With a 1-1 count and the play at first, Purdue-Fort Wayne infielder Kevin Hall hits a grounder to second, leading to the easy out. Just like that, Ball State head coach Rich Maloney reached his 1,000th career win.

Ball State (12-5, 3-0 MAC) came back from a 7-1 deficit in the bottom of the second and defeated Purdue-Fort Wayne (1-14, 0-0 Horizon) yesterday in an offensive bout to continue Maloney’s legacy.

Even though the significance of this milestone seems priceless, Maloney never really gave it any special attention, as to him it's just another day doing what he loves and values most.

“To me, it’s just another game really. I'm just being honest,” he said. "But I realized because people were calling me and started to text me last night, even before we had won the game. It's those relationships that matter most. I'm just so thankful.”

To Maloney, it’s those relationships that truly bring this together in full circle.

“My college coach Fred Decker was here, and he had a great influence on my life, and I'm thankful for that,” Maloney said. “My dad and my brother were able to make it back from Detroit. Even Mike Shebek, who they named the stadium after, flew in from South Carolina to be here. I mean, it goes on and on and on.”

With all those people mentioned, Maloney credits one more than just on occasion. His son and assistant coach Alex Maloney has been with him throughout the whole journey leading up to this very moment.

Alex played for Ball State from 2014-2017 under his dad, so being able to witness a purpose coaching the sport you love can bring you led to Alex following in his father’s footsteps.

“It’s great to be able to come to games and practice everyday, and get a blueprint of how to do it,” Alex said. “I'm just trying to take in everything and learn something new every single day. Hopefully one day I can get an opportunity at someplace to be a head coach myself, but right now it's pretty nice to be able to learn under such a historically great coach.”

To Alex, seeing his father reach 1,000 wins was nothing short of astounding, especially with the site of the milestone being at a ballpark that not just the father and son duo love and cherish dearly, but the entire Maloney family.

“ It’s amazing because we have our whole family here,” Alex said. “ This is a very special place. My father brought me in for the first time as a player, and I ultimately met my wife here.
“My brother and sister share the same admiration for this place as well. It's a special deal and a true family affair. I'm grateful to coach at my alma mater and under my father, so this program means a lot to our family. We're just so very lucky to experience this all together.”

The journey for Rich may have come with trials and tribulations, but he wouldn’t trade any of it back. Not one bit. To him, reaching 1,000 wins didn't just add a positive moment to his career, it added an optimistic outlook to himself as a man.

“Today is one of those days where you realize the reflection becomes real, and your heart of gratitude, it's overwhelmed with granted gratitude for the privilege to be a coach for this long,” Rich said. “Now, I think moving forward in the future, I think it's going to be rare for guys to coach 30 years.”

Rich Maloney stays true to his reason to keep going, with it not only carrying him for the last 29 years, but also fulfilling the purpose of what he believes he was born to do.

“What kept me going throughout the years was my love for the players, my love for the challenge of building,” Rich said. “Building a team first and foremost, then building a stadium, essentially building a culture.

“Right before I left for Michigan, I had a dream to build a stadium here. I didn't expect to ever come back here, but through fate, I had a chance to come back and rebuild it. Although my wife loved her experience here at Ball State, she was on the fence about coming back to Muncie. But then I said ‘No, we’re going to finish what we started here.”

Not only did that dream come true, but the dream continues and doesn't plan on stopping anytime soon.

The Cardinals look to add on their six game winning streak with a three-game series against the Toledo Rockets (5-10, 1-2 MAC) kicking off Friday, March 14th at 3:00 pm at Shebek Stadium.

Contact Calvin Scott with comments at calvin.scott@bsu.edu or on X @CalvinAJScott.

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