No. 1 seed Ball State Baseball (40-19, 32-7 MAC) lost to No. 2 seed Central Michigan (42-17, 30-7 MAC) 11-7 in the final game of the 2022 Mid-American Conference Baseball Championship Tournament May 29, falling just short of making the NCAA Regionals they had been striving for throughout the season. The Cardinals won their first two games of the tournament, meaning they were one win away from a NCAA Regionals berth, but lost two games in a row to the Chippewas, coming up just short.
In this contest, Ball State scored five runs in the first inning and had a 6-2 lead going into the sixth inning, until the Chippewas scored nine runs in the last four innings, while Ball State was held to one. All-MAC Second Team fifth-year center fielder Amir Wright hit 3-5 with a triple, while junior shortstop Adam Tellier also collected three hits, including a double.
Among other Ball State hitters, MAC Defensive Player of the Year senior third baseman Ryan Peltier hit 2-5 with two RBI, while fifth-year senior right fielder Nick Powell hit 2-4 with two RBI.
The Chippewas had three home runs in their victory, of which included junior designated hitter Garrett Navarra (4-4, three RBI), All-MAC First Team senior second baseman Mario Camilletti (2-6, two RBI) and redshirt freshman center fielder Robby Morgan (2-4, two RBI). Navarra started on the mound for the Chippewas in Ball State and Central Michigan's May 28 game (12-3 CMU), picking up the win after pitching six innings and allowing five hits, one run, one walk and striking out nine.
If the Cardinals are not selected as an at-large bid for NCAA Regionals, this will be at least eight Ball State players' last time donning the Red and White, four of whom were regular starters in the Cardinals' lineup.
Contact Kyle Smedley with comments via email at kyle.smedley@bsu.edu or on Twitter @smedley1932.
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