Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
4-16, 0-6
Ball State
10-8, 5-1
Zirwas Eclipses 100-hits in Baseball's High-Scoring Loss at Ball State
3/15/2026 4:29:00 PM | Baseball
Eastern knocked a season-best 16 hits, Cardinals’ seven-run seventh proved to be the deciding factor
MUNCIE, Ind. (EMUEagles.com) – Eastern Michigan baseball student-athlete Devan Zirwas eclipsed 100-career hits in a 4-for-4 day at the plate, but the Eastern Michigan University baseball team could not overcome a big seventh-inning from Ball State, falling 12-9 in a high-scoring Mid-American Conference matchup Sunday, March 15, at Shebek Stadium.
Eastern posted season-bests with 16 hits and eight extra-base knocks as the Cardinals' seven-run seventh proved to be the deciding factor.
Senior right-hander Michael Pfeiffer (Brownsboro, Ala./Huntsville/Northwest-Shoals C.C.) got the start for the Eagles, going three innings and allowing three earned runs off five hits while striking out four and walking two. Ball State's Zach Kwasny (2-0) earned the win and Eastern's Fischer Hendershot (Flushing, Mich./Flint Powers) (0-1) was tagged with the loss.
How it Happened
Eastern Michigan's offense struck quickly as Nathan Borchardt (Stanley, N.C./East Lincoln/King) doubled and scored on a two-bagger from Ty Stecko (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin/Mount St. Mary's) to open the game. Devan Zirwas (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny/VCU) continued his hot hitting by driving in Stecko to make it 2-0. The teams traded early blows, with Ball State responding on a run-scoring single in the bottom half and later taking a 4-2 lead after a two-run homer in the third.
The Eagles answered in the fourth, as Nick Weaver (Streamwood, Ill./Streamwood/Elgin C.C.) delivered his first of two home runs, a two-run shot to tie the game. Zirwas followed with another RBI single to give Eastern a 5-4 edge, but a BSU sacrifice fly leveled the score again. Weaver's solo homer in the sixth, his second of the afternoon, briefly restored the Eagles' lead at 6-5.
Momentum swung sharply in the bottom of the seventh, where Ball State capitalized on three hits, two walks, a pinch-hit grand slam, and a pair of wild pitches to erupt for seven runs.
Down 12-6 entering the eighth, the Eagles did not go quietly. Stecko brought in a run on a groundout before Zirwas capped his big day with a two-run homer, his seventh of the season to trim the deficit to three. Ball State's bullpen held on from there, and Eastern left the tying run on deck in the ninth to conclude the game in a 12-9 final.
Game Notes
» Eastern's record went to 4-16 (0-6 MAC) and Ball State's improved to 10-8 (5-1 MAC).
» EMU outhit its opponent for the fourth time this season.
» Eastern displayed its power with a season-high eight extra-base hits. It set a season-high with five doubles while matching its season-best home run total with three.
» Eastern had nine or more hits for the seventh time this season with five of those occurrences coming in the last six games.
» Eastern's 16 hits mark a season-high and are its fourth time with double-digit hits. The 16 knocks rank fifth in the MAC's single-game rankings.
» EMU struck out five times, tying its lowest total of the season originally set against SIUE, Feb. 28.
» Eastern Michigan went 4-for-13 (.308) with runners in scoring position.
» Eastern Michigan pitchers faced 44 Ball State hitters in the game, allowing 10 ground balls and six fly balls while striking out six.
» Devan Zirwas went 4-for-5 with four RBI, one double, and one home run. Zirwas has four multi-hit games this season and six with multiple RBI. His four multi-hit outings are the third most on the team as his six games with multiple RBI pace the team. His four hits marked a career high.
» Devan Zirwas homered for the team-leading seventh time this season, tying for the second most in the conference. He totals 21 RBI, the most on the squad and third most in the MAC as his four hits tie for the most by an Eagle in one game this year while his four RBI tie his team-leading mark originally set at Little Rock, Feb. 14.
» Nick Weaver homered twice for the first time in his NCAA career. He earned his first multi-RBI game of the season as his three mark a career high. The homers brought Eastern's total to 23, a figure that ties for second in the MAC. He finished the day 3-for-5 at the dish, marking his third multi-hit game of the year.
» Nick Weaver is the second Eagle this season to homer twice in one game as Ty Stecko previously accomplished the feat in a 7-6 win over Austin Peay, Feb. 20.
» Ty Stecko batted 2-for-5 with two RBI and one double. He has a team-high 19 hits this season as the game marked his fifth with multiple hits and RBI, both of which rank second on the squad.
» John Hale (Ashland City, Tenn./Sycamore/Motlow State C.C.) recorded his 12th hit of the season, extending his reached base streak to seven consecutive games, the longest on the team currently.
» Nathan Borchardt notched his fifth multi-hit game with a 2-for-5 showing. He elevated his batting average to .340, ranking inside the top-20 in the MAC.
Historical Notes
» The Eagles and Cardinals met for the 178th time. Eastern holds an 85-93-1 record all-time against Ball State and a 13-33 mark when facing it in Muncie since 1999.
» After his four hits Sunday, Devan Zirwas totals 101 hits in his career. He is the first Eagle this season to reach the century mark.
Up Next
Eastern Michigan returns home to face Oakland on Tuesday, March 17, at 3 p.m. at Oestrike Stadium. The teams will then meet again Wednesday, March 18, in Rochester, Mich.
Follow Us
Keep up with all things Eastern baseball by following the team on X @EMU_Baseball, and on Instagram @emu_baseball.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Kwasny, Zach (2-0)
L: Hendershot, Fischer (0-1)
S: Bretza, Zander (1)
Batting:
2B: Williams, TJ 1 ; Zirwas, Devan 1 ; Borchardt, Nathan 2 ; Stecko, Ty 1
HR: Zirwas, Devan 1 ; Weaver, Nick 2
RBI: Zirwas, Devan 4 ; Stecko, Ty 2 ; Weaver, Nick 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Zirwas, Devan 1 ; Hale, John 1 ; Borchardt, Nathan 3 ; Schechterman, Ben 1 ; Stecko, Ty 1 ; Weaver, Nick 2
HBP: Heidelberg, Demir 1
PO: Stecko, Ty 1
Batting:
2B: Muizelaar, Ryan 1
HR: Griffiths, Brett 1 ; Stokes, Taber 1 ; Scheumann, DJ 1
RBI: Griffiths, Brett 2 ; Balius, Gavin 1 ; Stokes, Taber 1 ; Muizelaar, Ryan 3 ; Scheumann, DJ 4
SF: Muizelaar, Ryan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Griffiths, Brett 2 ; Balius, Gavin 3 ; Stokes, Taber 1 ; Muizelaar, Ryan 2 ; Huebner, Brayden 1 ; Scheumann, DJ 1 ; Colligan, John 1 ; Thomas, Kenskey 1
SB: Balius, Gavin 1
CS: Sorgius, Kendric 1
HBP: Griffiths, Brett 1 ; Kalk, Max 1 ; Sorgius, Kendric 1
