Putting up some big numbers on the scoreboard in two innings, getting some key hits and taking advantage of defensive miscues helped the Ball State University baseball team end a two-game losing streak.
The Cardinals (17-14) defeated University of Dayton, 16-5, with five runs in the first inning and eight in the seventh. But to coach Greg Beals, freshman Jay Broughton's starting performance was the key to Ball State's win.
"The big story for me is Jay Broughton and his start coming off the Valpo start last week," Beals said. "He was very good today. Jay set the tempo for our ball club."
Broughton pitched into the sixth inning, allowing four runs on four hits and striking out three.
"He was throwing strikes and that's always been the key for Jay is pitching ahead in the count and pounding the strike zone," Beals said. "That's what he did. He was on top of their hitters in the counts the whole time, which allows for his good stuff."
Ball State jumped out to a 5-0 lead when Brad Miller and Justin Rogers drove in runs with a double and single. After Kyle Dygert loaded the bases when he advanced to first base on a catcher's interference call, Chris Pestle walked to score Rogers. Matt Gard drove in two more runs with a single.
"Everything just built from there from that inning," center fielder Mike Sullivan said. "The wind was blowing out so it was a pretty offensive day."
Dayton managed six hits in the game, led by Joe McSoley's two.
"We scored five in the first inning and then had Jay go out and put five straight zeros on the board," Beals said. "That set the tempo for the whole game."
Rogers extended his hitting streak to 13, now past the halfway point of Ball State's record, by going 4-for-5. The school record is held by current St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Larry Bigbie, who set it in 1999 with 24 hits.
"The guy I was really pleased with was Justin Rogers," Beals said. "We moved Justin up to the five-hole, and he responded."
After the Cardinals added three runs in the fifth, Dayton scored four in the sixth to cut Ball State's lead in half. McSoley drove in a run with a single, and with two men on base, Galen Schumm drove a home run over the left field wall.
Ball State exploded for eight runs in the seventh inning. Miller started the inning with his ninth home run of the season and Sullivan, Gard and C.J. Webb drove in a combined four more runs. The Cardinals added three more runs on Dayton errors for a commanding 16-4 lead.
With the bases loaded in the eighth inning, right fielder Bryan Chandler lined out to center field to score shortstop Michael Massa.
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