Both coaches planned on using a pitcher-by-committee approach beforehand. As it turned out, Ball State's Greg Beals and Purdue's Doug Schreiber were forced to dip deep into their staffs anyway.
Pitching was in short supply and hitting in over-abundance as the Ball State baseball team outlasted Purdue, 17-14, at Ball Diamond. The victory is the third in a row and 15th in 18 games for the Cardinals (15-7).
The two teams combined for 40 hits, including 11 doubles and seven home runs. On the flip side, 15 pitchers were used.
"That was part of the plan," Beals said of using several pitchers. "It came true that we needed them. Our pitchers competed hard and dealt with the circumstances.
"You want to win non-conference games, but you don't want to jeopardize your (pitching) staff for the weekend."
Purdue (11-11) set the tone right away when Nick McIntyre and Dan Underwood slugged back-to-back homers for a 2-0 lead. The Cardinals responded with their own back-to-backers in the third, as Lucas Fry and Jason Bucholtz tied things at 3-3.
The Boilermakers went up 12-11 in the fifth on the strength of Underwood's grand slam homer, but BSU took the lead for good in the bottom half with Adam Metzler's two-run double. Marc Franz followed with a home run to left-center.
"It was a good day to hit, and our guys took advantage of that," Beals said.
Purdue pulled to within 17-14 with runs in the eighth and ninth and loaded the bases in the ninth. Ball State closer John Pettibone then induced Ben Fritz into a 1-2-3 double play to close the game.
Brad Snyder (three doubles) and Brad Miller (triple, double) led the Cardinal attack with four hits apiece. Metzler and Fry batted in three runs each. Michael Hale (1-0) picked up the win in relief and Pettibone recorded his fourth save.
Underwood finished with five hits and six RBIs for Purdue. McIntyre (two homers, four runs) and Mitch Koester both had four hits.
"It was a big game," Beals said, "not only because of the intrastate rivalry, but to maintain our good play and keep the momentum going. We have a big MAC series (with Eastern Michigan) coming up.
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