If the Ball State University baseball team can get its third consecutive series sweep to begin the Mid-American Conference season, the winning streak put up by the 2006 team that won the conference tournament will be eclipsed.
The Cardinals (18-9, 6-0 MAC) have won 10 consecutive games and need one win to match the 11-game win streak made by the 2006 squad. In the way of making that a reality is Bowling Green State University. The Falcons are second in the MAC East with a 4-2 record but lost two of three games last weekend against Central Michigan University.
"We are as hot as can be right now," Ball State first baseman Matt Stoeklin said. "MAC games are big in general ... with them bringing a winning record into our house, it's very big."
Stoeklin led the Cardinals in batting average last year among starters with a .311 average and had a team high in home runs, eight, and RBIs, 39. While he got off to a good start this season with a .333 batting average through 11 games, he has struggled since. He has gone 6-46 since his hot start, plummeting his average to .234.
The only way to snap out of his funk is to keep working hard, Stoeklin said.
"Just keep trying to get quality pitches to hit; keep swinging, get out of it," he said. "Just keep a good mind-set and keep trucking at it."
Stoeklin said the coaches have told him he is getting out in front of pitches too much and needs to relax in the batter's box and keep his back stiff through his swing. While he'll continue working in order to return to the performance level he was at, he said, the frustration is mounting.
"I don't think there is really a comparable thing; this is probably the most frustrating thing I've been through," he said. "It's a little less frustrating now that we are on a 10-game win streak, but you like to contribute a little yourself personally."
While Stoeklin has struggled, the team has flourished offensively. It leads the MAC in nine offensive categories.
If the Cardinals want to keep up their record pace, they will have to do it against stiffer competition as 18 of the remaining 24 games are in the MAC. Stoeklin said the MAC portion of the schedule is what matters most.
"It's a different kind of season as opposed to early in the season and in midweek games," he said. "The MAC is a little bit more high stake."
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