CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Towson University baseball team faced Ball State in its season opener in the Swig & Swine Collegiate Classic in Mount Pleasant, S.C.
 
Ball State (1-0) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second on four hits and a walk. The Cardinals added another in the third on a bunt single with runners on the corners. An RBI groundout in the bottom of the fifth pushed BSU's lead to five. In the bottom of the sixth, a two-run home run from Blake Bevis extended the Ball State lead to seven. Jordan Peyton's RBI groundout with two runners in scoring position put the Tigers on the board for the first time today. Brian Heckelman hit a solo home run to left field in the top of the ninth to cut down the Cardinal lead to five. The final two batters went down in order for a 7-2 Ball State win over the Tigers.
 
Key Stats:

• Ball State held Towson without a hit through the first five innings and only allowed four on the day to the Cardinals' nine.
• Towson starter Max Simpson (0-1) took the loss, allowing four earned runs on seven hits in 3.o innings pitched. The righty added three strikeouts and walked one batter.
• Ball State starter Jacob Hartlaub (1-0) picked up the win after tossing 5.2 shutout innings with one hit allowed. He struck out eight and walked three. Ball State reliever Owen Quinn (1) recorded the save with two earned runs allowed on three hits in 3.1 innings pitched, striking out three.

 
How it Happened:

• Max Simpson started strong to begin the 2025 campaign, striking out the side in the bottom of the first.
• After the Tigers went down in order in the top of the second, back-to-back singles with the bases loaded gave Ball State a 3-0 lead through two.
• The Cardinals added another in the bottom of the third on a bunt single with runners on the corners.
• With runners on second and third in the fifth, a groundout to second pushed the BSU lead to 5-0.
• Casey Bishop picked up the Tigers' first hit of the day on a double down the left field line in the top of the sixth. He was left stranded on third with a runner 90 feet behind him.
• Bevis' two-run homer in the sixth extended the Cardinals lead to 7-0.
• Ethan Brand and Cole Stefano started the eighth inning with back-to-back singles, Stefano's a bunt. After both runners moved up a base, Peyton's groundout to second scored Brand for the first Tiger run of the day.
• With one out in the ninth, Heckelman hit a homer to left field on a full count to cut the deficit to 7-2.
• The final two Tiger batters went down in order as the Tigers fell to Ball State, 7-2.

 
On Deck:
The Tigers return to Shipyard Park tomorrow to face UAB at Wando River Field at 4 p.m.