Baseball continues winning streak

It was a 1-1 game heading into the bottom of the sixth inning Wednesday when Ball State traveled to Bloomington to play IU. By the end of the sixth, junior catcher Brad Hartong had five RBIs, and IU held a 10-1 lead.

It was more than enough to seal the 10-1 win as IU improved to 26-11.

“I got a lot of good hitters in front of me and behind me,” Hartong said. “Guys were getting on and when I came up I didn’t try to do too much and just hit the ball and it worked out.”

Hartong drilled a 3-run home run to left field, and after the Hoosiers batted around, came up and drove in two more on a single in the big sixth inning.

“I don’t want to count on innings like that a lot,” IU Coach Tracy Smith said. “For the most part, I was not pleased with our at-bats all night. I thought we gave a lot of them away.”

IU had just two hits before the sixth, both coming off the bat of junior infielder Chad Clark.

Sophomore Sullivan Stadler started on the mound for IU and pitched five innings, giving up one run on three hits with six strikeouts and just one walk.

“Getting that first pitch fastball over for a strike worked out,” Stadler said. “My strikeout pitch was my curveball.”

His performance was important for a team that has struggled to find a consistent fourth starter after sophomore Kyle Hart went down to injury for the season.

“I thought (Stadler’s) breaking ball was very effective today,” Smith said. “If you can get that type of start in the midweek, and with the guys we have backing him up we are going to be in every ball game. I was very, very pleased with him today.”

IU kicked off the scoring in the first inning on an odd turn of events. Junior designated hitter Scott Donley struck out, but the ball got by the Cardinal catcher, allowing Donley to reach base.

Junior first baseman Sam Travis was on first and went to third on the play and came around to score after the throw to third went into left field.

Ball State senior Kyle Raleigh hit a rocket of a home run in the second inning to tie the game, but the IU offense came alive in the sixth.

IU junior Kyle Schwarber, senior third baseman Dustin DeMuth, sophomore infielder Brian Wilhite and junior outfielder Ricky Alfonso each had an RBI in the inning to complement Hartong.

“If you put together good at-bats and consistent at-bats, your hits are going to fall,” Smith said.

Senior Clay Manering started and threw three innings for the Cardinals, allowing one run on one hit and three strikeouts. The Cardinals’ bullpen gave up the damage.

The Hoosiers are atop the Big Ten standings and will face the second place team in the conference, Illinois, this weekend.

“Where we are sitting with the RPI nationally, every game is important.” Smith said.