It was the little things that got to the Ball State baseball team in its 7-6 loss to Butler Wednesday.
"We had some miscues in the outfield, a pop-up that lands in an inning that scores runs, we roll into a double-play ball late in the game with runners threatening to score," head coach Greg Beals said.
"It's nothing you can really pinpoint. It was just one of those days where we were okay but not real good, and that's the difference between winning and losing. "
The Cards found themselves with an early deficit as senior starting pitcher John Pettibone allowed five runs in the second inning. The start marked the first career start for Pettibone, who is the team's closer.
Pettibone made it through the second inning and was relieved by junior Michael Hale, who shut out the Bulldogs and allowed one hit through two innings of relief work.
The game was set-up to be a relief day for the team, giving it rest for the upcoming weekend. Pettibone, Hale, freshman Richie Fralick and junior Erik Morrison all pitched two innings each while junior Jeff Michael closed out for the final inning.
BSU's offense played catch-up for most of the game, responding to Butler's five-run second inning with a run of its own in the bottom of the second.
The fourth inning saw junior Marc Franz hit a solo shot, his seventh on the season, which is second on the team.
Franz's home run was followed up by two consecutive singles by sophomores Brad Miller and Kyle Dygert. Senior catcher Lucas Fry moved the runners to second and third with a sacrifice bunt, and senior Kiel Holman hit Miller home with a single. The inning ended when freshman Kenny Bargfeldt hit into a double play, leaving Dygert on third.
Butler handed Ball State its third consecutive non-conference loss. The Cards dropped games to Findlay and Xavier last week, but responded the following weekend by taking two of three from Mid-American Conference opponent Akron.
Beals hopes to be able to bounce back from another mid-week loss when the Cards travel to Central Michigan, the top team in the MAC, this weekend.
"It shouldn't affect us too much. We played about as bad as we could play last week and had a pretty good weekend, and we have to do that again this weekend," Beals said. "We have to win that series. I'm confident that we'll be fine and ready to go."
BSU begins the three-game series against Central Michigan at 3 p.m. Friday in Mt. Pleasant, Mich.
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