The force applied to the baseball can be calculated using Newton's second law of motion, which states that force (F) is equal to mass (m) multiplied by acceleration (a), or F = m x a.
Using this formula, we can calculate the force applied to the baseball as:
F = 0.145 kg x 80 m/s^2
F = 11.6 N
Therefore, the correct answer is C. 11.6 N.