The luck of the Irish takes the Ball State University baseball team to South Bend on St. Patrick's Day to play the University of Notre Dame.
The Cardinals will hope to overcome any good bounces that come the way of the Fighting Irish on the day celebrating the patron saint of Ireland.
Tuesday's game will be Notre Dame's (10-5) home opener. The Big East Conference member enters the game on a three-game winning streak and has won six of its last seven games.
Ball State is the winner of three of its last four games and has a 9-7 overall record.
Sophomore Kolbrin Vitek will take the mound for the visitors. Vitek, 1-1, is typically the Sunday starter for coach Greg Beals but was held back for this game.
Notre Dame will counter with freshman Dustin Ispas, who has not allowed a run in six and two-thirds innings this season.
Beals said Notre Dame is always a big game for Ball State.
"It's a big rivalry game," Beals said. "To have a chance to go up to Notre Dame and play is always a great opportunity for us."
The Fighting Irish have defeated the Cardinals each of the past three years and lead the overall series 17-12.
Junior right fielder Ryan Chenoweth said he hopes to break that streak.
"It'd be great to go up there and get a win," Chenoweth said. "We can beat another big time school."
Ball State already defeated two teams from power conferences, Indiana University of the Big Ten and the University of Missouri from the Big 12.
The Cardinals are looking to bounce back from a 3-0 loss Sunday against Chicago State University.
"It'd be nice to play tomorrow and get it over with," Chenoweth said Sunday. "But we just need to have practice and get ready to play."
For Ball State to be successful, it will need to have a better offensive effort than it did Sunday. Cougars pitching held the Cardinals to three hits, two from Chenoweth. Ball State's best scoring chance was thwarted in the first inning when junior center fielder Jeremy Hazelbaker was thrown out stealing third.
Despite Hazelbaker's misfortune Sunday, the Cardinals lead the Mid-American Conference with 39 steals in 45 attempts. Hazelbaker has 13 steals and Nate Fields has 12 to lead the team. That duo has more steals than Miami University, who is second in the MAC with 23 steals.
Today's trip will be Ball State's last nonconference tune up before beginning MAC play.
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