In the preseason coaches' poll for the Mid-American Conference, Ball State and Eastern Michigan were tabbed first and second in the West Division.
Now, five weeks into the league schedule, the Cardinals (20-17, 10-5 MAC) and Eagles (22-16, 8-4) are tied atop the West, with BSU in control of its own destiny.
"This is exactly where we hoped to, where we anticipated to be," coach Greg Beals said. "If we go up there and win the series, then we're on top alone, and we get to play our last two (league) series at home."
But first, the Cards must travel to Oestrike Stadium in Ypsilanti, Mich., for three games, the first one tonight at 7 p.m. EST. Eastern is 12-2 at home this season.
The Eagles are hitting .322 as a team with 48 home runs, both second in the MAC. Leading the way is junior shortstop Brian Bixler (.442) and leftfielder Todd Kimling (.347, 13 home runs, 41 RBI). Derrick Peterson (.326, 10, 45) is the school's all-time leader in runs batted in.
In addition to their hitting prowess, the Eagles also have the league's best running game with 103 stolen bases, and Bixler (26) again pacing the squad.
However, EMU's speed hasn't produced sleepless nights for Beals.
Ball State counters with a pitching staff that has a 3.82 ERA, tops in the league, and has yielded just 30 stolen bases, tied for best.
"I feel confident in our ability to control the running game a little," Beals said. "Our pitchers are doing a good job of getting the ball to home plate and giving our catchers a chance, and for the most part our catchers have done a good job. Our pitching staff worked a lot in the off-season on holding runners on."
Taking the hill for Ball State will be senior lefty Mike Johnston (2-4, 3.81), sophomore Joe Ness (6-2, 3.64) and senior Andrew Anderson (5-2, 3.93).
Eastern's pitching staff has an ERA of 5.96, 11th in the MAC. Ryan Ford (6-3, 3.11) will be the likely starter on Friday, and George Biddle (3-3, 4.81) is another likely bet, but after that is anybody's guess. Only two EMU pitchers have not started a game this season.
Following Tuesday's disappointing 7-6 loss in 15 innings at Notre Dame, Beals liked how his team responded on Wednesday against IPFW at Wizards Stadium. Marc Franz's three-run double put BSU up for good in the seventh, and the Cards added four runs in the eighth in an 8-2 victory.
The second-year coach believes his team has created much-needed momentum heading into an important series.
"It was good to see," Beals said of Wednesday. "I told the guys Tuesday after the game that we needed to treat Wednesday like an extension of that game, because we played too hard to lose.
"I think we've played two pretty tough games, and that should have us ready to go."
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