Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
BALL STATE
Cardinals Just Avoid Sweep, Downing The Falcons, 9-7, On Sunday
April 13, 2008 | Baseball
April 13, 2008
MUNCIE, Ind. - After two-straight days that saw 30 or more runs scored due to high winds and very favorable hitting conditions, Sunday afternoon saw much more tamed conditions as the Ball State University Cardinals were able to hold off a late comeback attempt by the Bowling Green State University baseball team, holding on for a 9-7 win in the series finale at BSU's Ball Diamond.
Trailing 8-1 entering the seventh, the Falcons, who entered the day a half game in front of Ohio University for the Mid-American East Division lead, battled back with six runs in the top half of the inning to pull within a single run. However, that run came up just short as they were unable to plate any more runs in the eighth and ninth, losing for the first time in three games.
With the victory, the Cardinals improved to 19-11 and 7-2 in the MAC, while the Falcons fell to 15-13 and 6-3, respectively.
Sophomore outfielder Mark Galvin would be the lone Falcon to finish with multiple-hits in the finale as he was 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI. His lone RBI came in the top half of the fifth inning when he belted his fourth homer of the season and third of the weekend over the fence in right field to tie the game up at 1-1 after the Cardinals held a 1-0 lead since the bottom of the first inning.
Adding a team-best three RBI then was senior outfielder Andrew Foster. The Bowling Green native finished his day 1-for-3 at the plate with a run scored and three RBI as all three of his RBI came in the Falcon seventh.
BG's six-run seventh came at the heels of a four-run sixth for the Cardinals that saw them add on to a 4-1 lead they enjoyed after platting three in the bottom of the fifth.
Two BSU errors though, played a part of BG being able to keep their inning alive. After Galvin started the inning going down on strikes, Chris Gacom drew a fifth-pitch walk, just before Dennis Vaughn reached base on a fielder's choice that saw Gacom reach second safely on a throwing error by the Cardinals' first baseman. Travis Owens then platted Gacom on an RBI single through the left side to bring the score to 8-2.
With just one out and runners on first and second, Marty Baird reached base on a fielding error by BSU's third baseman, which should've been the final out of the inning. It wasn't though, as the bases were loaded full of Falcons with still just a single out.
That brought Ryan Shay to the plate, who drove in a run with a full count walk, bringing to an end the day of Cardinal starter Kolbrin Vitek. With Aaron Hammons on in relief, Foster welcomed him to the game with a three-RBI double to right that emptied the bases and brought the Falcons within two at 8-6. Brian Hangbers would then just miss tying the game on a deep fly to left, before Derek Spencer ended the Falcons' scoring in the inning with a single up the middle that brought home Foster from second.
The Cardinals would counter with a run in their half of the seventh to pull their lead out to 9-7, which they kept going into the Falcons' final at bat.
That's where things would get interesting - following a leadoff walk by Shay, Cardinal pitcher Kyle Heyne got Foster to go down swinging on five pitches. That brought up Hangbers, who drew a five-pitch walk to advance Shay to second, just before they would both be advanced into scoring position on a groundout to third by Spencer.
With runners on second and third and two outs, Galvin came to the plate with the chance to tie the game with a base hit. It wouldn't happen though as Heyne got him to groundout on a 1-3 putout to end the game and the Falcons' chance at their second sweep of a conference series.
Holding on for the win for BSU on the mound was Vitek, who improved to 5-0 on the year. He allowed six runs (one earned) on five BG hits as he finished with seven strikeouts.
Heyne picked up his sixth save of the year in relief of Vitek and Hammons, who went a third of an inning, tossing the final two and 2/3 innings. He allowed just two hits and walked two.
Getting saddled with the loss on the afternoon for BG was senior left-hander Brett Browning. Browning (0-1) allowed three runs on three hits, going two and 1/3 innings in relief of starter Kevin Leady.
Leady finished his start allowing one run on two hits in just two innings of limited duty after seeing relief action the previous two days. A total of five Falcon pitchers saw action in the game.
BSU out-hit the Falcons 10-8 on the day as BG committed three errors after combining for just three in the series' first two games. BSU committed two errors on the day with both coming in the Falcons' half of the seventh.
Pacing the Cardinals at the plate on the day were Kory Benbow, Wayne Bond and Nate Fields, who each finished with two hits. Fields had a team-best three RBI, while Benbow added two.
BG will return to the diamond on Tuesday when they play host to Tiffin University at Warren E. Steller Field. First pitch between the Falcons and Dragons is scheduled for 3 p.m. The game can be heard online at www.bgsufalcons.com with live statistics also available via gametracker, which can be found on the team's schedule page.
