Kent State University
10-14, 1-3
Ball State University
17-9, 4-0
Flashes Fall in Extra-Inning Show Down
3/29/2019 5:36:00 PM | Baseball
MUNCIE, Ind. –The Kent State University baseball team (10-14, 1-3 MAC) fell to the Ball State Cardinals (17-9, 4-0 MAC) 9-8 in a 13-inning show down to kick off the three-game conference series at First Merchants Ballpark Friday afternoon. Home runs by senior Kian O'Brien and redshirt sophomore Alex Ronnebaum in the top of the ninth inning lifted the Flashes' from 5-2 deficit and forced Kent State's second straight extra-inning ballgame.
The Flashes fell behind early, as the Cardinals notched a home run to left field in the bottom of the first inning. Ball State went on to add four runs through the next two innings to take a 5-0 lead.
Kent State put up its first run of the day in the top of the fifth inning. Senior Josh Hollander led off the frame, legging out a triple to deep left-center field. Ronnebaum scored Hollander a pitch later with a ground ball to first base, bringing the score to 5-1.
Just when it looked like the Cardinals would walk away with the victory – Ball State's starter had stymied the Kent State offense, allowing just two hits while striking out 13 heading into the inning– the Flashes managed to score six runs in the top of the ninth inning to come back and take a 7-5 lead.
Senior Pete Schuler led off the frame with a single to right field. Carew reached base while Pavin advanced to third in the next at-bat, capitalized on a fielding error and advanced to third. Schuler finally scored on a single off the bat of senior Pavin Parks, bringing the score to 5-2, Cardinals.
O'Bried tied the game with one swing of the bat, clobbering a three-run home run over the wall in left field. Next in order, Hollander reached base on a hit by pitch and Ronnebaum launched the second home run of the inning, a two-run shot over the wall in right field, giving the Flashes their first lead of the day, 5-7.
The Cardinals managed to fight back and tie the game in the bottom of the ninth, sending the game into extra innings.
The score remained until the top of the 12th inning, when the Kent State took the lead for the second time. Touchette doubled to lead off the strike, and eventually scored when freshman Justin Kirby legged out a bunt-single and forced a throwing error by the Ball State defense.
The Cardinals once again managed to erase the Kent State lead in the bottom of the frame, and eventually pushed across the winning run in the bottom of the 13th inning.
Senior Connor Wollersheim made his sixth start of the season, tossing a season-high 7.1 innings with six strikeouts. Sophomore Jack Zimmerman made his ninth appearance out of the bullpen with an inning of work, and redshirt senior Chris Martin added 2.1 innings. Junior Zach Shultz (1-2) finished the day with 2.0 innings, suffering the loss.
The Kent State offense tallied nine hits on the day, seven of which came in the final five innings. O'Brien went 2-for-5 at the plate with three RBIs while Hollander scored two times for the Flashes.
The Flashes and Cardinals will continue the series at First Merchants Ballpark at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 30.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: PACHMAYER, Mike (4-0)
L: Schultz, Zach (1-2)
Batting:
2B: O'Brien, Kian 1 ; Touchette, Cam 1
3B: Hollander, Josh 1
HR: O'Brien, Kian 1 ; Ronnebaum, Alex 1
RBI: Parks, Pavin 1 ; O'Brien, Kian 3 ; Ronnebaum, Alex 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Schuler, Pete 1 ; Carew, Ben 1 ; Parks, Pavin 1 ; O'Brien, Kian 1 ; Hollander, Josh 2 ; Ronnebaum, Alex 1 ; Touchette, Cam 1
SB: Kirby, Justin 1 ; Elsen, Nick 1
HBP: Schuler, Pete 1 ; Hollander, Josh 1 ; Ronnebaum, Alex 1
Batting:
2B: MESSINA, Ross 1 ; SEBBY, Chase 1 ; BLANKENBERGER, Tim 1
HR: NAVARRO, Noah 1
RBI: SIMPSON, Aaron 2 ; NAVARRO, Noah 1 ; MESSINA, Ross 1 ; RICOTTA, John 1 ; BAKER, William 1 ; SEBBY, Chase 1 ; POWELL, Noah 1 ; BLANKENBERGER, Tim 1
SH: MURPHY, Mack 1 ; SEBBY, Chase 1
Base Running:
RUNS: SIMPSON, Aaron 1 ; NAVARRO, Noah 1 ; MESSINA, Ross 1 ; BAKER, William 1 ; SEBBY, Chase 1 ; POWELL, Noah 2 ; PELTIER, Ryan 1 ; GINDER, Langston 1
CS: SIMPSON, Aaron 1
HBP: SIMPSON, Aaron 1 ; MESSINA, Ross 1 ; SEBBY, Chase 1
