Cardinals Rally for Seven Runs in the Sixth in 13-8 Win over Akron

Friday, April 10

Muncie, Ind.

3 PM

Ball State University

17-16, 11-5

Akron

14-19, 5-11

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Akron	0	1	0	0	4	1	0	0	2	8	14	1
Ball State	0	0	2	0	0	7	2	2	X	13	13	2

Photo by: Caden Vincent

Cardinals Rally for Seven Runs in the Sixth in 13-8 Win over Akron

April 10, 2026 | Baseball

Box Score

Win No. 700 at Ball State for Head Coach Rich Maloney

MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State baseball team rallied for seven runs in the sixth inning, including a go-ahead three-run homer from Ryan Muizelaar, and scored 11 unanswered runs overall in a 13-8 win over Akron on Friday afternoon at Shebek Stadium.

The Cardinals (17-16, 11-5 Mid-American Conference) trailed 6-2 after the top of the sixth inning against the visiting Zips (14-19, 5-11 MAC) but got runs batted in by Brett Griffiths (fielder's choice), Max Kalk (triple) Kenskey Thomas (double) and Gavin Balius (single) to tie the game before Muizelaar belted the three-run blast a projected 371 feet to right field to give Ball State a 9-6 advantage.

Griffiths scored on a wild pitch, and Jack Bakus had a pinch hit RBI single in the seventh to extend the edge to 11-6 for the hosts before Jacob Gillis hit a two-run shot to right in the eighth inning to give Ball State a 13-6 lead.

After Akron plated a run on an RBI single in the second, the Cardinals got a two-run single from Gillis in the third to go ahead 2-1. The Zips scored four times in the fifth frame and once in the sixth before Ball State responded with the seven-run rally in the bottom half of the sixth inning.

Gillis paced the offense for the hosts with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate plus a walk, four RBI and two runs scored. Griffiths and Thomas tallied two hits and an RBI each, while six total Cardinals scored two runs on the day.

Owen Quinn (4-0) got the final 14 outs of the game for the Ball State pitching staff out of the bullpen to earn the win, striking out four in 4.2 innings of three-run ball.

Ball State head coach Rich Maloney collected his 700th career win at Ball State with the decision.

"Our guys stayed the course and put together a big inning - a lot of guys contributed," Maloney said. "We got much-needed innings from Owen Quinn."

The Zips got two hits, including a home run, and three RBI from both of the Bowen brothers (Blake and Brady). John Allen (0-1) was the first man in relief for Akron and surrendered four runs and got only two outs to be hit with the loss.

Saturday's game between the Cardinals and Zips is scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch.