CMU (30-12, 22-5 MAC) claimed game one 3-2 and the Cardinals (29-14, 20-7) claimed game two 13-3. The Chippewas currently hold a two-game lead over the Cardinals for first place in the MAC.

"I told the (team) that this was our 42 game of the year and it's the first time we've been blown out, the first time we've lost by four or five runs the entire year," said head coach Jordan Bischel. "Ball State is obviously a really good team, we don't have a lot to be disappointed about. We came out and won a nice, tight game in game one and just tip the cap in game two."

Game One

The Chippewas struck first when a two-out bloop single from junior Aidan Shepardson landed in the center field grass, scoring junior Chase Rollin from second base for an early 1-0 advantage.

Junior Mario Camilletti started the third by being hit by a pitch for the 11 time this season and was followed by back-to-back walks from sophomore Justin Simpson and senior Zach Gilles to load the bases. Sophomore Garrett Navarra’s fly ball to left field was caught short of the fence, but scored Camilletti from third for a 2-0 CMU lead.

With Simpson owning a big lead at second base, Cardinals catcher Chase Sebby threw down to second base, but Simpson comfortably stole third base during the throw down to second. He later scored when freshman Jakob Marsee’s deep fly ball to center field was just short of clearing the fence to give the Chippewas a 3-0 lead.

Freshman pitcher Andrew Taylor turned on cruise control midway through game one, rattling off four-consecutive strikeouts and earning all three outs in the fourth inning via punch out. The Alto native ran into turbulence in the fifth inning after issuing three walks to give the Cardinals the opportunity to cash in when Cardinals second baseman Noah Navarro belted the first pitch safely over Camilletti’s head and rolled to the right field fence to score two runs, but CMU would take game one.

Despite finishing with two hits, the Chippewas worked nine full counts and five walks.

Taylor allowed two earned runs off four hits with four walks and nine strikeouts, improving his record to 8-3.

Cardinals left fielder Nick Powell earned two of the road team’s four hits.

Game Two

In between games, the Cardinals switched from black uniforms to their cardinal red shirts for peculiar results. The road team pounced early on senior pitcher Cam Brown to the tune of five runs off six hits and a Shepardson error in the first inning with all nine hitters having at least one at bat.

The Chippewas immediately loaded the bases after Camilletti reached via error, Simpson’s fifth double of the season and a five-pitch walk by Gilles. Navarra grounded into a double play to score Camilletti and Chase Rollin flew out to left field to end the scoring threat with only one run.

After a Cardinal's sacrifice fly, a single from senior Griffin Lockwood-Powell and walks by Shepardson and senior Zach Heeke loaded the bases for the Chippewas once again. A ground ball from Camilletti resulted in Lockwood-Powell reaching home, but CMU ultimately stranded two runners to end the inning.

The Cardinals started their offensive portion of the third with a walk and a single, chasing Brown out of the game before he could record an out in the third inning. JT Rogoszewski’s first pitch attempt resulted in a balk, scoring BSU’s seventh run of the game. The Cardinals would tack on two more runs off a wild pitch and an RBI single.

CMU once again put its first three batters on base, but for the second inning in a row the home team scratched across only one run and stranded two base runners. The Cardinals loaded the bases in the top half of the fourth and a single from Justin Conant sailed just to the right of Shepardson at third to score two more runs and capture an 11-3 advantage.

CMU stranded two more runners in the second after a Navarra pop out was preceded by walks by Camilletti and Simpson. A two out Cardinals double scored Ross Messina from third, but Quartermaine was thrown out at home to keep the BSU lead at nine runs.

The Cardinals would tack on a run off three hits as insurance in the seventh inning.

Brown allowed eight runs, six earned, with one walk and two strikeouts in two innings of work. The Chippewas left 10 runners on base and allowed 19 hits, snapping their 10-game winning streak.

Messina and Quartermaine tallied three hits each for the Cardinals.

What's Next

The Chippewas and Cardinals finish their four-game series at 1 p.m. Sunday.