Baseball Drops Slugfest to Butler

Wednesday, March 18

Muncie, Ind.

3 PM

Ball State University

10-9

Butler

5-16

Butler

Ball State

Photo by: Brayden Goins / Ball State Athletics

March 18, 2026 | Baseball

Box Score

MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State baseball team got two home runs from Jacob Gillis and a three-run pinch hit homer by Brayden Huebner but they weren't enough as Butler won 14-10 on Wednesday afternoon at Shebek Stadium.

The Cardinals (10-9) tied the game with the Bulldogs (5-16) at 1-1 on a Ryan Muizelaar infield single that plated Gavin Balius in the first frame. Butler scored the next six runs and would lead by at least four the rest of the way.

Huebner hit his three-run blast, bringing Muizelaar and Kenskey Thomas home with the drive, in the sixth frame to cut the deficit to 11-6. Gillis hit his sixth and seventh homers of the year in the seventh and ninth innings to shrink Butler's lead to four both times, but the Bulldogs hung on for the road win.

Gillis, Muizelaar and Brett Griffiths collected two hits each for the hosts, who had 11 knocks on the day.

Matthew Rhodes hit home runs in the first and second innings for the Bulldogs and added two doubles later in the game to lead the Butler offense.

Joe Lafkas (1-1) started for the Cardinals and suffered the loss working 1.2 innings and allowing five runs. Grayson Bradberry (1-1) started for the visitors and was credited with the win after working 5.0 innings of three-run ball with five strikeouts.

Ball State is next scheduled to play a three-game series at Western Michigan starting at 3 p.m. on Friday.

Baseball to Host Butler Wednesday Afternoon at Shebek Stadium

Tuesday, March 17

Muizelaar Named MAC Player of the Week

Monday, March 16

MC-64699 Baseball vs. Central Michigan on May 12, 2024. Photo by Samantha Blankenship / Ball State University

Baseball Game at Valparaiso Tuesday Canceled Due to Weather

Monday, March 16

Pinch Hit Grand Slam Leads Cardinals to Series Sweep over Eastern Michigan

Sunday, March 15

Next Event

Western Michigan

Mar 20 (Fri)

3 PM

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Team Stats

Pitching:

W: Bradberry, Grayson (1-1)

L: Lafkas, Joe (1-1)

Butler

Batting:

2B: Ayers, David 1 ; Rhoades, Matthew 2

HR: Schebler, Charlie 1 ; Rhoades, Matthew 2 ; Duncan, Gunnar 1

RBI: Gavin, Danny 2 ; Schebler, Charlie 2 ; Rhoades, Matthew 4 ; Duncan, Gunnar 1 ; Christie, Alex 2

SF: Schebler, Charlie 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Crock, Logan 1 ; Gavin, Danny 2 ; Schebler, Charlie 2 ; Rhoades, Matthew 3 ; Zeller, Jack 1 ; Duncan, Gunnar 2 ; Connors, Keegan 1 ; Christie, Alex 1 ; Gilmore, Gavin 1