Head coach Greg Beals said he had no clear expectations based onwins and losses for the Ball State baseball team over theweekend.
He merely wanted them to play well at the Country Inn and SuitesShootout in South Carolina, he said.
However, the team put up only one winning performance andoverall did not play up to its potential. Ball State won only oneof their four games, bringing its record down to 3-4.
"I'm not satisfied with how we played because we didn't play aswell as we were capable of playing," Beals said. "To come out ofthe weekend 1-3 is just not good enough."
Ball State began with a Friday doubleheader against Furman andCoastal Carolina, losing both by one run.
The Furman loss came at the hands of a sixth-inning rally by thePaladins, who put up three runs off senior starting pitcher MikeJohnston (1-1, 3.86 ERA). The final score was 4-3.
Against Coastal Carolina, the Cardinals jumped out to an earlylead with the offensive exploits of sophomore Mike Sullivan, whowent 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI.
By the middle of the fourth inning, Ball State had a 4-0 lead,but Coastal Carolina responded by putting up two runs in the bottomof the fourth and adding three more in the fifth inning.
The Cards tied it 5-5 in the seventh off a Marc Franz doublethat scored Sullivan. That same inning, though, CC scored thewinning run off junior reliever Michael Hale (0-1, 3.00 ERA).
On Saturday, BSU regained composure against Seton Hall andplayed what Beals called "the best game this season."
Starting pitcher Andy Anderson allowed no runs and five hitsthrough seven innings while striking out six, giving him a 1-0record and a 0.00 ERA in two starts this season.
The team downed Seton Hall 7-1, highlighted by sophomore BradMiller's second home run in as many weekends. Sophomore Kyle Dygertadded a solo shot in the fourth inning.
In their final game against William & Mary, the Cardinalsutilized their fourth starting pitcher, junior Chris Hansen (0-1,22.50 ERA), for the first time this year.
Hansen allowed five earned runs on four hits and was relievedafter two innings by freshman Ryan DeGeeter.
The fourth spot in the rotation was a question mark for theCards in the preseason, but Hansen's lackluster performance did notjeopardize his position there.
"We didn't get what we wanted from him (Sunday), but he'll getanother chance. (The fourth spot) is still his for now," Bealssaid.
An early deficit against William & Mary put Ball State in aposition it could have recovered from had it not graduated a largeportion of their offensive power.
"When we don't get a great start from our starting pitching, wejust don't have that type of offensive explosion to get us back inthe game," Beals said. "That's one of things we've talked aboutbefore, and it kind of showed itself today."
The Cardinals return to action in a four-game series thisweekend in Louisville. They begin the series with a 3 p.m. Fridaymatch against host Louisville.
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