Bowling Green State University
BALL STATE
Ball State Defeats Falcons, 9-2
May 09, 2003 | Baseball
May 9, 2003
Muncie, Ind. - Bowling Green jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but Ball State took the lead for good in the bottom of the first inning and went on to post a 9-2 league victory over the Falcons on Friday in Muncie, Ind.
David Barkholz led off the game with a double to left field that was nearly a home run, and then was sacrificed to third with a sacrifice bunt by Jeff Warnock. Kelly Hunt then brought him home on a sacrifice fly to right field for the early BGSU lead.
However, BSU plated two runs in the bottom of the first inning and another run in the third inning to take a 3-1 lead. The Falcons then scored another run in the fifth inning to cut its deficit to one, 3-2. Jimmy Lipari led off inning with a single to right field and was sacrificed to second on a bunt by Tyler Wasserman. He later scored on a single by Jeff Warnock.
Ball State answered, though, with five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 8-2 lead. The Cardinals added another run in the sixth inning for the final 9-2 verdict.
Falcon starter Kyle Knoblauch pitched well early, but was relieved in the five-run fifth inning by BSU. He lasted four and two-thind innings, allowing eight runs on eight hits and a season-high six walks. The right-hander struck out two and took the loss, dropping his season record to 2-5.
Burke Badenhop (1.1 innings) and Dino Cowell (two innings) pitched in relief for BGSU. Badenhop gave up a run on three hits with two strikeouts while Cowell allowed just one hit with two strikeouts and one walk.
Hunt finished 2-for-3 while Barkholz and Lipari each had two hits apiece, as well.
The Falcons fall to 14-24 overall and 7-14 in the Mid-American Conference. BSU improves to 31-17 overall and 12-9 in the league.
The two teams will play a doubleheader at 1 p.m. (CST) on Saturday, May 10, and finish the series on Sunday (1 p.m. CST).
