Baseball

Ball State, Kent State and Bowling Green Secure Wednesday Wins

Wednesday’s Baseball Results
Ball State 18, Manchester 5
Kent State 12, Akron 7
Bowling Green 13, Lourdes 4
Dayton 9, Toledo 5
Cincinnati 8, Miami 7
Stories Courtesy of MAC Athletic Communications Departments

Ball State 18, Manchester 5
Box Score
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State baseball team rode a trio of big innings to an 18-5 win over Manchester on Wednesday afternoon at Shebek Stadium.

The Cardinals (16-16) started off with four runs in the opening frame on a three-run homer by Brady Davidson and solo shot from Brett Griffiths. An RBI single from Jacob Gillis in the second gave Ball State a 5-0 lead.

After the visiting Spartans plated four runs in the third inning, the hosts responded with nine in the bottom of the fourth, highlighted by a two-run single by Bakus and three-run home run from Huebner, to extend the advantage to 14-4. Huebner, Gillis and Charlie Keller produced run-scoring hits in the sixth frame to finish the day's offense for the Cardinals.

Huebner went 4-for-4 on the afternoon, finishing a triple short of the cycle, with four RBI and five runs scored. Gillis and Davidson each had three hits and three RBI, while Griffiths and Keller tallied two hits as well as the other Cardinals with multiple knocks for the game.

Brady Strawmyer started for Ball State and struck out three in 2.2 innings of work. Luke Reed (1-0) followed in relief with two strikeouts in 2.1 frames of one-run ball to be credited with the win. Trent Murphy (three strikeouts) and Joe Lafkas (two strikeouts) fired subsequent shutout innings to finish off the game.

"It was a great opportunity to get some of our pitchers some much-needed work," Ball State head coach Rich Maloney said.

Ty Layson (3-4) started for Manchester on the mound and surrendered four runs in an inning to be hit with the loss.

Ball State is next set to begin its series with Akron at 3 p.m. on Friday.

Kent State 12, Akron 7
Box Score
KENT, Ohio — Kent State overcame an early two-run deficit to defeat rival Akron 12-7 Wednesday night at Schoonover Stadium, improving to 24-7 overall behind a six-run first inning and a dominant middle stretch that put the game out of reach.

Akron grabbed the early advantage with two unearned runs in the top of the first, but the Flashes answered immediately and emphatically. Kent State sent ten batters to the plate in the bottom of the first, erupting for six runs on four hits to take a lead they would not relinquish. The Flashes added two more in the third to push the margin to 8-2 before a four-run sixth, capped by a Nolan Belcher three-run home run, which put the game away at 12-4. Akron plated three runs in the ninth, but it was too little, too late. Parker Lind earned the win (2-0), tossing 1.2 scoreless innings in relief as part of a six-pitcher effort out of the Kent State bullpen.

Belcher was the offensive standout, going 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, and four RBIs. His three-run blast to left field in the sixth inning was the decisive blow of the night. Alejandro Covas reached base five times and scored three runs, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and a walk. Ripken Reese added a milestone to his evening, notching his 100th career hit as part of a 1-for-3 night with two walks. Sawyer Solitaria drove in two runs with a first-inning single and a sixth-inning sacrifice fly, while Brody Williams doubled and knocked in two in the first. Kolton Schaller drove in two runs with a sacrifice fly and a groundout, and Brady Marshall added an RBI single in the third. Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe tripled to open the sixth and scored on Solitaria's sac fly to extend the lead.

Kent State returns to MAC play this weekend, traveling to DeKalb, Illinois, to play NIU.

Bowling Green 13, Lourdes 4
Box Score
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio  – The Bowling Green State University baseball team earned its fifth straight win over the Lourdes Grey Wolves, taking a 13-4 victory, in Bowling Green on Wednesday night (April 8). The Falcons' bullpen had a tremendous performance, pitching a total of 7.1 scoreless. The Falcons' bats were also on fire as every hitter in the lineup recorded at least one hit. The win moves the Falcons to 5-0 in the month of April, the team's best start in the month since beginning April in 2006 with a 5-0 record. 

On the mound, Joey Buchanan, Andrew Heffernan, Ethan Papacek and Chase Clatur combined for 7.1 IP scoreless in relief, totaling 10 strikeouts . At the plate, TJ Takats and Chase Chopin each hit their first home runs of the season to lead the Falcons' offense.

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • After pitching a scoreless first inning, the Grey Wolves' bats came to life. After a walk and a single to start the inning, a wild pitch allowed the runners to advance to second and third with no outs. Andrew Arntson hit a three-run home run over the left field wall to put Lourdes up three. 
  • After recording an out, Brad Hughes singled up the middle to get himself on. Hughes would advance to second on a passed ball, then on the next pitch, a ball in the dirt allowed him to take third. With the runner on third, Layne Vance grounded out to the shortstop Griffin Scheiderer to bring home Hughes from third for an RBI and to cap off a four-run second inning for the Grey Wolves.
  • Bowling Green starter Micah Smith finished his day after pitching 1.2 IP and allowing four earned runs before being replaced by Joey Buchanan on the mound.
  • Vinny Salvione got the offense for BGSU started after lining a single into right field to lead off the third inning. Anthony Mitta followed up with a single of his own to put runners on first and second with no outs. A perfect bunt laid down by Lance Vickers allowed Salvione to score after the throw from the catcher pulled the first baseman off the bag, but Salvione's wide turn allowed him to read the play and score at home.
  • With runners on first and third, a throwing error after a pop-up behind the plate allowed Mitta to score and finish a two-run bottom of the third inning for the Falcons.
  • Mitta hits a leadoff double in the bottom of the 5th. Lance Vickers hits a single to drive Mitta home to cut the lead to one. 
  • TJ Takats hits his first home run of the year over the right field wall to put the Falcons up 5-4
  • Andrew Heffernan pitched two scoreless innings in relief, striking out two batters.
  • In the bottom of the seventh, the Falcons strung together multiple hits to bring home four runs. Griffin Scheiderer, Anthony Mitta and Lance Vickers all recorded an RBI to grow the Falcons' lead and make it 9-4 after seven innings.
  • The hitting continued in the eighth after Chase Chopin smoked his first home run of the year, launching a three-run home run over the right field wall to extend the Falcons' lead to 12-4.