MUNCIE, Ind. –The Kent State University baseball team fell to the Ball State Cardinals 9-8 in a 13-inning show down to kick off the three-game series at First Merchants Ballpark Friday afternoon. Home runs by senior Kian O'Brien and redshirt sophomore Alex Ronnebaum in the top of the ninth inning lifted the Flashes' from 5-2 deficit and forced Kent State's second straight extra-inning ballgame.
The Flashes fell behind early, as the Cardinals notched a home run to left field in the bottom of the first inning. Ball State went on to add four runs through the next two innings to take a 5-0 lead.