Weather postpones Ball State-Ohio game in Mid-American Conference baseball tournament

Robby General, Muncie Star Press
·3 min read
The second game of the Mid-American Conference Tournament at Ball Diamond at First Merchants Ballpark Complex was postponed due to inclement weather. The Ball State-Ohio game is set to resume at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 26 with games three and four to follow.
The second game of the Mid-American Conference Tournament at Ball Diamond at First Merchants Ballpark Complex was postponed due to inclement weather. The Ball State-Ohio game is set to resume at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 26 with games three and four to follow.

MUNCIE, Ind. — What was a sunny day with packed bleachers eager to see Ball State baseball compete in the 2022 Mid-American Conference baseball tournament ended preemptively Wednesday.

In the bottom of the first inning — with the Cardinals leading 1-0 thanks to an RBI single by Trenton Quartermaine, which scored Amir Wright who led off the inning with a double — the Ball State-Ohio game was sent into a weather delay due to lightning in the area.

Approximately 30 minutes later, after a brief stint of rain and with many fans still hovering around the ballpark, the game was postponed to Thursday, May 26 at 10 a.m. Tickets purchased for the Ball State-Ohio game will be accepted for the rescheduled game only.

The conference announced Thursday will now feature three games. The loser of Ball State-Ohio will face Toledo in the elimination bracket at 1:30 p.m. (Game 3). The winner will advance to play Central Michigan in the semifinal at 5 p.m. (Game 4).

The winner of Game 3 and the loser of Game 4 are set to play Friday, May 27 at 12:30 p.m. with the championship game to take place Saturday at 12:30 p.m.

According to Weather.com — as of Wednesday at 7 p.m. — there is a 50% or better chance of scattered thunderstorms Thursday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The odds of scattered showers drops to 42% at 5 p.m. at rises again at 6 p.m. (48%).

Both Wednesday games were delayed due to weather. Central Michigan-Toledo began 30 minutes after its scheduled start time but was completed. The Chippewas beat the Rockets 11-10.

No. 2 Central Michigan 11, No. 3 Toledo 10

A nearly four-hour affair which saw four lead changes and three ties ended with a walk-off walk and an 11-10 Central Michigan victory.

The Rockets struck first in the second inning with an RBI single from Trey Wright. Central Michigan responded in the bottom of the inning with a solo home run from Garrett Navarra.

Tied 1-1 heading into the third, the Rockets built a five-run lead with a pair of home runs from Scott Mackiewicz (2 RBI) and Nicky Winterstein (3 RBI). Central Michigan, once again, responded with five runs of its own in the bottom of the inning as Jakob Marsee, Danny Wustenfeld, Drew Lechnir, Navarra and Adam Proctor each recorded an RBI to tie the game 6-6.

The Chippewas added two more in the bottom of the fifth with a pair of solo home runs from Robby Morgan and Proctor. Toledo got a run in the sixth, an RBI single from Mackiewicz, and seventh, Mason Sykes, an RBI single, to tie the score 7-7.

Toledo pulled ahead in the top of the ninth with a pair of solo home runs from Garret Pike and Sykes. But Central Michigan scored three in the bottom half of the inning as Proctor recorded an RBI single while both Mario Camilletti and Justin Simpson recorded RBI walks.

Garrett Navarra earned the win for the Chippewas, allowing four earned runs, seven hits and two walks while striking out four in four innings. Connor Brandon received the loss, allowing three earned runs, four hits and three walks while striking out four in 1 2/3 innings.

Robby General covers Ball State and East Central Indiana high school sports for The Star Press. Contact him via email at rgeneral@gannett.com or on Twitter @rgeneraljr.

This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Inclement weather leads to postponement in MAC baseball tournament