Bowling Green State University Athletics
Ball State Sweeps BGSU
March 26, 2005 | Baseball
March 26, 2005
(Courtesy MAC-Sports.com)
The Ball State baseball team opened Mid-American Conference play Saturday with a doubleheader sweep over visiting West Division rival Bowling Green Saturday afternoon at Ball Diamond. The Cardinals - - who improve to 11-9 (2-0 MAC) - - won the first game 8-7 and the second 9-4. Bowling Green falls to 12-5 (0-2 MAC) with the losses.
After a quiet first two innings, BGSU tallied a marker in the top of the third, only to have BSU counter with three in the bottom half of the frame.
The Cardinals would extend their lead to 8-1 in the bottom of the fourth, with five more runs. The Falcons would post six runs in the top of the seventh to get within one runs - - at 8-7, but BSU closer Erik Morrison (2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K) shut BGSU down over the final two innings to earn his sixth save of the year.
Joe Ness (6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K) picked up the win for the Cardinals, improving to 3-1 on the season, after six solid innings of work. Ritchie Fralick (0.1 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 0 K) and Kory Bucklew (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) (0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K) combined to throw the six-run seventh inning.
Burke Badenhop (3.0 IP, 8 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 1 BB, 0 K) suffered his first loss of the season, falling to 4-1, after giving up all eight of BSU's runs. Alan Brech (4.2 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K) would allow BGSU to get back into the contest limiting BSU to five hits, before being relieved by Matt Hundley (0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K) for the final out.
Eric Earnhart paced the Cardinals at the plate in the opening game with a 3-for-4 effort, adding two RBI and two runs scored. Mike Sullivan, Jason Bucholtz and C.J. Webb each added a pair of hits in the game.
In the contest, Ball State scored eight runs on 13 hits with three errors. Bowling Green tallied seven runs on 10 hits with one error.
In the second game, Bowling Green pulled ahead 1-0 in the top of the first, but allowed BSU to score two in the bottom of the frame and one in the bottom of the second to pull ahead 3-1.
Nolan Reimold would give BGSU a 4-3 advantage in the top of the third with a three-run home run, however the Cardinals outscored the Falcons 6-0 the rest of the way - - including a game-tying home run from Chris Pestle in the bottom of the fourth - - to win the game 9-4.
Ben Snyder (7.0 IP, 11 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K) would pick up his second-straight win in the contest, improving to 2-3 on the year. Bucklew (2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K) threw the final two innings of the contest.
Keith Laughlin (5.0 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 2 K) dropped to 2-2 on the season after suffering the pitching loss. Nick Cantrell (3.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 K) pitched the final three innings for the Falcons.
Bucholtz paced the Cardinals at the plate in the second game, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while Sullivan, Kyle Dygert, Jon Dollinger and Matt Singleton each added two hits.
For the game, Ball State scored nine runs on 12 hits with one error. Bowling Green posted four runs on 12 hits with on error.
The Cardinals and the Falcons will conclude their three-game series Sunday at Ball Diamond with a 1 p.m. first pitch.
