Ball State University
35-20, 21-9
Miami (OH)
32-21, 23-7
Baseball Falls in Regular Season Finale Slugfest vs Miami
May 17, 2025 | Baseball
Cardinals Enter MAC Tournament as No. 3 Seed
The Cardinals (35-20, 21-9 MAC) couldn't keep up with the RedHawks (32-21, 23-7) who scored seven runs each in the second and third innings to build an early 14-3 lead. Miami clinched a share of the conference regular season championship with Kent State and enters the MAC Tournament as the No. 1 seed.
Ball State responded to Miami's seven-run third inning with a six spot of its own featuring RBI singles from Garrett Arnold and Gavin Balius, a sacrifice fly by Korbin Griffin and a three-run home run from Nick Husovsky to make the score 14-9 in favor of the visitors. The two teams each plated two tallies in the fourth, as Griffin hit a two-run single to make the score 16-11 following the frame.
The Cardinals scored three more times on a homer from Griffin in the sixth to be within four runs at 18-14, but that was the closest they would get as the visitors put up four runs each in the seventh and eighth innings to pull away for the eight-inning win.
Griffin went 3-for-6 with the home run, two runs scored and a career-high six RBI. Husovsky had a 4-for-6 performance at the dish with the home run, a double and four runs driven in. Ben Giovannetti had three hits, two of which were homers, and scored four times, while Dylan Grego also pounded out three hits among the 19 total for the hosts.
Miami's Austin Berggren (2-1) was credited with the win after going 4.1 innings and allowing six runs, while Ball State starting pitcher Brendan Garza (3-1) suffered the loss in 1.1 innings of five-run ball.
Ball State will open the MAC Tournament in Avon, Ohio at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday against No. 6 seed Eastern Michigan. The Cardinals were the third seed in 2024 as well and made a run to the tournament championship game.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Austin Berggren (2-1)
L: Garza, Brendan (3-1)
Batting:
2B: Dominic Krupinski 1 ; Ty Batusich 1 ; Tommy Harrison 1
HR: Dillon Baker 1 ; Ryan Novak 1 ; Evan Appelwick 1 ; Dominic Krupinski 1 ; Tommy Harrison 1 ; Blake Buzzeo 1
RBI: Dillon Baker 1 ; Ryan Novak 2 ; Evan Appelwick 5 ; David Novak 2 ; Dominic Krupinski 4 ; Ty Batusich 4 ; Tommy Harrison 5 ; Blake Buzzeo 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Dillon Baker 3 ; Ryan Novak 3 ; Anthony Zarlingo 5 ; Evan Appelwick 3 ; David Novak 3 ; Dominic Krupinski 4 ; Ty Batusich 2 ; Tommy Harrison 2 ; Blake Buzzeo 1
HBP: Dillon Baker 2 ; Ryan Novak 1 ; Dominic Krupinski 1
Batting:
2B: Grego, Dylan 1 ; Husovsky, Nick 1 ; Bevis, Blake 1 ; Kalk, Max 1
HR: Husovsky, Nick 1 ; Giovannetti, Ben 2 ; Griffin, Korbin 1
RBI: Husovsky, Nick 4 ; Giovannetti, Ben 2 ; Arnold, Garrett 1 ; Griffin, Korbin 6 ; Balius, Gavin 2
SF: Griffin, Korbin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Grego, Dylan 1 ; Husovsky, Nick 1 ; Giovannetti, Ben 4 ; Richter, Alex 3 ; Arnold, Garrett 2 ; Kalk, Max 1 ; Griffin, Korbin 2 ; Balius, Gavin 2
HBP: Grego, Dylan 1 ; Richter, Alex 1 ; Arnold, Garrett 1
