Friday, May 2
Muncie, Ind.
3 PM
Ball State University
vs
Kent State
Baseball Hosting Kent State in Matchup of the MAC's Top Two Teams
May 01, 2025 | Baseball
The Ball State baseball team returns to Muncie for its first home games in almost three weeks when it hosts Kent State for a three-game series starting at 3 p.m. on Friday.
This weekend's matchup will feature the top two teams in the Mid-American Conference standings by winning percentage. Links to the broadcast and live stats can be found above and on the schedule page.
Ball State (31-14, 17-4 MAC) took two out of three games last weekend at Central Michigan, topping the Chippewas 9-6 on Friday and 7-4 on Saturday in a late-inning comeback.
Kent State (29-14, 16-5 MAC) beat Pitt Johnstown 12-2 in seven innings on Tuesday after winning two out of three against Akron at home over the weekend.
The Golden Flashes are in their 12th season under head coach Jeff Duncan and were picked to finish second in the MAC preseason poll.
Kent State paces the conference in batting average (.315), doubles (104), getting hit by a pitch (97), on base percentage (.432), runs scored (417), runs per game (9.7, No. 3 in NCAA Division I), slugging percentage (.530), stolen bases (101), and triples (24). The pitching staff for the Golden Flashes has the best strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.27) in the MAC and allows the fewest walks per nine innings (3.83).
The trio of junior catcher Brody Williams (.372), sophomore outfielder Alejandro Covas (.370) and graduate infielder Hayden Jatczak (.369) rank 4-5-6 in the conference in batting average. Jatczak leads the league in both doubles (24, No. 1 nationally) and RBI (60, No. 9), while senior outfielder Jake Casey has scored the most runs (61), hit the most triples (four) and has the best slugging percentage (.732) among qualified MAC hitters this year.
Ball State's next scheduled game after this weekend is set for 6 p.m. on Tuesday at Purdue.
SOLID START: The Ball State baseball team stands at first in the Mid-American Conference standings with a 17-4 record. This is the program's fourth time starting that well or better in MAC play through the first 21 games.
The 2005, 2014, 2021 and 2022 teams started 17-4, while the 2001 group began conference action with an 18-3 record.
OLD RELIABLE THIRTY: Ball State's 9-6 win on Friday at Central Michigan its 30th of the season, a mark the program has now reached in each of the last 12 completed seasons.
The Cardinals have posted at least 30 wins in each of head coach Rich Maloney's 19 full campaigns as the skipper.
KEEGAN OF THE HILL: Sophomore left-handed pitcher Keegan Johnson ranks among the top hurlers in the MAC in multiple statistical categories.
The 2024 MAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year is first in games started (11), second in strikeouts (64), wins (seven) and fewest hits allowed per nine innings (6.52), and third in ERA (3.34).
BEVIS BOUNCING UP THE RECORD BOOK: Junior Blake Bevis hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the eighth inning of Ball State's 7-4 triumph over the Chippewas on Saturday for his 13th of the year.
Bevis bested his previous single-season high of 12 from 2024 and now ranks in a tie for fifth in program history with 36 career homers (Brad Snyder). Next up on the list is Ed Farris (1994-97) with 38 home runs.
CLEAN FIELDING AND TURNING TWO: The Cardinals enter the weekend ranking second in NCAA Division I with a .984 fielding percentage.
Ball State has committed 25 errors in 1,559 opportunities this year through the first 45 games. Ball State is 13th nationally in double plays turned at 40.
TOP TEAMS TUSSLE: Ball State (17-4) and Kent State (16-5) enter the weekend ranking first and second in the MAC in winning percentage.
The Cardinals are also set to host Miami (OH) on the final weekend of the regular season. The RedHawks (18-6) have the most MAC wins of the year but have yet to have their bye week.
Ball State and Miami are the only two MAC school to win every league series so far in 2025.
GARZA GETTING IT GOING: Right-handed pitcher Brendan Garza got 20 outs (6.2 innings) on Sunday afternoon at Central Michigan while allowing only one hit and an unearned run.
The true freshman has struck out 20 in 18.1 innings and recorded a 2.45 ERA since mid-March.
RICHTER REACHES BASE: Senior Alex Richter has been hit by a pitch 23 times this year, which is the fifth-most in NCAA Division I.
The third baseman is only one HBP away from tying Ryan Read's program record of 24 set in 1995.
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This weekend's matchup will feature the top two teams in the Mid-American Conference standings by winning percentage. Links to the broadcast and live stats can be found above and on the schedule page.
Ball State (31-14, 17-4 MAC) took two out of three games last weekend at Central Michigan, topping the Chippewas 9-6 on Friday and 7-4 on Saturday in a late-inning comeback.
Kent State (29-14, 16-5 MAC) beat Pitt Johnstown 12-2 in seven innings on Tuesday after winning two out of three against Akron at home over the weekend.
The Golden Flashes are in their 12th season under head coach Jeff Duncan and were picked to finish second in the MAC preseason poll.
Kent State paces the conference in batting average (.315), doubles (104), getting hit by a pitch (97), on base percentage (.432), runs scored (417), runs per game (9.7, No. 3 in NCAA Division I), slugging percentage (.530), stolen bases (101), and triples (24). The pitching staff for the Golden Flashes has the best strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.27) in the MAC and allows the fewest walks per nine innings (3.83).
The trio of junior catcher Brody Williams (.372), sophomore outfielder Alejandro Covas (.370) and graduate infielder Hayden Jatczak (.369) rank 4-5-6 in the conference in batting average. Jatczak leads the league in both doubles (24, No. 1 nationally) and RBI (60, No. 9), while senior outfielder Jake Casey has scored the most runs (61), hit the most triples (four) and has the best slugging percentage (.732) among qualified MAC hitters this year.
Ball State's next scheduled game after this weekend is set for 6 p.m. on Tuesday at Purdue.
SOLID START: The Ball State baseball team stands at first in the Mid-American Conference standings with a 17-4 record. This is the program's fourth time starting that well or better in MAC play through the first 21 games.
The 2005, 2014, 2021 and 2022 teams started 17-4, while the 2001 group began conference action with an 18-3 record.
OLD RELIABLE THIRTY: Ball State's 9-6 win on Friday at Central Michigan its 30th of the season, a mark the program has now reached in each of the last 12 completed seasons.
The Cardinals have posted at least 30 wins in each of head coach Rich Maloney's 19 full campaigns as the skipper.
KEEGAN OF THE HILL: Sophomore left-handed pitcher Keegan Johnson ranks among the top hurlers in the MAC in multiple statistical categories.
The 2024 MAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year is first in games started (11), second in strikeouts (64), wins (seven) and fewest hits allowed per nine innings (6.52), and third in ERA (3.34).
BEVIS BOUNCING UP THE RECORD BOOK: Junior Blake Bevis hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the eighth inning of Ball State's 7-4 triumph over the Chippewas on Saturday for his 13th of the year.
Bevis bested his previous single-season high of 12 from 2024 and now ranks in a tie for fifth in program history with 36 career homers (Brad Snyder). Next up on the list is Ed Farris (1994-97) with 38 home runs.
CLEAN FIELDING AND TURNING TWO: The Cardinals enter the weekend ranking second in NCAA Division I with a .984 fielding percentage.
Ball State has committed 25 errors in 1,559 opportunities this year through the first 45 games. Ball State is 13th nationally in double plays turned at 40.
TOP TEAMS TUSSLE: Ball State (17-4) and Kent State (16-5) enter the weekend ranking first and second in the MAC in winning percentage.
The Cardinals are also set to host Miami (OH) on the final weekend of the regular season. The RedHawks (18-6) have the most MAC wins of the year but have yet to have their bye week.
Ball State and Miami are the only two MAC school to win every league series so far in 2025.
GARZA GETTING IT GOING: Right-handed pitcher Brendan Garza got 20 outs (6.2 innings) on Sunday afternoon at Central Michigan while allowing only one hit and an unearned run.
The true freshman has struck out 20 in 18.1 innings and recorded a 2.45 ERA since mid-March.
RICHTER REACHES BASE: Senior Alex Richter has been hit by a pitch 23 times this year, which is the fifth-most in NCAA Division I.
The third baseman is only one HBP away from tying Ryan Read's program record of 24 set in 1995.
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