Reporter's Notebook
Ball State's home game against Indiana Tech scheduled for Wednesday was canceled due to a Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference rule. Indiana Tech, a WHCA member, is required to play all 20 of its league games and must make up any rainouts at the earliest possible date. According to the WHCA Baseball Handbook, "If necessary, non-conference games must be cancelled to accommodate a conference make-up."
After its doubleheader against Madonna University was rained out Sunday, the Warriors will try again on Wednesday.
Ball State coach Greg Beals said the two teams were trying to find a day to make up their nonconference matchup. They have a variety of mutual open dates, but the most likely date would come April 20, he said.
Streak buster
Ball State's 17-8 defeat of Purdue University on Tuesday broke a four-game nonconference losing streak. In that time the Cardinals had started Mid-American Conference play 5-2, but had been unable to win midweek games. In the slide, Ball State had averaged 3.5 runs a game, a mark it blew past in the second inning. The 17 runs were the most Ball State had scored since defeating IPFW 24-6 last year.
Starting from the top
The top four hitters in Ball State's lineup, junior center fielder Jeremy Hazelbaker, senior second baseman Nate Fields, sophomore designated hitter Kolbrin Vitek and junior catcher Zach Dygert, combined to go 11-for-16 with six doubles, 12 RBIs, 10 runs and four stolen bases. Dygert led all players with five RBIs and Hazelbaker and Fields each scored four times.
"The top of our order has been tough all year long," Beals said. "Nate works hard on his swing and got some quality hits."
Hazelbaker's performance extended his 10-game hitting streak, the longest active on the team.
Mid-American rainout
Ball State was the only MAC team to play Tuesday, despite 10 of the 12 teams being scheduled to play. The Cardinals had their own bouts with poor weather this year, already losing three games to rain, most recently last weekend. Their three-game series at the University at Buffalo was shortened to a doubleheader Sunday due to bad weather in upstate New York.
Brooks Wallace award watch
The Cardinals' visit to Purdue brought together a matchup of two players on the Brooks Wallace Player of the Year watch list. Vitek and Purdue third baseman Dan Black each were named to the list in the preseason. Vitek went 1-for-3 with two RBIs, a run and a walk. Black finished 2-for-5 with an RBI, a run and a strikeout. Each player had a double. The award is given to the nation's top ballplayer by the College Baseball Foundation during the College Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies.
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