The Eastern Michigan University baseball team lost the rubber match of a Mid-American Conference road series against Ball State 5-4 in 10 innings Sunday.
Eastern Michigan (18-21, 9-6 MAC) gave up two runs in the 10th inning, which included junior reliever Joe Battistelli throwing a wild pitch to allow the game-winning run to score.
Freshman Ryan Lavoie got the start on the mound. Lavoie pitched five innings, gave up three runs on five hits, struck out three and walked one. Battistelli was tagged with the loss after tossing 4 2/3 innings in relief. He gave up two runs, one earned, on two hits and walked three.
EMU junior Daniel Russell went 1-for-3 with three RBI. Senior Ben Magsig was 1-for-4 and scored a run.
Ball State (11-26, 6-9 MAC) had two players with multi-hit games. Freshman Brandon Estep was 2-for-5, scored two runs and drove in one. Sophomore Billy Wellman was 1-for-3 and recorded two RBI.
Sophomore right-hander Jacob Brewer started on the mound for the Cardinals. Brewer pitched eight innings, surrendered three runs on four hits, walked one and struck out three. Sophomore lefty Nestor Bautista got the win for BSU.
Eastern Michigan was able to get two runners on with two outs in the first, but the runners were stranded on a ground-ball out from senior Tucker Rubino.
Ball State scored three runs on four hits to take a 3-0 lead. Estep hit an RBI double, which was followed up by a T.J. Weir single and then a Wellman two-run double.
No one was able to score runs until the top of the sixth, where EMU tied the game with three runs on two hits. Magsig led off the inning with a single to right field, and two walks followed. Russell hit a two-out bases-clearing triple to right to tie the ball game at 3-3.
Eastern Michigan was down to two outs in the 10th when redshirt sophomore Sam Ott drew a walk, and later
advanced on a wild pitch. Sophomore Lee Longo hit a single to center field to score Ott, giving the Eagles a 4-3 lead.
BSU junior Kirby Campbell led off the bottom of the frame with a single, and moved to second on a groundout. Senior Mitch Widau walked, and Estep got on base with a fielder’s choice. Weir singled and Widau scored from second base to tie the game and Estep moved to third on a fielding error by Russell. Estep scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch for a 5-4 win for the Cardinals.
Ball State took the series opener in an 8-4 victory Friday. Junior Neil Butara went four innings and surrendered eight runs on seven hits.
The Eagles had the bases loaded in the ninth inning, but Matt Hitt struck out swinging and Daniel Russell flied out to end the game.
EMU rebounded with a 4-0 win against BSU on Saturday. Junior Steve Weber tossed nine innings, giving up three hits, striking out six and walking two.
The Eagles will return home this weekend to play Northern Illinois. The first pitch for Friday’s game is scheduled for
6 p.m. while the Saturday game will start at 3 p.m.
The series finale is at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
