Chippewas Can't Hold Lead, Fall to Ball State, 7-4

Saturday, April 26

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

1 p.m.

Central Michigan University

16-27, 8-12

Ball State

31-13, 17-3

Ball State

Central Michigan

CMU first baseman Brady Krzciok (left) stretches to take the throw for an out Saturday in the Chippewas' 7-4 loss to Ball State on Keilitz Field at Theunissen Stadium.

Photo by: Joe Grogan

4/26/2025 5:03:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Andy Sneddon

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Ball State did all of its scoring in the final three innings on Saturday in handing Central Michigan a 7-4 loss in a Mid-American Conference baseball game on Keilitz Field at Theunissen Stadium.

The Chippewas and Cardinals close their three-game series on Sunday (1 p.m.) at Theunissen. CMU slipped to 16-27, 8-12 MAC. The first-place Cardinals are 31-13, 17-3.

CMU starter A.J. Kostic cruised through five innings, allowing just one hit while striking out seven and walking two. He left while warming up for the sixth inning with an apparent injury.

The Chippewas led at that point, 4-0.

Ball State scored three runs on three hits in the seventh and then three more on three hits in the eighth to take a 6-4 lead. The Cardinals added an insurance run in the ninth.

Ball State finished with 10 hits, eight of them in the final three frames.

The Chippewas got a run in the third inning on an Aydin Wright groundout and then scored three in the fifth on an RBI double by Mikey Murphy and run-scoring singles by Aaron Piasecki and Nathan Ball.

The Chippewas collected 12 hits, two each by Murphy, Wright and Cayden Smith.

Liam Stumpf, Cayden Smith, Quin Konuszewski and Jack Otis pitched in relief for the Chippewas. Smith (1-3), who allowed four runs on four hits, took the loss.