LATE RALLY PUSHES BALL STATE BY AGGIES

Mayo hits a grand slam for the Aggies

GREENSBORO, N.C., March 9, 2005 – Ball State sent nine batters to the plate, rallying for five runs in the eighth inning to take an 11-8 victory over N.C. A&T in War Memorial Stadium.

Ball State improved its record to 5-5, while N.C. A&T dropped to 5-12.

Trailing 8-6, the Cardinals took advantage of the Aggie bullpen in the inning, scoring five runs off three Aggie pitchers. Ian DiGiorgio (2-3) took the loss as he was charged with three runs on two hits, while walking one. He retired only one of the four batters he faced.

N.C. A&T had a pair of runners on base in its half of the eighth inning, when Joe McIntyre and Neil Rosser each hit two-out singles, but Ball State reliever Kyle Heyne struck out John Primus to end the threat.

Erik Morrison pitched the ninth inning and struck out two batters to earn his fourth save of the season.

Ball State took an early 5-0 lead in the contest, keyed by a 3-run homer from C.J. Webb in a four-run first inning. N.C. A&T got into the contest with one swing from second baseman Nic Mayo, who hit a grand slam in the bottom of the second inning to bring the Aggies to within a run at 5-4.

The Aggies seemed to have all the momentum when Jeremy Jones blasted a two-run homer to straightaway centerfield for an 8-6 lead in the seventh. But Ball State responded by taking advantage of a bases loaded walk and two-run double by Jason Bucholtz to fuel its big eighth inning rally.   

McIntyre got his first career start on the mound for the Aggies and pitched 6.2 innings, four earned runs on six hits, while striking out two. He also finished 2-for-4 at the plate with and RBI and a run scored.

Michael Hale (2-0) got the victory on the mound for the Cardinals in relief, allowing two runs on two hits while striking out five in four innings pitched. Webb went 2-for-5 at the plate with a run and three RBI to lead Ball State.

Jeremy Jones improved his batting average to a team best .469 by going 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored and two RBI. Rosser and Santiago racked up two hits apiece for the Aggies, who will battle the Cardinals again on Thursday at 3 p.m. in War Memorial Stadium.