BASEBALL: Victory at Northern Illinois brings MAC Championship

<p>T.J. Weir pitches against Bowling Green on April 9, 2013. On May 15, 2014, the baseball team became Mid-American Conference regular season champions. DN PHOTO JONATHAN MIKSANEK</p>

T.J. Weir pitches against Bowling Green on April 9, 2013. On May 15, 2014, the baseball team became Mid-American Conference regular season champions. DN PHOTO JONATHAN MIKSANEK

With its 4-3 win against Northern Illinois today, the Ball State baseball team clinched the Mid-American Conference regular season championship.

The Cardinals are 20-4, a .833 winning percentage in conference play and have yet to lose a series to a MAC opponent.

Last season, Ball State finished 15-12 in conference games, while just missing a division title, finishing one game behind Northern Illinois.

Facing the Huskies again today, coach Rich Maloney sent ace T.J. Weir to the mound.

As he has done for most of the season, Weir pitched an outstanding game, holding Northern Illinois to three runs on seven hits in 7.2 innings of work.

After Weir allowed the Huskies to score a run in the first, and the Cardinals answered with three runs in the second. First baseman CalebStayton clubbed a two-run home run to right field, and designated hitter Brandon Estep followed him with a home run of his own to give the Cardinals the 3-1 lead.

Ball State took a 4-1 advantage on a RBI double by catcher Jarett Rindfleisch in the third inning, and Weir cruised until the bottom of the eighth where Northern Illinois scored twice.

Freshman Zach Plesac relieved Weir with two outs in the inning and recorded the final four outs to save his sixth game of the season, earn Weir his eighth win and give Ball State the 4-3 victory.

After wrapping up the regular season with two games against Northern Illinois on Friday and Saturday, the Ball State baseball team will travel to Avon, Ohio, for the 2014 MAC Tournament. The tournament begins Wednesday, but schedules have yet to be announced.

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