Ball State Baseball Drops Road Game to Indiana

Despite early 4-0 lead, Cardinals fall 6-4 to Hoosiers

Apr. 8, 2026 at 2:53am

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A cubist-style painting depicting a baseball game broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes in the team colors of Ball State and Indiana, conveying the fractured nature of the close contest.Ball State's inability to capitalize on scoring chances proves costly in narrow loss to Indiana.Akron Today

The Ball State baseball team jumped out to an early 4-0 lead against Indiana, but the Hoosiers rallied to tie the game in the first inning and eventually won 6-4. The Cardinals had opportunities to score more runs but struggled to get timely hits, leaving nine runners in scoring position. Head coach Rich Maloney said the team is in a 'rut' and needs to find a way to turn things around after the five-game losing streak.

Why it matters

Ball State baseball has been competitive this season, but the five-game losing streak has dropped their record below .500 for the first time. The Cardinals are searching for a way to finish close games and get back on track in Mid-American Conference play.

The details

After sophomore infielder Brayden Huebner hit a solo home run in the first inning to give Ball State a 1-0 lead, the Cardinals scored three more runs in the opening frame to take a 4-0 advantage. However, Indiana answered with four runs of their own in the bottom of the first to tie the game. The score remained knotted at 4-4 until the seventh inning, when the Hoosiers scored the go-ahead run on a Ball State error. Despite a strong outing from graduate pitcher Alex Burden, the Cardinals could not regain the lead and fell 6-4.

  • Ball State jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
  • Indiana tied the game 4-4 in the bottom of the first inning.
  • The Hoosiers took a 5-4 lead in the seventh inning on a Ball State error.

The players

Brayden Huebner

A sophomore infielder for Ball State who hit a solo home run in the first inning to give the Cardinals an early 1-0 lead.

Rich Maloney

The head coach of the Ball State baseball team, who expressed frustration with the team's inability to get timely hits and finish close games during their five-game losing streak.

Alex Burden

A graduate pitcher for Ball State who pitched 3.1 innings in relief and recorded four strikeouts, according to Maloney.

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What they’re saying

“We came out, we were hitting the ball. We had all the momentum on our side.”

— Rich Maloney, Head Coach

“It was unfortunate that we turned around and gave it right back.”

— Rich Maloney, Head Coach

“We made one mistake, and that was the end of the game.”

— Rich Maloney, Head Coach

“We had opportunities, we just couldn't get them in.”

— Rich Maloney, Head Coach

“We're not far off, but we're far off.”

— Rich Maloney, Head Coach

What’s next

Ball State will look to end their five-game losing streak when they host Manchester on April 8, followed by a home Mid-American Conference series against Akron on April 10-12.

The takeaway

Despite an early offensive outburst, Ball State's inability to capitalize on scoring opportunities and make routine plays proved costly in their narrow loss to Indiana. The Cardinals' head coach believes the team is close to turning things around, but they need to find a way to finish close games and get back on track in conference play.