The Ball State University baseball team went into this weekend's series against Central Michigan University with a chance to win the Mid-American Conference West division, but that title went to the Chippewas as they took two of the three games in the series.-áCentral Michigan (34-21) will be the No. 2 seed in the upcoming MAC Tournament on Wednesday. The Cardinals (33-20) finished the season with a 16-9 mark in the MAC and will be the tournments No. 3 seed.-áThe Chippewas took the first game of the series on Thursday 9-6. Ball State was able to squeeze out an 8-7 victory on Friday to set up a decisive game on Saturday where the winner would be crowned MAC West champion.-áCentral Michigan out slugged the Cards to win 19-16, as the two teams combined for 35 runs on 39 hits.Coach Greg Beals said he wanted his team to experience a postseason atmosphere on Saturday with the big MAC tournament coming up.-á"We wanted to embrace that championship feeling on Saturday" Beals said. "We wanted to thrive in the energy of a big game, and get the feeling of playoff game going into the upcoming tournament."-áDespite suffering the defeat on Saturday, two Cardinal players etched their names in the Ball State record book in this series.-áSenior Brad Miller became the career leader in RBIs on Friday, and followed that up Saturday by setting the all-time home run mark.-áMiller's three-run blast in the top of the third inning Saturday gave Ball State an early 5-3 lead. For Miller, it was home run No. 50 at Ball State, and his 21st of the season- just two behind single-season record holder Thomas Howard.-á"It was a big home run early in the game," Miller said. "It would have been nice to get a win, but it was still a good feeling."-áFellow senior Mike Sullivan set a record on Friday for most runs scored for a career. Sullivan also ignited the Cardinal offense on Saturday with a two-run homer in the first inning.After a flurry of hits and runs by both teams, the Cardinals took a 16-12 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning. But the Chippewas came away with seven runs in the inning and were able to hold off Ball State in the ninth to claim the 19-16 win.-áThe Cardinal bullpen couldn't stop the Chippewas in the eighth. After giving up three straight singles, Central Michigan's Cody Allen knocked in two runs with another single, making the score 16-14.-áThe next batter, Tyler Stovall, doubled to drive home two more and tie the score at 16. Later in the inning, Troy Moratti singled to bring home the go-ahead run.-áBeals said it was a bad performance from his usually reliable bullpen.-á"I'm disappointed that we blew a seven-run lead," Beals said. "It was uncharacteristic of our bullpen to give up that many runs. But at the same time, I feel good about the way we're playing."-áEvery player in the Ball State lineup recorded a hit on Saturday, and seven of them had at least one RBI. Miller drove in four on Saturday, setting a single-season RBI record with 74.-áCoach Beals said Miller has been a joy to coach over the past four years.-á"Brad's very talented," Beals said. "And for him to set all these records with the players that have come through here, that's saying a lot."-áBut the humble Miller felt it's been more of a team effort, and is confident in to team's chances heading into the MAC tournament.-á"We're ready to go out there and give it our best shot," Miller said.
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