Venturing into the Big 12 Conference is not common for the Ball State University baseball team. In the previous 89 years of the program, the Cardinals had played three games against Big 12 teams.
This weekend Ball State headed to the University of Missouri for a four-game series with a Big 12 program for the first time. The Cardinals went 1-3 in Columbia, Mo. to even their record to 5-5. Missouri, who was ranked in the preseason, improves to 6-8.
Ball State won the first game of its doubleheader Saturday 14-5 to avoid being swept. Junior starting pitcher Brad Piatt earned his second win of the season, allowing one run on five hits in five innings.
In their 14-run outburst, the Cardinals had 23 hits including six extra-base hits. Every player in the lineup recorded a hit, led by designated hitter Kory Benbow. The junior went 5-for-5 with a walk, three RBIs, two runs and a home run. Junior center fielder Jeremy Hazelbaker was 4-for-5 with an RBI, three runs and a stolen base.
Missouri responded in the second game with an 18-4 victory.
The Cardinals dropped the opener 4-1, despite taking an early 1-0 lead off Missouri starter Kyle Gibson.
Ball State would also blow a lead in the series finale. The Cardinals scored two runs in the third and fourth inning, but the Tigers scored five runs in the fifth to take the lead for good. Ball State would go on to lose 7-6.
Ball State will continue its Spring Break road trip at Southern Illinois University on Tuesday. The Cardinals will play a two-game set before returning home to play Chicago State University on Friday.
Continue to check bsudailynews.com for coverage of the baseball team.
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