Ball State’s baseball team suffered a 6-2 loss to Ohio and ended its season at 33-25, in Sunday’s Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship Game,

The Cardinals advanced to Sunday’s championship game after winning their opening tourney game over Toledo and then winning two out of three over Akron.  It marked Ball State’s second MAC Tournament Championship Game appearance in the last three years.

Alex Maloney hit the first pitch of the game deep into center field for a ground rule double and Elbert Devarie’s sacrifice bunt advanced Maloney to third.  Alex Call grounded out to third and Maloney scored the first run of the game to put Ball State ahead 1-0.

Ohio responded with one run in the bottom of the first to tie the game at 1-1 and then took the early lead with two more runs in the second inning.  The Bobcats added two more in the third to lead 5-1.

Ball State threatened in the sixth when with one out, Matt Eppers walked and Maloney singled to left field.  With runners on first and second, Devarie beat out an infield single to load the bases, but the Cardinals were unable to get a run across the plate and remained in a 5-1 deficit through 5.5 innings.

The Cardinals rallied again in the eighth when with one out, Maloney beat out an infield grounder and the throw went wide to advance him to second base.  Devarie beat out his infield grounder to put runners on the corner for Call.  The team’s leading hitter reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Maloney and closed the gap to 6-2.

Zach Plesac started the game for the Cardinals and suffered the loss after going five innings, allowing five earned runs and striking out two.  Devin Wilburn pitched the final three innings and allowed no hits while striking out one.

Maloney led Ball State offensively with a 3-for-4 performance and two runs scored.  Devarie was 2-for-3, while Call had both of the Cardinals’ RBI.

Plesac, Jarett Rindfleisch and Scott Tyler were each named to the MAC All-Tournament Team after the contest.