Ball State University Athletics
Thursday, February 26
Manoa, Hawaii
6:30 PM HT / 11:30 PM ET
Ball State University
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Hawaii
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Photo by: Caden Vincent
Cardinals Drop Opening Game in Hawaii
February 27, 2026 | Baseball
HONOLULU -- Ball State leadoff batter Gavin Balius slapped the game's first pitch into left field, but it turned out to be the Cardinals' only hit until Balius scored on a run-scoring single in the ninth inning, as Hawaii outdistanced Ball State, 6-1, in the first of a four-game series at Les Murakami Stadium.
In the first baseball game ever played between Hawaii and Ball State, senior relief specialist John Chambers made just the second start of his Ball State career, and his first of 2026. He fired five innings and absorbed the loss (0-1), but only allowed three runs and three hits as the Rainbow Warriors struck for a single run in the third inning, and got two more in the fifth. Ball State pitchers Chambers, Zach Kwasny and Trent Murphy scattered just eight hits overall, but it was the Cardinals' seven straight innings without a hit that proved the difference.
Balius reached base on the game's opening pitch, then collected his 12th stolen base of the season to move into scoring position. He moved to third on Kensky Thomas' fly to right, but was left on base when Charlie Keller struck out. Balius walked in the third inning and was caught stealing for the first time this season to thwart a second rally attempt.
While Hawaii tacked on single runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth, the Cardinals didn't put another runner on base until Balius reached on an error in the ninth. He advanced to second on a throwing error, and scored on a one-out single to center field by Brett Griffiths. Jacob Gillis singled and moved Griffiths to third, but Kendric Sorgius' strikeout ended the contest.
Hawaii improved its record to 6-3, while the Cardinals fell to 4-4. Game two of the series takes place Friday at 6:30 p.m. HT (11:30 p.m. ET).
In the first baseball game ever played between Hawaii and Ball State, senior relief specialist John Chambers made just the second start of his Ball State career, and his first of 2026. He fired five innings and absorbed the loss (0-1), but only allowed three runs and three hits as the Rainbow Warriors struck for a single run in the third inning, and got two more in the fifth. Ball State pitchers Chambers, Zach Kwasny and Trent Murphy scattered just eight hits overall, but it was the Cardinals' seven straight innings without a hit that proved the difference.
Balius reached base on the game's opening pitch, then collected his 12th stolen base of the season to move into scoring position. He moved to third on Kensky Thomas' fly to right, but was left on base when Charlie Keller struck out. Balius walked in the third inning and was caught stealing for the first time this season to thwart a second rally attempt.
While Hawaii tacked on single runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth, the Cardinals didn't put another runner on base until Balius reached on an error in the ninth. He advanced to second on a throwing error, and scored on a one-out single to center field by Brett Griffiths. Jacob Gillis singled and moved Griffiths to third, but Kendric Sorgius' strikeout ended the contest.
Hawaii improved its record to 6-3, while the Cardinals fell to 4-4. Game two of the series takes place Friday at 6:30 p.m. HT (11:30 p.m. ET).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Isaiah Magdaleno (1-0)
L: Chambers, John (1-2)
Batting:
RBI: Griffiths, Brett 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Balius, Gavin 1
SB: Balius, Gavin 1
CS: Balius, Gavin 1
Batting:
2B: Christian Hoffman 1 ; Tate Shimao 1 ; Draven Nushida 1
HR: Ben Zeigler-Namoa 1
RBI: Ben Zeigler-Namoa 2 ; Christian Hoffman 2 ; Jake Redding 1 ; Kody Watanabe 1
SF: Jake Redding 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kamana Nahaku 2 ; Ben Zeigler-Namoa 1 ; Elijah Ickes 1 ; Tate Shimao 1 ; Draven Nushida 1
SB: Kamana Nahaku 1
CS: Kamana Nahaku 1 ; Kody Watanabe 1
HBP: Jake Redding 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF/OF
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