Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
Ball State
Ball State Captures 11-5 Win Over CMU
5/10/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 10, 2002
MOUNT PLEASANT - Central Michigan University frittered away 5-1 lead and lost the opening game of a four-game Mid-American Conference series with Ball State, 10-5.
The win upped the Cardinal record to 27-19 overall and 14-7 in the MAC. CMU is now 22-22 and 10-9.
BSU scored two in the sixth, two in the seventh and five times in the eighth to wrap up the win.
Ball State jumped out to a 1-0 lead in first inning on a controversial leadoff homer down the left field line by Ben Schroeder. The ball was originally called foul by one umpire but later overruled by another.
The Chippewas battled back with a couple of unearned runs in the bottom of the third to take a 2-1 lead. Tommy Grubb doubled in the first run and Danny Gibbons plated Grubb on a sacrifice fly.
Central upped the advantage to 4-1 in the bottom of the fourth on back-to-back home runs by Ryan Krueger (fourth) and Scott Pickens (second). They were the first homers of the season off Cardinal ace Bryan Bullington.
The Chippewas added an unearned run in the fifth inning to make it 5-1. Gibbons and Mike Gates pulled off a double steal and a bad throw to third allowed Gibbons to score.
Ball State clawed back to within two, 5-3, with a pair of markers in the sixth, one earned.
The Cardinals scored two more in the seventh to tie the game at 5-5 and chase starter Dan Horvath.
Ball State broke it open with five runs in the eighth, four on a grand slam by Scott French off reliever Gavin Gillette.
The two teams are scheduled to meet in a doubleheader here Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.
