Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
15-11, 10-2
Ohio
5-22, 3-9
Baseball Secures Series Sweep of Ohio with 17-7 Win in Sunday Finale
March 29, 2026 | Baseball
The Cardinals (15-11, 10-2 Mid-American Conference) clinched the weekend sweep of the Bobcats (5-22, 3-9 MAC) with the decision, as they scored multiple runs in five different innings.
Ball State scored twice on wild pitches and then two more times on RBI triples from Gavin Balius and Brett Griffiths to take a 4-0 lead in the second inning. After the visitors responded with three in the top of the third, the Cardinals plated two more runs in the bottom half of the frame, including an RBI double to the left center gap off the bat of Brady Davidson, for a 6-3 edge.
The hosts kept the base paths warm in the next two frames as well, as Ryan Muizelaar blasted a three-run homer to left, and Maalik Perkins brought home Davidson on an RBI fielder's choice in the fourth. Muizelaar followed that up with another three-run shot in fifth inning to give Ball State a 13-3 advantage.
After the Bobcats plated four in the top of the seventh, the Cardinals did the same in the bottom half of the frame on a Davidson RBI single and a three-run home run from Preston Murphy to clinch the run rule victory.
Ball State took the lead in the conference standings with the win, as Kent State and Western Michigan are tied for second at 9-3 after the games this weekend.
Davidson went 5-for-5 with two doubles, two RBI and four runs scored on the afternoon, while Muizelaar posted a 4-for-5 performance with the two homers, one triple, six RBI and four runs to lead a Ball
State offense that tallied 17 hits for a third straight day. Balius (3-for-4) joined Davidson and Muizelaar as Ball State players with multiple hits Sunday.
John Chambers (4-3) struck out three in 3.2 innings of work to be credited with the win. Zach Kwasny started and had three strikeouts in 3.0 frames for the Cardinals.
AJ Dallmayer (0-3) surrendered six runs in 2.2 innings for Ohio to be hit with the loss.
Ball State stays home to host Xavier on Tuesday afternoon.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Chambers, John (4-3)
L: Dallmayer, AJ (0-3)
Batting:
2B: Shepherd, Dylan 1 ; Shirley, Colton 1
HR: Steinbaugh, Cale 1
RBI: Henson, Will 1 ; Steinbaugh, Cale 2 ; Harris, Taylor 2 ; Bryant, Cam 1 ; Shepherd, Dylan 1
SF: Henson, Will 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Steinbaugh, Cale 1 ; Shepherd, Dylan 1 ; Harmon, Reese 1 ; Boyd, Cameron 1 ; Shirley, Colton 2 ; Hill, Cam 1
SB: Bryant, Cam 1 ; Harmon, Reese 1
CS: Fox, Sean 1
HBP: Harris, Taylor 1 ; Hill, Cam 1
Batting:
2B: Davidson, Brady 2 ; Thomas, Kenskey 1
3B: Griffiths, Brett 1 ; Balius, Gavin 1 ; Muizelaar, Ryan 1
HR: Muizelaar, Ryan 2 ; Murphy, Preston 1
RBI: Perkins, Maalik 1 ; Griffiths, Brett 1 ; Balius, Gavin 1 ; Muizelaar, Ryan 6 ; Davidson, Brady 2 ; Murphy, Preston 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Perkins, Maalik 1 ; Griffiths, Brett 1 ; Balius, Gavin 1 ; Muizelaar, Ryan 4 ; Huebner, Brayden 1 ; Scheumann, DJ 1 ; Gillis, Jacob 2 ; Davidson, Brady 4 ; Murphy, Preston 1 ; Thomas, Kenskey 1
SB: Huebner, Brayden 1
HBP: Griffiths, Brett 1 ; Kalk, Max 1
