The Ball State Way so far in 2012:
- Record: 1-4
- Team Batting Average: .191
- Team Slugging %: .237
- Team Strike Out %: .248
- Team On-Base %: .249
- Team ERA: .426
♦ Cardinals fall to UAB in 3-game series sweep (BSU Daily News)
Coach Alex Marconi was left with mixed feelings after Ball State was swept in a three-game series at the University of Alabama at Birmingham this weekend. Before finishing the sweep with a 7-4 victory Sunday afternoon, the Blazers won each of the first two games in their last at bat.♦ Baseball drops 1-0 pitchers' duel in 12 innings (ballstatesports.com)
UAB scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth without getting an out Friday to complete a comeback for a 4-3 victory. Then, on Saturday, the Cardinals lost 1-0 in 12 innings.
While Ball State (1-4) was swept, it wasn't difficult for Marconi to still envision a series victory.
"On one hand, we're realistically a hit or a couple pitches away from winning both games, which is frustrating because we end up with two losses," Marconi said. "On the other hand, we had some great pitching performances and played pretty good defense this weekend."
Despite allowing just four hits, the Ball State baseball team suffered its second straight heart-breaking walk-off defeat of the weekend as the Cardinals dropped a 1-0 contest to UAB in 12 innings Saturday afternoon at Young Memorial Field. Ball State suffered a 4-3 walk-off win in the bottom of the ninth yesterday afternoon to the Blazers
The two teams went toe-to-toe on the mound throwing zeros on the scoreboards as they combined to allow just eight hits while striking out a combined 21 batters in the game. The game's only run was an unearned run scored in the bottom of the 12th inning.
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| Weekend Forecast FRI 55° / Windy SAT 47° / Sunny SUN 47° / 20% Rain |
With Ball State coming off the worst year in the program's history since 1995, it can use any extra advantage. The Cardinals went 15-35 last year and missed the Mid-American Conference Tournament for the first time since 1996 . . . .
"We are still fairly young and a little bit inexperienced at some important positions, so we'll see," Marconi said. "We'll be as good as those younger and a little bit more inexperienced players allow us to be."♦ Ball State still adjusting to new bats (BSU Daily News, 2/9/12)
Marconi said he believes the Cardinals will benefit from more experience, as well as an increased emphasis on weight training this year. Marconi said it took underclassmen longer to make the necessary adjustments to the new bats than more experienced college players. Because Ball State had 12 players with one year of college experience or less on last season's team, the change hit it particularly acutely.
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