Fields starting to play well in the field
Senior second baseman Nate Fields has had some tough games defensively this season for the Ball State University baseball team, but he put in a stellar effort in the opening weekend of Mid-American Conference play against the University of Akron.
Fields has nine errors this year, but throughout the weekend, Fields flashed his glove taking away several hits from the Zips. In Sunday's series finale, Fields had five assists, including a flip to sophomore shortstop T.J. Baumet after a diving stop to make the second out of the fifth inning.
"We needed a win to clinch the series," Fields said. "I just had to bear down and keep every ball in front of me to keep us in the game and make the plays for our pitchers."
Fields also made a big play Friday to start the ninth inning. Akron second baseman Phil Bednar hit a ground ball up the middle, but Fields ranged to his right and threw him out for the first out. Closer Morgan Coombs said plays like that are important in helping him finish the game.
"It's a big help being a pitcher, knowing that you have defense behind you," Coombs said. "You definitely get really excited whenever they make plays for you."
Quick work
The two teams didn't spend much time on the field this weekend. The longest game played lasted two hours and 31 minutes and the shortest was two hours and nine minutes. Coming into the weekend Ball State's average game time -¡- without two seven inning games played as a part of a doubleheader - was two hours and 52 minutes. The average of this weekend's games was 2 hours and 17 minutes.
Repeating history
The series was the fourth time Ball State and Akron opened the MAC season against each other. It is the third time that Ball State has won the series 2-1, while they split a two-game set once. The team's were scheduled to open MAC play last year against each other, but a snowstorm in Northeast Ohio forced the three-game series to be cancelled.
Around the MAC
In the first week of MAC play, the home teams enjoyed a considerable advantage. Out of six series the home teams won five of them, including three sweeps. Only Western Michigan University was able to pick up a series win on the road, beating Bowling Green State University on Saturday and Sunday. The University of Toledo, Northern Illinois University and Kent State University all were able to sweep their visitors. The Huskies finished their sweep with 5-4 defeat of the University at Buffalo on a walk-off double to right-center by junior pitcher Dave Reynolds.
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