Morgan Coombs delivered the best start of the season for Ball State University on Sunday afternoon, but has nothing to show for it except a 3-2 to loss at No. 13 Coastal Carolina University.
Coombs pitched 7 1/3 innings for the Cardinals (3-7), allowing three hits and no earned runs. The senior allowed three unearned runs, all coming in innings when Ball State committed two errors. The Chanticleers (10-1) scored the winning run in the eighth inning when shortstop T.J. Baumet made back-to-back throwing errors, allowing right fielder Daniel Bowman to score.
Coombs (1-1) was the hard-luck loser, and Matt Rein (2-0) got the victory for Coastal Carolina. Closer Austin Fleet pitched a scoreless ninth for his fifth save of the year.
Ball State took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Second baseman Kolbrin Vitek opened the scoring with an RBI double, driving in designated hitter Cody Elliott. Vitek would then come around to score on first baseman Ian Nielsen's ground ball.
But the Cardinals were unable to crack the scoreboard the rest of the day. After starter Matt Laney got into trouble in the fifth inning, the Chanticleers bullpen allowed only four base runners in the final five innings.
Coombs was just as effective much of the game. Coastal Carolina entered the game averaging 8.1 runs per game, but Coombs kept them off balance throughout the game.
The Chanticleers did not get a hit until catcher Jose Iglesias led off the fourth inning with a double. It looked like Coombs would work around the hit, but with two outs in the inning third baseman Stephen Claypool committed back-to-back errors. Iglesias scored on the second error, which also extended the inning so left fielder Luke Schlechte could bring home the tying run with a single.
Coombs ran into trouble again in the sixth inning, but induced a pop out from shortstop Taylor Motter to leave the bases loaded.
Coastal Carolina would not get another hit for the rest of the game, but Baumet's errors allowed it to score the winning run anyway. After the Chanticleers took the lead, Seth Hobbs relieved Coombs and got the final two outs.
Ball State had a chance to at least tie the game in the ninth inning, but came up empty against Fleet. Left fielder Kory Benbow started the ninth with a single and Baumet drew a walk. But after Tim Issler sacrificed the runners into scoring position, the Cardinals came up empty. Center fielder Kirby Campbell and Elliott each struck out, stranding the tying run 90 feet away.
Vitek was the only Cardinal with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and run.
Ball State will get another shot at Coastal Carolina at 4 p.m. today. Vitek will start for the Cardinals, and the Chanticleers will send left-hander Jim Birmingham to the mound.
For live, in-game updates of today's game, check us out on Twitter (twitter.com/dn_sports), and for continuing and complete coverage, check back with bsudailynews.com.
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