All things come to an end and the 2007 Ball State University baseball campaign will end with a three-game series against Central Michigan University that will begin Thursday at Ball Diamond.
At 18-33, 6-18 Mid American Conference, the defending champion Cardinals will not make the Mid-American Conference Tournament. It is the first time since 1996 Ball State has not qualified for the tournament.
"You never want to end the season early like this," first baseman Matt Stoeklin said. "You always want to be able to win the MAC Tournament and move on to Regionals."
Central Michigan is 20-4 in the MAC, and 31-17 overall this season heading into the three-game series.
Seven Cardinals seniors will be playing for the last time in the Ball State cardinal and white. Four pitchers, including weekend starter Ryan DeGeeter, and three field position players, including Eric Earnhart, make up the seven members of the senior class.
"Every senior class is special in its own right," Cardinals' coach Greg Beals said. "They've grinded through a championship season and now a tough season with this one."
DeGeeter has started 13 games for Ball State this season, which is tied with Brenden Stines for the team lead. He has amassed a 4-6 record with a 6.08 ERA on the season.
"Ryan's been a mainstay in our rotation for two years," Beals said. "He's a great student and he's been pretty darn good for us on the field too."
Earnhart leads the team in batting average with .319 going into the weekend. He has scored 26 times and stolen nine bases in 37 games.
"Eric has been one of those guys who on the field has done everything we have asked of him," Beals said. "He's a great competitor. We'll miss that toughness he brought to the team."
Stoeklin said the team needs to win not just for the seniors, but for the younger players to get a good feeling heading into the off-season.
"To beat the best team in the MAC shows us where we are at and that next season will be a different story," Stoeklin said.
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