Purdue Fort Wayne
South Dakota State
Mastodons Drop Rain-Shortened Season Finale
5/16/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 15, 2007
Fort Wayne, IN - When the wind is blowing out at Mastodon Field, it is never a good thing to be a pitcher. A number of hurlers found that out on Tuesday afternoon, as Ball State and IPFW combined for seven home runs in a 21-10, weather shortened Cardinal win at the 'Don.
The contest was halted in the top of the eighth inning as severe weather rolled into the Fort Wayne area.
Ball State opened the game with a run in the first, and then put up a five-spot in the second to take a 6-0 lead. The big blow in the second frame came in the form of a three-run homer by Cardinal second baseman Jeremy Hazelbaker.
The Mastodons answered right back in their half of the second using the long-ball to get back into it.
Junior first baseman Nick Millspaugh, with two aboard, launched a 450-foot shot to dead center field that drew the 'Dons to within three at 6-3. It was Millspaugh's first dinger of the season.
Senior designated hitter Tony Nichting plated the Mastodons' fourth run of the inning with an RBI single to center.
Not to be outdone by Millspaugh, junior center fielder Jared Davis drilled his own three-run homer to left, and the 'Dons took a 7-6 lead after two. The homer was Davis' team-leading ninth of the season.
Ball State tied the contest in the top of the third on an RBI single by catcher Alex Schmid.
IPFW took back the lead in the bottom of the 5th inning on a home senior right fielder Nick Diem. It was Diem's third bomb of the campaign.
However, the IPFW lead would be short lived as the Cardinals pushed seven runs across in the top of the 6th.
Cardinal first baseman Matt Stoeklen added to the home run totals with a solo blast in the inning.
IPFW cut the Cardinal lead to 14-10 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the 6th inning on back-to-back RBI doubles by Nichting and Davis.
But for the 'Dons, that would be all the offense they could muster, while the Cardinals had some more ammo left.
Right fielder Ryan Chenoweth popped a two-run homer in top of the seventh, and pinch hitter Joe Mack hit a three-run shot in the eighth as Ball State pushed the lead to 21-10.
That is when the weather rolled in, and after a 35 minute delay, play was called.
BSU senior reliever Luke Behning pitched two innings of one-hit ball for the win. It was his first of the year. He gave up a run (earned) and struck out two.
IPFW reliever Ben Boehne (0-2) took the loss. He worked 4-2/3 innings, giving up 10 runs on 11 hits. He struck out four, while walking three.
With the loss, IPFW finishes the 2007 season at 9-37.
