JACKSONVILLE, Fla.- In game two of the weekend series, Jacksonville (3-6) was defeated by Ball State (6-3), with the final score being 10-9.

Peyton Prescott was tasked with starting off the game on the hill in his first career start. Peyton threw 6.1 innings while giving up four runs on six hits. Prescott sat down eight Cardinal hitters on strikes and didn't allow any walks. Peyton was given a no-decision.

It didn't take long for Ball State to crack the scoreboard as the Cardinals hit a solo homer to go up 1-0. Prescott battled back and got the next two hitters out.

Both pitchers seemed to be in a groove early as we remained at 1-0 Ball State with three combined hits through three innings.

In the fourth inning, Peyton Prescott continued to work fast and effectively, striking out the side in order.

The Dolphins went into the bottom of the fourth still trailing, 1-0. With two away in the fourth, Ball State loaded the bases against them on three straight walks. Conner Spelman forced a fourth straight walk to tie the game at one apiece. That forced Ball State to turn to the bullpen to face Clayton Hodges with the bases loaded. Hodges sent one right back up the middle for a two-RBI single to make it 3-1 Jacksonville.

Prescott struck out the side in the fifth to preserve the Dolphins' 3-1 lead. The top of the order was up for Jacksonville in the bottom of the fifth. Will Gale reached safely on a throwing error, and Justin Nadeau followed that up with a single into left field. A passed ball advanced both the runners to second and third, then on a second passed ball, Gale scored from third to make it 4-1. That passed ball was ball four to Tyrell Brewer. A double into right field from Josh Steidl allowed Nadeau to score and Brewer to advance to third. With the score now 5-1, a wild pitch then scored Brewer from third to make it 6-1 Jacksonville. Josh Steidl scored on yet another passed ball to move the Dolphin lead to 7-1.

Peyton continued on the bump but ran into trouble in the seventh as Ball State was able to get three straight hits off and scored a second run to make it 7-2. Pitching duties were then handed over to Scout Updike with two runners on base and one away in the seventh. The Cardinals went on a run and scored straight five runs to tie the game at seven. Scout's final line showed three runs given up on two hits.

The Dolphins couldn't get the bats going in the bottom of the seventh, and Chris Lotito came back out to pitch the eighth. Ball State would hit a blooping RBI base hit into right field that gave the Cardinals an 8-7 lead. With runners at the corners with one out, a sacrifice bunt scored another run to make it 9-7 Cardinals. The 'Phins made a call to the bullpen once again, and this time it was to Divine Valle. Valle gave up an infield hit that let yet another run score for Ball State to make it 10-7.

Lotito finished giving up three runs on three hits during one inning of work. He also struck out one batter and walked one.

Josh Steidl put the Dolphins back in business as he hit one off the wall for a two-RBI double to cut the Cardinals lead to 10-9. Following the double, mother nature took over, and the game was suspended until Sunday afternoon.

When the game resumed, Ball State stranded the runner at second on a groundout to the third baseman for the third out of the inning.

Valle threw 1.1 innings, giving up two hits and striking out one.

Jacksonville couldn't make up the deficit in the bottom of the ninth as Ball State dealt a three-up, three-down inning to clinch the win.

Game Three
In game three, the Jacksonville Dolphins (4-6) won 10-1 against the Ball State Cardinals (6-4).

Richard Long started on the bump for Jacksonville, throwing five innings while pumping in five strikeouts. He walked four Cardinals and gave up an unearned run.

In the home half of the first, Jacksonville threatened to take the early lead. With two outs, the Cardinals had trouble throwing strikes. Three walks and a hit batter allowed Jacksonville to take the early lead, 1-0.

Nick DeLisi led off the bottom of the second with a leadoff single and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Cade Hentz. Justin Nadeau didn't waste the opportunity with the runners on and hit a RBI single into right field to make it 2-0 Dolphins.

Richard Long faced traffic in the fourth as he gave up a hit and walked two, but Jacksonville was able to strand the bases loaded and preserve the 2-0 lead.

After Long got through the top of the fifth with another solid inning, DeLisi led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a single into left field and was then moved over to second base on a sacrifice bunt, once again by Hentz. Gale then slapped a single into right field and then advanced to second on the throw in. Nadeau drove in another run that made it 3-0 Dolphins.

Jack Carver was called on to relieve Long in the top of the sixth. A sacrifice fly later in the inning by Ball State cut the Dolphin lead to 4-1. A ground out ended the inning.

Jacksonville added to their lead when Clayton Hodges cleared the bases on a three-RBI triple that made it 7-1 Dolphins.

Carver was taken out after getting the first out via a strikeout in the seventh inning as Logan Jones took over on the mound. Logan got the next two to end the inning as Jacksonville held their 7-1 lead.

Jacksonville picked the bats up once again in the eighth as Will Gale led off with a triple. Justin Nadeau walked and moved to second on a stolen base. Gale scored on a wild pitch that made it 8-1, and Nadeau moved up to third. Nadeau then scored on another wild pitch to make it 9-1. With two outs, Josh Steidl blasted a solo shot over the right field wall that made the score 10-1.

Isaac Williams came out to close the ninth inning and did so successfully as Jacksonville won 10-1.

Head Coach Chris Hayes commented postgame: "I am proud of the way the guys responded in game three after a disappointing first two games in the series. Our guys dealt with a lot of adversity this weekend, dealing with things out of our control like the weather, but Ball State had to deal with that as well, and hats off to them, they are a really well-coached team and they played hard. Game three gave us a glimpse of how we can play successful Dolphin baseball, and if we can continue that type of play, we are going to be in good shape."

Three Strikes:

1. Justin Nadeau is currently on a four-game hitting streak.
2. Peyton Prescott set a career-high in strikeouts with eight.
3. Richard Long picked up his first win of the season.

On Deck:
The Dolphins will return home on Tuesday evening to take on the Valparaiso Beacons. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. at John Sessions Stadium.