LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Ball State, the sole mid-major team in the NCAA baseball Lexington Regional, bowed out of the double-elimination tournament on Saturday afternoon.
The Mid-American Conference tournament champions suffered a 13-5 loss to West Virginia in the loser's bracket, ending the Cardinals' season. Ball State previously lost to Kentucky, 4-1, on Friday in the first game of the regional.
But the Cardinals, who made their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2006 this season, know not to take their short time on the national stage for granted.
"The truth of the matter is, this is the first time they got to play in a real, this kind of a setting," Ball State coach Rich Maloney said.