After Saturday's baseball game was rained out, postponing the game to Sunday, Ball State University's offense came out red hot in the second of a three-game series with Alabama-Birmingham.
The Cardinals lost the series 2-1, but their lone win in that second game came in thrilling fashion.
When UAB reliever Brandon Flaherty threw a wild pitch to Ball State catcher Matt Singleton, Ball State's Justin Rogers scored what turned out to be the game-winning run.
Ball State grabbed a three-run lead in the top of the second inning before the Blazers scored eight unanswered runs in the next three innings.
The Cardinals came from five runs behind in the fifth inning to cut the lead down to one.
With the bases loaded, Rogers singled down the right field line to score first baseman Brad Miller and third baseman C.J. Webb.
Shortstop Phil Bednar followed with a single to score Rogers and Chris Pestle, then Bednar scored after pinch hitter Mike Ayala singled.
"I really have to commend the guys for fighting back and getting us back in the ball game," coach Greg Beals said. "That was the most encouraging thing for me over the weekend, to see our guys fight back like they did."
Singleton scored in the seventh after UAB reliever Jacob Legg was called for a balk, and Miller tied the game with an RBI single, scoring Dygert, who had advanced to second base on the balk.
"He just came out with the guns blazing and swung the bat well and was offensive more than anything, with his approach, looking to drive in runs," said Beals of Miller's season-opening performance.
Webb followed with an RBI single and Chris Pestle almost gave the Cardinals another run when his base hit bounced off the outfield wall.
But Webb was tagged out at home plate on the relay throw, and the Cardinals entered the bottom of the inning with a 10-9 lead.
Kyle Heyne picked up the win for Ball State, striking out six and allowing one hit.
The redshirt sophomore closer entered the game in the eighth inning and pitched the final five innings.
"I just went out and did what I could do to help the team to get a win," he said.
It was Heyne's second career win. He said there were a lot of positive things the team could take out of the weekend, despite the two losses.
"This was our first weekend, we've just got some things we need to work on," Heyne said.
Ball State lost the season-opening game, 10-4.
The Cardinals fell behind early, when sophomore Ben Snyder allowed two runs in the first inning.
The deficit was cut to one in the third inning, but the Blazers scored eight of the next nine runs.
Dygert bagged Ball State's lone hit in the final game of the series, a 3-0 loss.
Ryan DeGeeter allowed one run on four hits in six innings, striking out three and walking two.
"We weren't able to put anything together against them," Beals said. "When you give up only three runs, you should be able to win games that way."
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