Blake 3 ; Davis, Ty 2 ; Giovannetti, Ben 1 ; Balius, Gavin 1
Batting:
2B: Aaron Piasecki 1
3B: Mikey Murphy 1 ; Aydin Wright 1
HR: Mikey Murphy 1 ; Aaron Piasecki 1
RBI: Mikey Murphy 2 ; Aydin Wright 1 ; Aaron Piasecki 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Mikey Murphy 2 ; Aydin Wright 1 ; Aaron Piasecki 1 ; Zach Knowlton 2
SB: Cole Kwiatkowski 1 ; Zach Knowlton 1
HBP: Cayden Smith 2 ; Cole Kwiatkowski 1 ; Bryson Webb 1
