Coach Steve Jaksa and the baseball team accomplished one of its goals for the weekend en route to the team’s first sweep of a Mid-American Conference opponent.

The team had yet to win a weekend opener against a MAC team, making it unable to earn a sweep.

CMU managed to do both as it won three games against Ball State University during the weekend at Theunissen Stadium. The Chippewas completed the sweep in Sunday’s 5-4 walk-off win after freshman second baseman Brendan Emmett scored when Ball State’s second basemen Jeremy Hazelbaker made an error on a freshman left fielder Matt Faiman grounder. Emmett singled to get on base.

“This was a very quality opponent,” Jaksa said. “Felt our guys came ready to play. I think we are capable of playing this way and continuing to play this way.”

Emmett was 3-for-5 with one RBI and the one run. Faiman went 1-for-5.

The teams entered the ninth inning tied at 4.

Ball State led off at the top of its order, facing sophomore right-hander Jesse Hernandez in relief. He was able to get the first two batters with a strike out and ground out.

Hernandez eventually loaded the bases, but was able to pitch out of it after senior shortstop Jeff Helps handled a chopper, forcing the runner out at second.

Senior right fielder Tyler Stovall led CMU, going 2-for-3 with two doubles and two scored runs.

“It felt really good to sweep a MAC team,” Stovall said. “I was working on my swing based on how Ball State had been pitching me.”

Central took a 2-0 lead in the first inning after Helps scored on senior first baseman Sean Hoorelbeke’s RBI-single, extending his hitting streak to 13.

He later scored on Emmett’s single.

BSU got one run back in the second before CMU added two in the bottom of the inning. The Cardinals evened the game up with a run in the fifth and two in the seventh.

Junior left-hander Steve Teno started the game and lasted 6 2/3 innings. He allowed four runs on seven hits. Hernandez got the win after throwing 2 1/3 innings.

Taking the first two

Junior left-hander Dan Taylor took a no-hitter into seventh inning of Saturday’s 8-6 win, allowing six hits in the rest of his 7 2/3 innings pitched.

The team was able to hold off BSU after it got four back in the eighth inning.

Cornstubble led the team with two hits, a run scored and two RBIs.

Taylor got the win, but it was junior right-hander Chris Kupillas who came in during the eighth and pitched the ninth to stifle Ball State’s rally.

CMU got its first series opening win on Friday, 7-3, on the efforts of sophomore catcher Dale Cornstubble and junior center fielder Cody Allen. Both finished with three hits and two runs scored. Cornstubble who finished with three RBIs.

The team managed to break a tie at 3 in the bottom of the eighth with four runs to get the win.

Senior right-hander Eric Lawrence pitched a complete game, allowing just six hits, including none in the ninth.

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