Perci Garner didn't have his best stuff Friday at Ball Diamond, but he was good enough to let Ball State University's bats take care of the University at Buffalo.
The Cardinals (15-18, 8-2) won their fourth straight Mid-American Conference series opener, defeating the Bulls 11-5 after a 90-minute rain delay. Garner allowed just an unearned run in six innings to improve to 5-0. Bulls' starter Chaz Nye (3-4) gave up eight runs in five innings for the loss.
"That was the thing that most impressed me with Perci today," coach Greg Beals said. "He was able to go six innings and give us a quality start without his best stuff."
Garner was erratic in the first three innings Friday, walking two Bulls (15-16, 3-7) and committing a pair of errors. But the Cardinals gave the sophomore enough run support to work through his difficulties.
"My teammates helped me out," Garner said. "Especially on the scoreboard, all those runs, it takes a whole bunch of pressure off."
Shortstop T.J. Baumet got the offense going quickly with a leadoff home run.
Ball State added another first inning run, which held up through Garner's rough third inning. He walked Brad Agustin to start the inning and then threw away a pickoff attempt, allowing the second baseman to reach third base. He came in to score on left fielder Bobby Pizzuto's groundout.
From there, the Cardinals' took over. They responded with four runs of their own in the third inning. Second baseman Kolbrin Vitek and catcher Zach Dygert each drove in a run, before left fielder Kory Benbow hit a towering two-run home run.
Garner would gut his way through the next three innings, finishing with nine strikeouts. He has won a game in each of Ball State's last five series.
The Cardinals broke the game open with five runs in the sixth inning. Dygert delivered the big blow with a bases-clearing two-out double. The senior went 2-for-4 with four RBIs.
Dygert was one of five Cardinals with two hits. Seven Ball State players drove in at least one run.
Ball State moved into a tie for second place in the MAC West with the University of Toledo's loss at Bowling Green State University. Central Michigan University remains a game in front of Ball State.
The Cardinals will look to clinch their fourth straight MAC series victory Saturday at 1 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
