The Ball State baseball team came close to a win in two games but ended up being swept by the No. 6 Miami Hurricanes at Mark Light Stadium in Coral Gables, Fla., this weekend.
"It was a very good weekend of competition for us," head coach Greg Beals said. "Give Miami credit; they're a good ball club and have good hitters."
The Hurricanes had 20 runs off of 35 hits in the three-game series compared to the Cardinals six runs and 20 hits.
The Cardinals had half of those hits in the third game but only got three runs across the plate in a 7-3 loss that saw Miami score four runs in the bottom of the eighth.
Ball State got the first run of the game when sophomore Brad Miller singled to right field and drove in sophomore Mike Sullivan.
Senior Andrew Anderson pitched a perfect first two innings for the Cards' before allowing three hits in the third inning, including a Jon Jay deep ball that almost went out of the park and pushed the Hurricanes' first run across the plate to tie the game.
Miami took the lead when Jay hit another deep ball down the left field line that also almost left the park and scored Gaby Sanchez. The Hurricanes later added another run in the sixth to take a 3-1 lead.
The Cards' got things going again in the eighth inning, when the bases were loaded with junior Jason Bucholtz up. Bucholtz worked to a full count and then lined one to left which drove in junior Marc Franz.
With the bases still loaded and one out, sophomore Kyle Dygert stepped up to the plate and hit a sacrifice fly which drove Jon Dollinger in for the tie. The Hurricane's, however, attempted to throw out Bucholtz at second and the umpire called him out to end the inning. Beals argued the call with the umpire, but it was to no avail.
"That last out in the top of the 8th inning was a tough call," Beals said. "It took some wind out of our sails."
Beals said the team was a little distracted in the bottom of the eighth because of the call, which allowed Miami to get four runs and a 7-3 lead.
The Cardinals looked to have something going in the ninth with men on first and second and one out, but Franz grounded into a double play to end the game.
Junior Jeff Michael suffered the loss for the Cardinals after pitching 2.1 innings and allowing four runs on six hits. After a perfect first two innings, Anderson ended up pitching 5.2 innings allowing three runs on seven hits.
In game one, Ball State had four hits and one run, compared to the Hurricane's 13 hits and nine runs.
The Cards' did get the first run of the game in the third when Franz drove in James Nowicki. The Hurricanes then answered with a run in the bottom of the third and never looked back.
Three Hurricanes had two RBI and Joey Hooft, the designated hitter, was a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs scored.
Mike Johnston took the loss for the Cards' after pitching 5.2 innings and allowing six hits and four runs. J.D. Cockroft got the win after pitching eight innings and allowing only one run on three hits.
The second game was a battle of two Indiana pitchers. Sophomore Joe Ness of Logansport faced Miami's Cesar Carrillo of Mt. Carmel who had a perfect record going into the game.
With his perfect record on the line, Carrillo allowed only two runs off of five hits in seven innings pitched. Ness got the loss after giving up three of four solo home runs Miami had in the 4-2 victory.
The Cards' had six hits in the loss, but no one had more then one hit with Fry and Holman getting the runs.
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