Ball State pitching kept Central Michigan's high-octane offensein check, and timely hitting on Friday and Sunday allowed theCardinals to take two of three games at Theunissen Field in Mt.Pleasant, Mich.
With the series victory, Ball State (8-4 Mid-AmericanConference, 18-15 overall) moved into a tie with Central (6-3,17-17) and Eastern Michigan (6-3, 19-14) for first place in theWest Division. Central came in batting .333 as a team and averaging8.6 runs, but managed just 10 runs in the three games againstBSU.
"It was a big weekend for us," coach Greg Beals said. "After thesplit, we knew it was important to win (Sunday). I feel good abouthow we went about playing today."
After coming back for a 6-4 win on Friday, the Cards fell 3-1 onSaturday. Sunday saw the team break a 2-2 tie with three unearnedruns in the sixth inning.
Right fielder Kiel Holman, whose two-out double plated JasonBucholtz in the second, led off the sixth with a single. Designatedhitter James Nowicki then laid a bunt that Central reliever DavidLeMieux failed to pick up.
After Mike Sullivan struck out, Matt Singleton hit a tapper backto LeMieux, who threw wildly to first, allowing Holman to comehome. Marc Franz followed with a single up the middle, scoring twomore.
Ball State starting pitcher Andy Anderson yielded to RyanDeGeeter with two outs in the eighth. Central scored once on anerror by second baseman Kyle Dygert's error and had runners onsecond and third, but DeGeeter caught David LaTour looking for thethird out.
DeGeeter then retired the Chippewas in order in the ninth forhis first save.
Anderson scattered six hits and a walk over 7 2/3 innings toimprove his record to 4-2.
"Andy Anderson had a great start," Beals said. "DeGeeter justdid a good job; he came in throwing hard and throwing strikes."
Catcher Lucas Fry doubled in a pair of runs in the first inningon Friday. Central fought back and led 4-2 in the fifth when BryanMitzel led off with a home run off DeGeeter, who had relieved MikeJohnston.
Brad Miller started the Ball State with a double, then scoredwhen the CMU shortstop threw wildly after fielding Dygert'sgrounder.
The Cards took the lead in the seventh when Franz stroked an RBIsingle and Miller's bunt single, a play Beals called a "safetysqueeze," scored Singleton. Fry added an insurance run in the ninthwhen his single plated Franz.
"We just told Singleton to read the bunt," said Beals. "Miller'sgot great hands, and he drags bunts well in practice. It's aboutthe only time situationally where it's good to have him dothat.
"That (game) was probably our best job of situational hittingall year."
DeGeeter recorded the win after two innings of relief.Left-hander Michael Hale followed with three scoreless innings forhis first save.
On Saturday, the Chippewas led 3-0 after seven innings beforeBSU managed a run. Miller scored Singleton with a single, and theCards then put runners on second and third with two outs, butHolman grounded out to short.
Despite that loss, a series win has Ball State well-positionedfor the second half of MAC play.
"We're in good position; we're at winning two of three everyweekend," Beals said. "If we continue to do that, we'll be on topof the division, which is where we think we should be. We just haveto keep playing good baseball."
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