Mid-American Conference

KENT, Ohio - Ball State claimed its first-ever Mid-American Conference Baseball Tournament championship with a 7-4 victory at Olga A. Mural Field at Schoonover Stadium today (May 27). The Cardinals bullpen shut down the Kent State offense and tournament most valuable player Kyle Dygert's two-run home run in the fourth inning keyed the Ball State victory. It is the first tournament title for Ball State, which had played in the championship game three previous times.

Ball State's bullpen took over with one out in the fifth inning, then allowed just one hit over the next 4.2 innings to help the Cardinals capture the title. Jeff Michael earned the win, pitching 3.2 innings and striking out two before giving way to Kyle Heyne, who tossed a perfect ninth with two strikeouts to earn the save. Michael improved to 4-0 on the year, while Heyne earned his first save of the year. He also picked up the win in Ball State's victory against Kent State yesterday. The duo did not allow a runner to advance to second base in their combined relief effort.

The Golden Flashes scored the game's opening run in the bottom of the second inning when Kurt Eichorn singled to right-center field. Eichorn advanced to second on a balk, then moved to third on a ground out. He eventually scored on a ground out by Todd Balduf to give KSU a 1-0 lead.

Ball State answered right back in the top of the third inning as Brian Meyer led off with a bunt single. Meyer scored on a double by Mike Sullivan that landed just inside the left-field line. The relay to home beat Meyer to the plate, but the throw was tough to handle, allowing Ball State to knot the score 1-1.

The Cardinals jumped in front in the fourth with Justin Rogers leading off with a base hit to right field. Dygert followed with a one-out, two-run home run to right field that put Ball State ahead 3-1. The homer was Dygert's second of the tournament.

The Golden Flashes came back in the bottom of the inning with Eichorn and Andrew Davis reaching on a hit batter and a walk. Balduf doubled into the right-field corner, scoring Eichorn, but Davis was cut down at the plate by a perfect relay by Ball State right fielder Meyer, to first baseman Brad Miller, to catcher Matt Singleton.

Ball State's Eric Earnhart led off the fifth with a single through the right side. Sullivan and Miller followed with singles of their own to load the bases. C.J. Webb lined a two-out single to left field, Earnhart scored to put Ball State up 5-2, but Miller was out on his way to the plate, caught in a rundown.

Kent State trimmed the lead to one with two runs in the fifth inning. Brad Winter reached on a two-base error when the Ball State right fielder dropped a fly ball. Winter scored on a single through the right side by Burriss, who promptly stole second, then scored on an error to cut the lead to 5-4. But the Golden Flashes would not threaten again as the Ball State bullpen shut down the Kent State offense the rest of the way.

Dygert and Sullivan each finished 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI, while Webb also drove in a pair and Earnhart scored twice. Balduf was 2-for-4 with two RBI for Kent State. Ball State out-hit the Flashes 12-4 in the contest. Dygert batted .438 (7-16) in the tournament, with two homers, seven RBI and four runs. Earnhart batted .400 with four runs scored and two stolen bases.

Noting Game 10:
• Championship game of the 2006 MAC Tournament.
• Ball State is the first undefeated champion of the MAC Tournament since Miami in 2000.
• Kyle Dygert is the second MAC Tournament MVP from Ball State, joining Brad Snyder in 2002.
• Ball State was playing the in MAC Tournament championship game for the fourth time, playing Kent State for the third time.
• Eric Earnhart extended his hitting streak to 19 games... Earnhart also was named to the MAC All-Tournament team in 2005.
• Kyle Heyne threw his fourth consecutive shutout innings against Kent State in the tournament.
• Kent State's Joe Tucker set the school's career record for games played with 222... He also finished third all-time in stolen bases (58) and second in hits (285).
• Kurt Eichorn finished with 31 career home runs at Kent State, seventh all-time, tied for sixth with 161 career RBI and third with 184 runs scored.
• Emmanuel Burriss extended his school record with his 42nd steal of the season.

Quoting Game 10:
• Ball State Head Coach Greg Beals
"Whenever you go to game four of the tournament and you only give up four hits, you're pitching staff is doing a great job. Richie Fralick threw well in his first start of the season and gave us a chance to win, and we just let Jeff Michael go. He wanted to keep taking the ball, and he threw strong."

• Kent State Head Coach Scott Stricklin
"We just weren't swinging the bats the way we needed to. I tip my cap to their pitching staff. Ball State played better than anyone down the stretch and they deserved to win this tournament. There were six very good teams in this tournament and we will wait to hear on Monday whether or not we'll keep playing in the NCAA Tournament."

• MAC Tournament MVP Kyle Dygert
"Kent State's a good team, and it took two good games to beat them. We needed to do everything well, and fortunately we were able to do that. I was just hoping the home run would get us going. I knew that wasn't going to be enough to win it. I was just glad to get a couple of runs on the board, get a lead and get everybody in the dugout going."

2006 MAC All-Tournament Team
Kyle Dygert, Ball State (MVP)
Eric Earnhart, Ball State
Kyle Heyne, Ball State
Chris Pestle, Ball State
Justin Rogers, Ball State
Andrew Davis, Kent State
Kurt Eichorn, Kent State
Chad Wagler, Kent State
Noah Lankford, Central Michigan
Eric Darlage, Miami