MUNCIE, Ind. (Interstat) — Brayden Huebner homered twice and John Chambers pitched 4 1/3 innings of one-hit relief as Ball State defeated Bowling Green 6-5 in the opener of a Mid-American Conference doubleheader Friday afternoon.

Huebner went 3 for 4 with two home runs and two RBIs for the Cardinals, who improved to 23-28 overall and 17-14 in the MAC. Bowling Green dropped to 17-32 overall and 11-20 in conference play.

Ball State trailed 2-0 after the top of the first when Bowling Green’s Kyle Seidel singled and Carter Mottice followed with a single, stole second and later scored on a groundout by Sam Takats. Zack Horky doubled to left center to plate Mottice.

The Cardinals answered with four runs in the bottom of the first. Ryan Muizelaar doubled in Huebner, Brady Davidson singled in Muizelaar, and Jacob Gillis hit a two-run homer, his 10th of the season, to put Ball State ahead 4-2.

Huebner led off the second with a solo shot to left center, his 11th, extending the lead to 5-2. Bowling Green tied the game in the fifth after Horky doubled and Mottice hit his second homer of the year, a two-run blast to right field, making it 5-5.

Huebner answered again in the fourth with his second homer of the game, a solo drive to center field, giving Ball State a 6-5 lead.

Mottice finished 2 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs for the Falcons. Horky was 1 for 3 with an RBI and scored twice.

Ball State starter Brady Strawmyer allowed four earned runs on six hits over 4 2/3 innings, striking out five. Chambers entered with two outs in the fifth and retired 10 of the 11 batters he faced, allowing only one hit and striking out five.

Bowling Green starter Andrew Heffernan took the loss despite allowing no hits over seven innings. He surrendered six earned runs – all on home runs or bases-loaded situations – and struck out three. The Falcons used reliever CJ Boudreaux for a scoreless eighth.

Davidson had three hits and an RBI for the Cardinals, and Muizelaar added two hits and an RBI. Brady Strawmyer had two strikeouts in his relief appearance for Ball State.

The Falcons threatened in the ninth when Horky walked, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Ball State catcher Sam Kalk. Horky scored on a passed ball, pulling Bowling Green within one. But pinch-hitter Luke Brown struck out to end the game.

Ball State’s defense turned a double play in the second inning to end a potential Bowling Green rally.

The game marked the second straight meeting between the two teams after Ball State won 6-3 on Thursday. The doubleheader was scheduled to conclude later Friday evening.

Chambers earned the win in relief, bouncing back from a rough outing May 3 at Toledo in which he allowed eight earned runs in 3 2/3 innings. He had thrown six scoreless innings against Northern Illinois on May 10.

Huebner’s two homers gave him 12 for the season, matching his career high.

Bowling Green had seven hits and left five runners on base. Ball State collected 10 hits and stranded seven.

The most critical sequence came in the fourth inning when Huebner’s second home run broke a 5-5 tie, providing the final margin. Chambers then silenced the Falcons’ offense over the final 4 1/3 innings, allowing only a single to Salvione in the fifth and striking out five.