With a Mid-American Conference series on the line, the Ball State University baseball team wasn't just thinking about beating Western Michigan University but knocking the preseason favorites out of contention for a division title.
The Cardinals (19-18) might have done just that with an 11-7 win on Sunday at Ball Diamond. Sophomore Kolbrin Vitek (3-2) pitched seven innings for the win and helped his cause with a two-run home run. The Broncos' (11-26) loss, combined with Eastern Michigan University's win, sends it alone into the cellar, five games out of first in the Mid-American Conference West Division.
"It was very important," Vitek said. "We talked yesterday about burying them and we did that."
The series win was Ball State's first since sweeping the University at Buffalo in the first weekend of April. The hosts won Friday's game 8-6 and dropped game two 20-10 on Saturday.
The winning run on Sunday came on a solo home run from freshman left fielder Cody Elliott. The homer was the first of Elliott's career and started a four-run seventh inning for the Cardinals.
"It's just another hit to me," Elliott said. "I'll take the win any day."
The runs gave Vitek the win on a day in which he pitched well despite allowing seven runs. The right-hander struck out a career-high 11 batters and walked one in his longest outing of the season.
"On a day like today he did a pretty good job," coach Greg Beals said. "He was mixing all of his pitches today. He really pitched well."
As usual, a strong wind was blowing out of Ball Diamond creating a great day for hitters. The teams combined for eight home runs a day after 12 balls left the yard.
Western Michigan scored a run in the first inning with junior center fielder Kyle Galbraith's leadoff double and an RBI single from sophomore shortstop Grant Simotes. But Vitek picked off Simotes and popped the next two batters up.
Ball State went to work in the bottom of the first inning with a leadoff home run from center fielder Jeremy Hazelbaker and Vitek's two-run moonshot.
"It boosted my confidence," Vitek said. "It got my energy level up. It was a good start for me to have that at bat in the first inning."
The first five Cardinals reached base, chasing Broncos' sophomore starting pitcher Eric Heckaman from the game before retiring a batter. Freshman Troy Forton relieved and pitched more effectively, allowing four runs in four innings on five hits.
"Their second pitcher did a good job completely changing the tempo of the game," Beals said. "We made quality adjustments to him the second time through the lineup."
The Broncos scored six runs during the third, fourth and fifth innings, briefly taking the lead.
Sophomore shortstop T.J. Baumet tied the game for Ball State in the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run, his seventh of the year and fourth of the weekend.
After Elliott's home run in the seventh, the Cardinals tacked on three insurance runs with two outs.
Relievers Aaron Hammons, Tom Mueller and Morgan Coombs combined for two scoreless innings to finish the game. Mueller loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth on some close calls, but Coombs retired the final batter for his fifth save of the year.
Beals said one of the keys to the game was making Western Michigan work for its runs.
"We didn't walk them or commit any errors," Beals said. "On a day like today you're going to have offense."
The series win keeps Ball State two games behind the University of Toledo in second place in the MAC West at 8-8. The Cardinals will return to action on Tuesday at home against Purdue University at 3 p.m.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
