Fueled by the momentum from winning the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, the Ball State University baseball team roughed up Furman University for a 14-4 victory in the nightcap.
Sophomore third baseman Kolbrin Vitek broke the game open in the sixth inning with a two-run home run. The Cardinals would add six more runs in the inning to take a 9-1 lead. Junior right-hander Brad Piatt was the beneficiary of the offensive explosion, picking up his first win of the year.
Ball State is now 2-1 this season.
As is customary early in the season, the second game of the doubleheader was only seven innings.
After playing two extra -inning games to open the season, the shortened game gave a rest to Ball State's bullpen. Piatt pitched five innings, allowing one run on four hits and striking out two. He was relieved by Scott Brothers Jr. and Josh Volmer, who each added an inning.
Paladin starting pitcher Jay Friedman pitched five strong innings before giving up six runs in the sixth inning to take the loss. The first six Cardinals reached base in the inning before junior Kory Benbow recorded the first out on a sacrifice fly. Ball State sent 13 hitters to the plate in the inning.
Junior centerfielder Jeremy Hazelbaker and senior second baseman Nate Fields each had three hits for the Cardinals. Hazelbaker went 3-5 with three runs and three RBIs.
The series concludes Sunday with Vitek on the mound for the Cardinals.
Continue to check bsudailynews.com for game updates throughout the weekend and Monday's edition of The Ball State Daily News for complete coverage of the Cardinals' opening weekend.
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