Baseball Edges Ball State, 6-5

Box Score.

YPSILANTI, Mich. – Redshirt Sophomore pitcher Corey Chaffins (New London, Ohio-New London) had everything working Friday night, May 1, at Oestrike Stadium, as he tallied a career-high 14 strikeouts to help lead the Eastern Michigan University baseball team to a 6-5 victory over the Ball State University Cardinals in a Mid-American Conference West Division tilt.

EMU improves to 16-29 (8-11 MAC) with the win, while BSU drops to 20-20 (8-9 MAC) with the loss.

Chaffins was stellar on the mound for EMU, tallying a career-best 14 strikeouts over seven and two-thirds inning to earn the win, putting him at 3-3 on the year.

The Eagles wasted no time getting on the board, as sac-fly by Andrew Marshall (Mason, Mich.-Mason) plated Rhoad to put EMU ahead, 1-0.

The Cardinals answered an inning later, as an RBI double to the gap in right-center by Ryan Chenoweth made it a 1-1 game.

EMU tacked on two runs in the bottom of the fourth, as an RBI single by junior Todd Graves (St. Mary's, Ohio-St. Mary's Memorial) made it a 2-1 game. The Eagles added one more in the inning to go ahead, 3-1.

But the Cardinals took a 4-3 lead in the top of the fifth, as a Kolbrin Vitek two-run homer, coupled with a pair of EMU errors, gave BSU the lead.

The Eagles reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the fifth, as an RBI single by Aaron Powell (Clarkston, Mich.-Clarkston) and an two-run double by sophomore Zack Leonard (Canton, Ohio-McKinley) made it a 6-4 game.

Ball State pulled within one in the top of the eighth, as a bases loaded walk by Chaffins plated one to make it a 6-5 game. But senior pitcher Kevin Wammes (Fremont, Ohio-St. Joseph) came in relief and got Cody Elliott to pop out to center field to help EMU maintain its lead. Wammes closed the door on Ball State in the ninth to preserve the win and earn the save, his second of the season.

The Eagles and Cardinals play game two tomorrow at 3:05 p.m. at Oestrike Stadium.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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