A year ago, the Ball State University baseball team paid a visit to Mid-American Conference favorite Kent State University and shocked its host with a series sweep.
The Golden Flashes visit Ball Diamond this weekend for a three-game series in an attempt to pay back the Cardinals. Kent State is again the MAC favorite and enters with a 15-5 record, but this year Ball State (11-10) was picked second in the MAC West, instead of sixth like last season.
Senior second baseman Nate Fields said the team recognizes the importance of the series.
"They're a solid team," Fields said. "This should be a good series."
Kent State has won seven of its last eight games and is a solid offensive team. Senior first baseman Greg Rohan leads the team with six home runs, 23 RBIs and a .671 slugging percentage. Often overlooked with the Golden Flashes is their pitching. Junior right-handers Brad Stillings and Kyle Smith will start Friday and Saturday and will provide stiff competition for the Cardinals. Combined, the two pitchers have a record of 5-0 and a 2.06 ERA. Opponents are hitting .185 and have struck out 44 times against the pair.
Ball State won its opening MAC series against the University of Akron last weekend, but has lost four of its last six games, including a 14-6 loss to Indiana State University on Wednesday.
To get back to its winning ways, Ball State will need junior center fielder Jeremy Hazelbaker to get back on track. Hazelbaker, the leadoff hitter, is 6-for-25 with four runs and four RBIs in the last six games. In the first 15 games of the season he hit .484 with 12 RBIs and 23 runs.
Cardinals coach Greg Beals enters the weekend with 199 wins and will hope to pick up his 200th at-home against his alma mater. Beals graduated from Kent State in 1995 and coached there from 1994-2002.
The two MAC contenders will begin their series at 3 p.m. today.
Kent State at Ball StateGame No. 22First pitch: 3 p.m.Ball DiamondPitching matchup: RHP Brad Stillings (3-0, 2.19 ERA) vs. RHP Brad Piatt (4-0, 1.69)Weather: 56 degrees, cloudy, from northeast 7 mph
Kent State at Ball StateGame No. 23First pitch: 1 p.m.Ball DiamondPitching matchup: RHP Kyle Smith (2-0, 1.89) vs. RHP Brenden Stines (0-3, 4.82)Weather: 48 degrees, scattered showers, from ENE 15 mph
Kent State at Ball StateGame No. 24First pitch: 1 p.m.Ball DiamondPitching matchup: TBA vs. RHP Kolbrin Vitek (2-1, 3.63)Weather: 41 degrees, scattered snow showers, from WNW 26 mph
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