MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) - Alex Gillett found Ben Thayer with a 12-yard touchdown pass in overtime and Eastern Michigan ended an 18-game losing streak with a 41-38 victory over Ball State on Saturday.
Gillett ran for 189 yards and two TDs and threw for 225 yards and three scores as the Eagles (1-6, 1-3 Mid-American Conference) won their first game since Nov. 28, 2008.
Keith Wenning threw three touchdown passes and Eric Williams scored on a 92-yard kickoff return for the Cardinals (2-5, 1-2).
Ball State took a 38-35 lead on Ian McGarvey's field goal on the first possession of OT before Thayer scored his second TD of the game.
Eastern Michigan trailed 28-7 late in the second quarter but rallied with 28 unanswered points.
Ball State then tied it at 35-all when Wenning hit Briggs Orsbon with a 9-yard TD pass with 34 seconds left in regulation.
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| Scoring Summary |
| BALLST | Daniel Ifft 24 yd pass from Keith Wenning (Ian McGarvey kick) |
| BALLST | Keith Wenning 1 yd run (Ian McGarvey kick) |
| BALLST | MiQuale Lewis 8 yd pass from Keith Wenning (Ian McGarvey kick) |
| EMI | Alex Gillett 6 yd run (Sean Graham kick) |
| BALLST | Eric Williams 92 yd kick return (Ian McGarvey kick) |
| EMI | Garrett Hoskins 73 yd pass from Alex Gillett (Sean Graham kick) |
| EMI | Corey Welch 1 yd run (Sean Graham kick) |
| EMI | Ben Thayer 33 yd pass from Alex Gillett (Sean Graham kick) |
| EMI | Alex Gillett 2 yd run (Sean Graham kick) |
| BALLST | Briggs Orsbon 9 yd pass from Keith Wenning (Ian McGarvey kick) |
| BALLST | Ian McGarvey 44 yd FG |
| EMI | Ben Thayer 12 yd pass from Alex Gillett |
| Team Stats | ||
| EMI | BALLST | |
| First Downs | 26 | 16 |
| Third Down Efficiency | 7-13 | 4-11 |
| Fourth Down Efficiency | 1-2 | 0-0 |
| Plays-Net Yards | 73-490 | 61-243 |
| Rushes-Yds | 55-265 | 32-98 |
| Passing Yds | 225 | 145 |
| Kick Return Yds | 125 | 109 |
| Punt Return Yds | -3 | 0 |
| Passes | 10-18-1 | 16-29-0 |
| Punts | 1-47 | 6-253 |
| Fumbles-Lost | 1-1 | 1-1 |
| Penalties-Yds | 9-85 | 4-26 |
| Time of Poss. | 33:47 | 26:13 |
| Individual Stats |
| RUSHING |
| EMI: Alex Gillett 35-189, Chaz Mitchell 7-30, Corey Welch 7-26, Javonti Greene 3-20, Dominique Sherrer 2-2, Team 1--2 |
| BALLST: Eric Williams 8-62, David Brown 10-32, Keith Wenning 6-10, MiQuale Lewis 6-1, Phil Dudley 1--1, Team 1--6 |
| PASSING |
| EMI: Alex Gillett 10-18-225-1 |
| BALLST: Keith Wenning 16-29-145-0 |
| RECEIVING |
| EMI: Kinsman Thomas 6-87, Ben Thayer 3-65, Garrett Hoskins 1-73 |
| BALLST: Jack Tomlinson 4-35, Aaron Mershman 3-16, MiQuale Lewis 2-13, Phil Dudley 2-12, Daniel Ifft 1-24, Torieal Gibson 1-22, Briggs Orsbon 1-9, Eric Williams 1-7, David Brown 1-7 |
