KENT, Ohio -- For Kyle Dygert, the last four Mid-American Conference games of his career will never be forgotten.
The senior second baseman hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning to put Ball State University up for good, as the Cardinals defeated Kent State University 7-4 on Saturday to claim its first-ever MAC Tournament Championship. The victory also gives Ball State the MAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
"At that particular point I was looking to do exactly what I did," said Dygert, named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. "I had seen him in my first at-bat. I had seen his fastball. It was pretty straight, pretty hittable I thought. I was looking for a fastball up [in the zone] and that's what I got and I put a pretty good swing on it."
Kent State struck first, taking a 1-0 lead in the second, with Kurt Eichorn scoring on a groundout by Todd Balduf.
Brian Meyer started the Ball State scoring, leading off the third inning with a single and scoring on a double by Mike Sullivan.
In the top of the fourth inning, a Justin Rogers single and a sacrifice bunt by C.J. Webb set up Dygert's blast.
"Wee've been getting [offense] back and fourth throughout the year, getting contributions from different places," coach Greg Beals said. "Dygert just had a little bit of a tough year early on. He's been swinging the bat real well of late. He's a senior and he just embraced this tournament."
Kent State came right back in the bottom half. Balduf's RBI double scored Eichorn, but KSU third baseman Andrew Davis was thrown out at home on a relay throw from Brad Miller to prevent the game from being tied.
The Cardinals responded with four hits in the top of the fifth inning, scoring two runs. Third baseman C.J. Webb's single to left field scored both Eric Earnhart and Mike Sullivan.
"We've been playing really good baseball the last four weeks," Beals said. "The guys really embrace the competitiveness of the tournament. We swung the bat real well."
Kent State would score two more runs on the fifth to make it 5-4, but would get no closer as Ball State would add two more insurance runs in the ninth.
One of the unsung heroes for the Ball State on Saturday was pitcher Jeff Michael. After relieving starter Richie Fralick, Michael pitched 3 2/3 innings, while only giving up one hit and striking out two.
"He's got a strong arm and he throws hard with a good breaking ball," Beals said. "I've only been letting him go about two innings each time out. Today, it's the last game. We let him ride and let him go as long as we thought he could."
After Michael got through the eighth inning, Kyle Heyne slammed the door shut on Kent State in the ninth, picking up the save.
Ball State went undefeated in the tournament, which is the first time that happened since 2000, when Miami University pulled off the feat. Making the All-Tournament team for the Cardinals were Dygert, Heyne, Earnhart, Rogers and Chris Pestle.
The Cardinals [37-20] will find out who and where it will play in the NCAA Tournament on Monday.
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