A home-run derby broke out during the Ball State game against Indiana on Tuesday as the Cardinals shelled the Hoosiers, 17-4, at Ball Diamond.
The Cardinals and Hoosiers combined for eight home runs -- six of them sent over the fence by Ball State. Home runs weren't the only offensive weapon the Cardinals had, though, connecting for 21 hits in the game.
"After the game, Coach Beals talked about how hitting's contagious," assistant coach Clint Albert. "Our guys started swinging the bats, and we've got to keep going. Everything clicked for us. We swung the bats well, pitched it well, played good defense."
Ball State (24-11) started the game strong, scoring three runs in the first inning and adding a home run in the second by Matt Singleton, his first of two for the game.
Marc Franz and Kyle Dygert added back-to-back home runs in the third, both shots going over the center field wall to give the Cardinals a comfortable 6-0 lead.
Indiana (19-16) finally got on the board in the fourth when Joe Kemp and Ryan Parker hit solo shots over the wall.
Brad Miller continued his hot hitting from the weekend series against Central Michigan by hitting another long ball over the center field wall in the fourth inning, this one a three-run home run. Franz followed with his second home run of the game.
"It's been consistency, having more fun at the park, and letting it come to me," junior first baseman Brad Miller said. "We've been on a roll as a team and everyone's feeding off that positive energy."
Singleton hit his second home run of the game and fifth of the season in the fifth inning. The three-run shot was the final home run of the game and gave the Cardinals a commanding 13-2 lead.
Ball State scored in every inning but the eighth. Dygert and Chris Pestle added runs in the sixth before IU finally broke through again with its final run of the game in the seventh. Arden McWilliams hit an RBI triple that scored Steve Head for the Hoosiers.
With the bases loaded, Brian Meyer scored on a wild pitch by IU reliever Graeme McFarland, and the Cards added their final run on an RBI single by C.J. Webb with the bases again loaded.
Seven pitchers took the mound for IU, while four threw for the Cardinals and only allowed six hits for the game. Ryan DeGeeter (1-2) started picked up the win with three scoreless innings.
"I was real proud of the pitching and defense," Miller said. "We're gonna do what we can do at the plate, and if push comes to shove, we'll take care of our business."
Several Cardinals had multiple-hit games, led by Dygert's 5-for-5 performance, which extended his hitting streak to 17. Mike Sullivan, Webb and Singleton each had three hits; and Miller, Franz and Pestle added two apiece.
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