After losing the first two games on Sunday, the Ball State University baseball team (12-18, 3-6 Mid-American Conference) rallied for a come-from-behind victory in the third and final game against Ohio University.
The Cardinals lost game one and two 11-6, 7-6, respectively, and won game three 6-4 to avoid the sweep.
All three games of the series were completed on Sunday. The first game began Friday, but was suspended in the top of the third inning in a 5-5 game due to weather. The game was slated to finish on Saturday followed by the second game of the series. However, due to cold and snow no baseball was played on Saturday.
"The biggest thing that the game getting canceled Friday night did was it killed momentum," coach Greg Beals said. "We had gained some momentum on Friday but the time off killed it."
The Achilles heel for the Cardinals in the series, according to Beals, was leaving men on base.
"No question, that stat is the big story," Beals said. "We got hits but we couldn't compete and get hits when we needed to. We got the table set but nobody went and ate."
Ball State left 30 men on base in the three games, including 12 in the final game.
One Cardinal who had a good weekend was senior Eric Earnhart. Batting in the leadoff spot Earnhart batted .462 in the series, getting hits in six of 13 at-bats. Earnhart scored four runs in the three games including three times in the second game.
"I think my swing has started coming around a lot better," Earnhart said. "I'm seeing the ball better too."
Ohio came into the series in last place in the MAC East, while the Cardinals were in last place in the MAC West. Ohio was the last team to win a MAC game. The Bobcats' first MAC victory was their first victory of this series.
"We got six weekends in the conference left, four of them at home," Beals said. "We got time but we need to get on it soon."
Earnhart said the Cardinals must stop losing right now.
"It has got to stop immediately if we're going to have the success we all think we can have and we all want to have," Earnhart said.
Kyle Heyne, Ball State's closer, picked up his eighth save of the season in the third game.
"He's the go-to guy in the bullpen," Beals said. "He gave it up in the second game but came back and closed it out in the third game."
Heyne picked up the loss in the second game by giving up the winning run in the ninth inning, but recorded the final four outs of the final game in the series.
Beals said he doesn't think it will be a problem having Heyne pitch twice in one day.
"His first outing was very short," Beals said. "Normally, it's not too hard, but the weather made it a little harder."
While it was cold throughout the weekend, Earnhart said it didn't bother him.
"We were expecting the cold weather so it didn't surprise us at all," Earnhart said. "Pitchers have more of a problem with it then the hitters would. It's just something you have to deal with."
Beals said the weather is no excuse for losing two of three to the Bobcats.
"It was the same way for both teams," Beals said.
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