Ball State Bats Heat Up Late, Cardinals Hand CMU 11-6 Baseball Loss

Central Michigan University Athletics reports on the loss against Ball State in the second game of a three-game Mid-American Conference baseball series.

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Ball State scored nine runs in the final three innings to defeat Central Michigan 11-6 in the second game of their three-game Mid-American Conference baseball series. CMU won the series opener 8-7 on Friday, but Ball State rallied late on Saturday to even the series at 1-1 heading into Sunday's rubber match.

Why it matters

This loss drops Central Michigan to 6-6 overall and 1-1 in MAC play, while Ball State improves to 6-7 and also 1-1 in conference. The outcome keeps both teams in the middle of the pack in the early MAC standings, with the Sunday finale determining which squad will take the series.

The details

CMU jumped out to an early lead when Cole Prout hit a leadoff home run, his fourth of the season, to make it 1-0. The Chippewas extended their advantage to 6-3 by the sixth inning, but Ball State pinch hitter Kenskey Thomas hit a game-tying grand slam to knot the score at 6-6 and chase CMU starter Luke Neiswonger. The Cardinals then scored two runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth to pull away for the 11-6 victory.

  • The series opener was played on Friday, March 7, 2026.
  • The second game of the series was played on Saturday, March 8, 2026.
  • The rubber match of the three-game series will be played on Sunday, March 9, 2026 at 1 p.m.

The players

Cole Prout

A Central Michigan player who hit a leadoff home run, his team-leading fourth of the season, to give CMU an early 1-0 lead.

Bryson Webb

A Central Michigan player who finished the game with three hits.

Kenskey Thomas

A Ball State pinch hitter who hit a game-tying grand slam in the sixth inning to make the score 6-6.

Luke Neiswonger

The Central Michigan starting pitcher who allowed six runs on nine hits over 5 1/3 innings before being chased by Kenskey Thomas' grand slam.

Zach Kwasny

The Ball State pitcher who earned the win by shutting out Central Michigan over the final 3 2/3 innings.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

The teams will play the rubber match of the three-game series on Sunday, March 9, 2026 at 1 p.m.

The takeaway

This loss keeps Central Michigan in the middle of the pack in the early Mid-American Conference standings, while Ball State evens its conference record at 1-1. The outcome of Sunday's finale will determine which team takes the series and gains an early advantage in the MAC race.