Having already faced the best pitcher on its schedule, the Ball State University baseball team will head south to the University of Louisville for a matchup with the best hitter left on its slate.
The Cardinals (12-11) will take on their avian counterpart at 6 p.m. The Louisville (17-8) lineup features All-American junior Chris Dominguez, who was tabbed the Sporting News' preseason Player of the Year. This will be the toughest matchup for Ball State since facing University of Missouri starting pitcher Kyle Gibson, who could be a first round draft pick.
"We're going to pitch him very carefully," Ball State coach Greg Beals said. "We're not going to pitch around him, but we'll try to get him off balance and challenge him as best we can."
Beals knows firsthand how dangerous Dominguez can be. In Louisville's 9-3 win last year, the third baseman hit two home runs and drove in six runs.
Ball State faced the reigning Mid-American Conference Player of the Year Greg Rohan last weekend against Kent State University. Beals said he was happy with his team's performance against Rohan and hopes his pitchers will be able to have similar success with Dominguez.
"You have to go out competing against both guys," Beals said. "We gave [Rohan] one bellow-average breaking ball and he put a good swing on it. That's what great players do."
The test will initially fall on the shoulders of freshman starting pitcher Cal Bowling. The right-hander will start his second game of the year, but will pitch two innings, Beals said. As Ball State did at Indiana State University a week ago, Beals said he will run out at least six pitchers to keep his bullpen sharp.
"Cal's been very good lately," Beals said. "It's a reward for the quality innings he's had."
Bowling will face fellow freshman Keith Landers, who is making his first college appearance. It is possible Louisville coach Dan McDonnell will push back his scheduled starter from Tuesday's contest against Purdue University that was rained out.
If Landers does make the start, Beals said his team will approach him like any other pitcher.
"He's a big 6-7 left-hander that they obviously liked a lot," Beals said. "I'm sure he's a young man with a bright future, but it may be a challenge for him, managing his emotions."
Beals said he had concerns about his pitching staff after Sunday's series finale against Kent State was rained out, forcing him to skip sophomore Kolbrin Vitek in the rotation. Vitek will start as the designated hitter Wednesday, but will pitch an inning to stay sharp.
Junior right fielder Ryan Chenoweth will return to the lineup against Louisville after missing the weekend with the flu. Freshman pitcher Justin Warrington is still sidelined with soreness in his left shoulder.
The game kicks off a five-game road trip and a stretch of eight road games in nine. Beals wants to avoid a repeat of his team's performance against Indiana State, when it was down 14-0 before scoring six runs in the eighth.
"We played good baseball against Kent State," Beals said. "I want to keep that going. We have to be ready to represent Ball State University and the work we put in every time we put on the uniform."
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