The third time was the charm for Ball State University baseball coach Greg Beals.
In his third attempt to win career game No. 200, Ball State defeated Kent State University 4-2 Saturday at Ball Diamond. Senior starting pitcher Brenden Stines (1-3) pitched six innings for the win, and junior closer Morgan Coombs threw a scoreless ninth for his second save.
The win also came against Beals' alma mater.
"Any win against them is a big win," Beals said. "I have a lot of respect for them."
The Cardinals jumped out to an early lead against Golden Flashes' junior starter Kyle Smith (2-1). Ball State junior center fielder Jeremy Hazelbaker picked up where he left off after Friday's cycle, leading off with a double. Senior second baseman Nate Fields followed with a walk, and both were brought home by the next two batters in the Cardinals' lineup.
Kent State tied the game in the fourth inning, but Stines was able to prevent the Golden Flahes from taking the lead despite teammate errors.
Senior third baseman Brad Winter singled to start the inning, and Stines followed with a strikeout. Freshman second baseman Jimmy Rider then sent a ball into the right field gap that was mishandled by freshman right fielder Cody Elliot. Hazelbaker missed the cutoff man, and the ball rolled through the infield allowing Winter to score from first base. Rider went to second on a single and an error on both outfielders.
Stines, visibly rattled, allowed a single and then induced a chopper up the middle by senior shortstop Chris Tremblay. The ball kicked off sophomore shortstop T.J. Baumet's glove into center field for his second error of the game, and Rider scored from third. Stines was able to pick his defense up with a strikeout and a pop out to end the inning.
"[Saturday] was really about stepping up in that situation," Stines said. "I had to be that guy."
Ball State got the lead back in the bottom of the fifth when sophomore third baseman Kolbrin Vitek led off the inning with a home run to left field. Baumet hit a home run of his own in the sixth, facing a strong wind blowing in from right field.
The Cardinal bullpen took over in the seventh inning, after Stines left the game allowing two runs on six hits and striking out three. Senior reliever Tom Mueller pitched two innings, allowing one hit and striking out the side in the seventh. Coombs allowed one hit in the ninth, but he was able to close the door on his coach's milestone.
Vitek finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Hazelbaker and freshman designated hitter Nathan Koontz each went 2-for-3. Rider and catcher David Lyon, the eighth and ninth hitters in the Kent State lineup, were the only visitors with multiple hits.
Ball State improved to 12-11 overall and 3-2 in Mid-American Conference play. The Cardinals handed the Golden Flashes (16-6) their first conference loss, dropping them to 4-1. The two teams will decide the series Sunday, with the first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
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