Saturday, September 27
Muncie, Ind.
Noon
Ball State University
13
vs
9
Butler
Photo by: Caden Vincent
Baseball Tops Butler in Saturday Afternoon Fall Ball Scrimmage
September 27, 2025 | Baseball
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State baseball team got big performances at the plate from Gavin Balius and Kenskey Thomas on its way to a 13-9 win over Butler on Saturday afternoon in Fall Ball action at Shebek Stadium.
The Cardinals scored the first four runs of the game with one in the first frame and three in the second before the Bulldogs took a 5-4 lead with a five-run third. The in-state foes went back-and-forth from there until the hosts scored the last five runs of the contest with three in the seventh inning and one each in the eighth and ninth to secure the win.
Both teams limited the other to no runs in the final three frames of the 12-inning scrimmage.
Balius went 4-for-6 with two RBI, three runs scored and a stolen base on the day, while Thomas rapped out three hits, including a double, for three RBI.
The Cardinals had a trio of bats collect two hits each, as Charlie Keller, Max Kalk and Brett Griffiths did damage at the plate. Keller had a triple and Kalk hit a double, while Jacob Gillis and Ben Giovannetti hit home runs on Alumni Day for the baseball program.
Keegan Johnson started on the mound for Ball State and struck out five in 2.0 shutout innings, while Zach Leduc, Owen Quinn, Zach Kwasny, Brendan Garza, Zander Brteza, John Chambers, and Jeremy Jones each had scoreless outings as well against the Bulldogs.
The Cardinals will next play Indiana at 6 p.m. on Friday at Grand Park in Westfield.
The Cardinals scored the first four runs of the game with one in the first frame and three in the second before the Bulldogs took a 5-4 lead with a five-run third. The in-state foes went back-and-forth from there until the hosts scored the last five runs of the contest with three in the seventh inning and one each in the eighth and ninth to secure the win.
Both teams limited the other to no runs in the final three frames of the 12-inning scrimmage.
Balius went 4-for-6 with two RBI, three runs scored and a stolen base on the day, while Thomas rapped out three hits, including a double, for three RBI.
The Cardinals had a trio of bats collect two hits each, as Charlie Keller, Max Kalk and Brett Griffiths did damage at the plate. Keller had a triple and Kalk hit a double, while Jacob Gillis and Ben Giovannetti hit home runs on Alumni Day for the baseball program.
Keegan Johnson started on the mound for Ball State and struck out five in 2.0 shutout innings, while Zach Leduc, Owen Quinn, Zach Kwasny, Brendan Garza, Zander Brteza, John Chambers, and Jeremy Jones each had scoreless outings as well against the Bulldogs.
The Cardinals will next play Indiana at 6 p.m. on Friday at Grand Park in Westfield.
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